stu:0

Hi all,

Spent 3 years in Australia, 2 and a half years on sponsorship and 6 months on PR 175 visa. I returned to the uk in December due to personel reasons but im just wondering how long i can stay here before i must return to keep my residency?
Thanks

believer

have you looked at Resident Return Visa? I think you should have stayed in australia 2 years DURING the life (5 years) of your PR to be able to apply for RRV. It doesnt matter how long you stayed before you got PR for RRV.

stu:0

I was under the understanding i had to do 2 years in total out of 5 years to be eligable for a resident return visa?? Was hoping someone could clarify this???
So is it looking like i have now blown my PR status??

believer

exception could be granted if you have a job which requires you travelling outside australia regularly but you better contact IMMI directly to be sure.

barney41

Maybe I am wrong and if I am we are stuffed. You have until the expiry date on your PR visa to return as you will have already validated it. Our visa expiry date is April 2012 so we need to get back before then or we will lose it.

livinginreality

Not sure about your type of visa but I havent lived in Australia for just over 10 years and I have renewed my RRV twice now.Just recently renewed it and it took 2 days!How quick is that!Sent it off to London on Thursday (12pm)and my passport with the new visa came back on the Saturday morning at 8.30am!!!It costs me £155.I do have aussie kids though,and they reckon they'll only renew them if you have compelling reasons,which I guess my reasons were!Good luck!

Bermudashorts

That is interesting. What kind of substantial ties did you demonstrate (just asking out of curiosity).

Stu - from what you have said, I presume your visa must have been granted around the middle of last year? In which case there really is nothing to worry about for another four years, if you move back to Australia before then and put down some roots before applying for a RRV there should be no problem at all.

Shereen

You can apply for return residency visas as long as you live in Australia for two years out of total 5 yrs PR visa. But otherwise you may go for citizenship by coming back to AU this month, and living continuously for the coming 9 months.

livinginreality

Well I had to submit info(names and address's)of my Mum,2 sisters,2 brothers and my son.I had spent 30 years in Australia all up,until I returned to the UK 10 years ago.I also told them I had my two aussie kids here,plus 2 grandchildren(uk)and that I was'nt ready to move back to Australia as yet(if ever)and yes it was really simple.

stu:0

Thanks for all the replys!

So as long as im back in Australia on the day of it been exactly 5 years im ok??

believer

I think you won't lose your permanent residence status if you remain IN Australia even after your PR visa expires, as long as you stay in Australia.
You would lose it when you stay outside of Australia AFTER your PR expires and have not managed to have RRV in time.
You can come and go anytime during those 5 years (of course, even the last valid day of your PR visa). For instance, you may come back to Australia the last valid day of your current PR visa , but in order to travel out of Australia again and then COME back, you will need RRV.
Simply way to look at it is you need a VALID visa to enter Australia. thats all. and RRV is one way to maintain your permanent residence status in case you need to travel out of australia.