engrma

Dear British Expats Team:

Hope you all would be doing great after wonderful Christmas vacations.
I have been visiting this forum of and on , and let me appreciate the great job you guys have been doing.
Well I need some very sincere advice and am in a bit of a mess here.
Would appreciate if you guys can please let me know the following for the Return Resident Visa, while
a.I have been a holder of permanent resident Visa BN 136 since 7th April 2008 and have stayed for 37 days in Australia
b.Currently I am outside Australia.
c.Am I eligible for 1 year RR Visa or 3months RR Visa only.
d.How long it takes for visa processing from the date of lodging application as I want to know exactly when to apply for RRV.
e.If my application is not eligible for 1year RRV , would it be automatically considered for next available option i.e. 3 months RRV or it will be rejected and I have to lodge a new application with new fee for 3 months RRV.
f.For how many times , as in my case , I can apply and be awarded RRV visa?
g.Is it mandatory to be in Australia to be awarded RRV or can be awarded RRV while being outside Australia.
h.Most important of all!Should RRV be applied before the expiry of my PR Visa or it can be applied after the expiry of PR ? Which one is advisable ?

I will be really grateful if you can spare some time and guide me in this matter.

louie

You don't say what your links are with Australia. If you don't have any, you are unlikely to qualify for a RRV full stop. If you want to be sure to keep your visa, you need to move to Australia before April 2013.

A three month RRV is usually for emergencies, say if someone at home gets sick and you have to leave Australia quickly without having organised your affairs first. So if you do get a RRV it's likely to be a 1 year one (you apply for a RRV, they decide what length one you get, if any). You can apply as many times as you like, but one assumes the more time you apply without having moved to Australia, the less likely you are to convince them that your ties are sufficient to justify being given one. One year ones are relatively new, it's less than a year since they were introduced, so it's early days and no-one really knows.

Processing time -piece of string. Probably depends on where you apply (you can apply onshore or offshore) and how complicated your situation is, whether they need to ask you for more information etc.

Scotty1

Are you planning on moving back to Oz before the entry part of your PR visa expires, presumably in April 2013, or are you trying to get a RRV offshore?

If so, what are your ties to Oz?

If you have none, you would be better being here before April and then applying for a RRV if you want to travel, but you are likely to get a 1 year only.

Processing in the past has not taken many months, but has certainly taken a few weeks, so if you were thinking of coming over for a couple of weeks and getting it then, that may not work.

Bermudashorts

Agree with above, the best thing that you can do is move before April 2013. You cannot maintain PR indefinitely without making the move.

engrma

Dear Experts:

Thanks a lot for your time and reply. Well I am planning to move back to OZ but in June or July while my PR expires on early April this year. So this means I am applying for RRV off-Shore. So what are the chances in your opinion in getting RRV off- shore? If I apply now what are the chances that I get a response before my PR expires?
There is another important point! I have been conveyed by DIAC, that if I applied offshore for RRV , I must be offshore to be awarded RRV.

Once again thank you very much for your time and advice.

Bermudashorts

We cannot possibly know what your chances are, but why take the chance? Do you want this visa or not? And if yes, then move before it expires.

Pollyana

well if the travel portion of your PR has expired and thats why you need a RRV then you HAVE to be offshore when its granted! The whole point is that you need it in order to travel to Aus!

Scotty1

Do you have any ties to Oz - do you have a job offer, own a house or land, got close family here?
If none of the above you will struggle to show ties and may not be successful as you do not meet a key eligibility requirement.

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/resi...ligibility.htm

Better to move before April.

If you do apply, you need to apply now and not leave it til your visa expires.

The 3 month visa requirements talk about compelling and compassionate reasons for absence from Oz. Do you have this? If not you are unlikely to be successful

engrma

Dear Experts! Hope you all would be doing great. I have acquired a new passport since the validity of my old passport was about to expire . Since I have PR attached to my old passport how should I inform the department regarding my new passport. I have found a form 929 on the DIAC website . Is there any online method to update the subject change as well. Also if I go for the form 929 how should I proceed since I am offshore.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Engrma