RedT

So, our permanent residents visa, which doesn't expire (duh) has to be 'renewed' at a cost of $690 for the two of us. What a money making racket! We're living here, we can prove it, yes we might like to leave and come back but that's ok because we have a PERMANENT visa....

Also, you don't NEED to get a visa stamp in your passport...unless you're applying for a visa to travel to China for business in which case you actually do because your original visa stamp is expiring and they need to see a current one. Cue visit to Immigration to pay $70 for a stamp we don't need.

I'm sure (not) there's a perfectly reasonable excuse for having to do this and I'm just having a rant and therefore can't see it. Answers on a postcard...

Amazulu

Governments man - if they can find a way to make your life more complicated, they will

TheCreature

C.I.T.I.Z.E.N.S.H.I.P.

Dorothy

Chillax, T! Your visa is permanent, it's the travel portion of it that expires. The only way to avoid having to renew it every 5 years is to get citizenship and an Australian passport.

Seeing how you've lived in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years you should qualify for a 5 year RRV. So long as you return to live in Australia (or maintain significant ties such as property or a business, etc) prior to the end of the 5 year RRV your PR won't expire. If you don't come back to live then your visa will no longer be valid and you'll have to start again.

chris955

From memory none of this used to cost anything years ago. Just more red tape and money for nothing.

RedT

So, we submited our applications last night at 8.30pm, husband gets his approval at 12.30am, I'm still waiting for mine. We can become citizens until next August because they changed the rules and our stamp runs out in Jan so no choice but to suck it up.

I was told that our PR never expires. We may have to 'answer some questions' if we're out of Australia for a long time but that was all we were told. Screw it, we're off to Singapore in Feb anyway, Australia can suck it...

Jon77

I am in the same boat, my RRV expired back in Feb but I haven't been arsed to renew it, been sitting on it ever since.

I think I qualify for citizenship late April next year but I want to go to the UK before then so won't have a choice but to renew the RRV.

Thanks for putting it back on my radar anyhoo.

Jilliebee

Have a Snickers

commonwealth

Well whose fault is it if people do not settle long enough to qualify for CIT or neglect to do it ASAP?
The RRV is there for a reason.

RedT

It's my fault for staying in the UK long enough to save money to support myself when I eventually moved here? It's my fault they moved the goalposts (again) and I now don't qualify for citizenship until next year??

My issue is I have a PERMANENT visa, why do I need to pay to leave the country and come back in? It's ludicrous...

Bermudashorts

Well it really is quite simple. Without these restrictions, people can get the visa whilst young, live and work elsewhere until retirement, then just move to Australia as a pensioner and absorb a disproportionate amount of health resources (as we do as we get older), without having made a contribution to such services during the working life.

That is why a permanent visa allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely, but will not give you the right to come and go as you please indefinitely.

Jilliebee

Yes.

You don't have to pay to leave - only to get back in

commonwealth

Presumably your skills were needed by Oz that's why you were given PR visa. but instead, you delayed contributing to Oz.