Residence requirements and calculator
People who became permanent residents on or after 1 July 2007 must have been lawfully resident in Australia for four years immediately before applying including:
12 months as a permanent resident
and
absences from Australia of no more than 12 months, including no more than three months in the 12 months before applying.
To be eligible for a five (5) year Resident Return visa you must be one of the following:
* an Australian permanent resident
* a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled
* a former Australian Citizen who lost or renounced their citizenship.
You are not eligible for this visa if your most recent permanent visa was one of the following Business Skills visa and it has been cancelled, or is subject to a notice of intention to cancel:
* Business Owner visa (Subclasses 127 and 840)
* Senior Executive Visa (Subclasses 128 and 841)
* State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner Visa (Subclasses 129 and 842)
* State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive Visa (Subclasses 130 and 843)
* Investment-Linked Visa (Subclasses 131 and 844)
* Business Talent Visa (Subclass 132).
You must also meet one of the following eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Requirement
Criteria
Residence requirement
You must have spent two (2) of the last five (5) years in Australia as a permanent resident.
Substantial ties and compelling reasons for absence
You can provide evidence of substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia,
and
If you have been absent for more than five (5) years, you are able to provide evidence of compelling reasons for your absence.
Member of a family unit
You are the immediate family member of a Resident Return Visa holder.