BlueToffee

All

A quick question. Does anybody know what happens if you havent been in Oz for the required 2yrs (or soon to be 3 yrs) by the time your 5yr permanent visa runs out? Do you have to start the whole process again and re-apply or, if you are in the country and only short by a few months or year can you apply for an extension to the visa?

If you decide not to become a citizen and you go to Oz in say yr 4 of the 5yr permanent visa (we have a dedicated area family sponsor visa -not a skilled one, if that makes a difference?)
What happens:
1- After the 5yr visa expires? are you still a permanent resident? or do you have to get the visa extended i.e. are you an illegal imigrant after the 5yrs runs out?
2 -What happens if in yr 6 you want to go on holiday outside of Oz
3- What happens if in yr6+ you then decide to become a citizen

Thanks in advance

Blue Toffee

Wendy

1 - you are still a resident
2 - you'll have to apply for a Resident Return Visa
3 - that's fine

HTH
Wendy

rossifumi

Just don't leave Australia before you've sorted your RRV out, that's right isn't it WendyC?

Wendy

Definately, they won't let you back in if you do :scared:

BlueToffee

Wendy

thats brillaint - thank you

Blue Toffee

ps thanks to Rossi also

Wendy

No problem

ABCDiamond

You can always come back on a tourist visa

As a PR who left Australia, but then the Return Visa expired whilst I was in the UK, I had an interesting :scared: experience getting back !!

Moral of the story, don't be out of Australia when the visa expires !!!

Gibbo

As everyone else has said keep renewing your RRV and you'll be right! I did that for 38 years before I became a citizen and I had many overseas holidays.