SarahJaneButfield

Hi,
We were granted 457 in Jan 2008 and PR in September 2008. We lived in Australia until September 2012 when we had to return to Uk after losing our home in 2011 Brisbane floods.
We are now ready to return and restart our lives. My father in law lives in Australia and my husband also has a grandmother and cousins who are citizens.
My husband applied for his RRV and was immediately asked for more information as expected but the information they sent refers to the possibility of a one year or a 3 month RRV. What does this mean? Does my husband have a year to return? If so what happens at the end of the year once he is in Australia? If he gets a 3 month does that only give him 3 months to return? I am waiting to see if his RRV is granted before me and my daughter submit ours.
Any advice appreciated.
SJ

louie

Your husband doesn't qualify for a 5 year RRV as you have to have spent two out of the last 5 years in Australia for that. So yes the choice is either a one year or three month RRV which will give your husband either a year or three months to return to Australia.

Once he has re-established his life in Australia (got a job, bought/rented property, put your daughter in school, etc) he will be able to apply again for another one year RRV (if one is needed to travel outside Australia) and then once he has been in Australia two years, he can apply for a five year one. Remember that a RRV is only necessary to travel outside Australia (or more exactly to return) so as long as he remains in the country, it makes no difference whether he has a RRV or not.

You would be wise to apply for citizenship as soon as you can, which will be after three years presence in Australia.

With the benefit of hindsight (so really if anyone in similar circumstances reads this), what he should have done is apply for a RRV in mid-2015, at which time he would have qualified for a five year one (as at that point he would have spent two of the last five years in Australia, I presume).

SarahJaneButfield

Thanks for the clarification, very much appreciated.

SarahJaneButfield

Hi,
Just wanted to update - my husband was granted a one year RRV yesterday.
Time frame:
Application date 26/2/17
Request for additional family ties documentation 6/3/17 & 25/3/17
Visa Granted 4/4/17
Thank you for the advice ☺
Sarah