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Also called a resident return visa, subclass 155 visa is intended for present, and former permanent residents in Australia, as well as former Australian citizens who wish to travel abroad and intend to return to Australia with their permanent resident status intact. If you require legal assistance for processing your visa 155, a migration expert from Parish Patience can assist you. Book your appointment today!
A visa subclass 155 allows you to travel to and from Australia or leave and re-enter the country as a permanent resident until your visa’s travel facility expires.
Should you leave Australia even though your permanent visa’s travel facility has already expired, you can’t go back to Australia and you’ll lose your permanent resident status. You will need to apply for this visa again prior to your arrival in Australia.
If you’re already a permanent resident in Australia and don’t plan to travel, there’s no need to apply for this visa. But if you do wish to travel, you can apply to as many resident return visas (RRV) as there are no imposed limits.
A resident return visa 155 is for individuals who are any of the following:
To be granted a Class BB 155 visa, you must:
Talk to one of our Visa Experts Now.
Understanding which Resident Return Visa (RRV) applies to your situation depends directly on your physical residence history in Australia and your ongoing ties to the country.
| Travel Facility Granted | Visa Subclass | Australian Residence History | Primary Criteria & Requirements |
| 5-Year Travel Facility | Subclass 155 | At least 2 years (730 days) within the last 5 years | Standard Residence Requirement: Granted automatically as long as you meet the 2-in-5-year physical stay requirement as a permanent resident or citizen. |
| 1-Year Travel Facility | Subclass 155 | Less than 2 years within the last 5 years | Substantial Ties Requirement: You must demonstrate substantial business, cultural, employment, or personal ties of benefit to Australia. If absent for more than 5 continuous years, you must also prove compelling reasons for your absence. |
| Up to 1 Year | Subclass 155 | Dependent on family member | Family Member Stream: You are applying as the partner or dependent child of an eligible Subclass 155 visa holder. |
| 3-Month Travel Facility | Subclass 157 | At least 1 day, but less than 2 years in the last 5 years | Short-Term Fallback: For applicants who do not meet the 155 criteria but have compassionate and compelling reasons to depart Australia. |
Resident Return Visas fall under three categories in terms of duration of validity.
The basic criteria for a five-year travel facility under subclass 155 is that you must have lived in Australia for at least two (2) years out of the five (5) years as a permanent resident visa holder.
In the event that you didn’t meet the ‘2 years out of 5’ residency requirement, you may still be eligible for a one-year travel facility. To be granted this visa, you must demonstrate ‘substantial ties’ to Australia, which can be attributed to any of the following: business, cultural, employment, or personal ties.
If you are a permanent resident but have not yet lived in Australia for at least two (2) years, and haven’t established substantial ties to Australia just yet, you can still apply for a 3-month RRV under subclass 157. You must provide compelling and compassionate evidence why you have to leave Australia when you last left.
NOTE: You can be either outside or inside Australia when applying for a subclass 155 visa.
If overwhelmed, don’t have time, or require a legal expert to lodge an appeal if your 155 resident return visa was refused, Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers is a 135-year-old, Sydney-based law firm that specialises in immigration law and visas.
Clients across Australia and beyond choose our visa experts for the following reasons:
Your money will not go to waste knowing you and your application will be taken great care of.
Your Parish Patience lawyer will fully listen to you, understand your case, and cast no judgement upon you or your situation.
Your interests and the success of your application or appeal are the most important to us.
Our immigration lawyers and registered agents represent clients and skillfully present papers locally and internationally.
Help will not stop even after your visa has been granted. We’ll provide you with the necessary guidance to help you stay compliant with all relevant Australian laws.
Our customers are always happy to share their thoughts with us.
Here is what some of them have said!
The team at parish Patience Immigration Lawyers were incredibly helpful throughout the application process. Their assistance made our lives so much less stressful and their expertise cleared up any confusion we had. They remained engaged with us the whole time and quickly responded to any questions with thoughtful, detailed answers. Special thanks to Usman Ali and Shan . We highly recommend the team at Parish patience immigration lawyer for anyone considering help regarding any kind of visa .
Highly recommended lawyers! Extremely professional and reliable service, with outstanding outcomes. A special thanks to Mr Thong and Marlene, for helping us with our difficult case. Not only did they ensure that everything was ready to go, but their professionalism came in favor when we were granted our visa within just under 6 months!
Thong and Marlene helped my partner gain permanent residency in Australia. We did the application ourselves but it turned out lots of information we needed to provide was missing. Thong and Marlene picked our case up and helped amend it. I really appreciate their help and guidance and look forward to contacting them again in the future. I am pleased by their efforts and professionalism.
Successfully handled my case. He had been prompt, caring and very professional in dealing with my case. I am glad to have received very strong support, guidance and service from them. I would highly recommend Parish patience immigration lawyers. I wish the best for their future prospects.
I’m really thankful for the guidance and assistance I’ve received regarding my Partner visa from Shan and his assistance Asha at Parish Patience. They handled my matter professionally and there were clear instructions from the beginning till end. I got my partner visa 820 granted in less than 7 months, thanks to their knowledge and expertise. I wish them all the best and highly recommend Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers for any sort of immigration matters.
There is no simple or too complex a client case for us. Whether you need sound professional advice on your current situation or need legal representation for an appeal you plan to file as soon as possible, expect Parish Patience to give you the best migration agent or immigration lawyer to expertly handle your case and win together.
Book your appointment today by calling or emailing us. You can also send a detailed enquiry regarding your case using our website. Get in touch today and speak to a lawyer!
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We answered some more questions regarding resident return visas under subclasses 155 and 157.
You can get a resident return visa 155 as fast as four (4) days up to 21 days after submitting your application, provided all submitted documents are correct, complete, and accurate. Having said that, 155 visa processing time can take up to three (3) months if your application was made incorrectly or has missing information.
You can conveniently apply online using your ImmiAccount at: https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login. If you experience a technical issue during your online application, you can tap into the website’s technical support services. If the technical error persists, you will be authorised to apply for a paper form instead.
According to the latest information on the Department’s website, the 155 visa fee is A$465 for online applications. If done on paper, however, the 155 visa fee goes up to A$545.
Yes, a resident return visa subclass 155 is a permanent visa. It caters to present and former Australian permanent residents as well as former Australian citizens.
The main difference between resident return visa 155 and 157 lies in the duration or validity of the travel facility. For a subclass 155 return visa, it’s valid for one (1) to five (5) years, while a subclass 157 visa is valid for three (3) months.
If the Department of Home Affairs refuses your Subclass 155 or 157 application, you generally have the legal right to seek an independent merits review before the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) (which replaced the former AAT in October 2024).
A refusal usually happens when a case officer determines that you do not satisfy the 2-in-5-year residence rule and fail to establish “substantial ties of benefit to Australia,” or lack “compelling reasons” for an absence exceeding 5 years.
