A Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157) is a permanent visa that lets a current or former Australian permanent resident come back to Australia as a permanent resident after the travel facility on their permanent visa has ended, and it costs A$1,475 per applicant from 1 July 2026. A Carer visa holder needs one only once 5 years have passed since the date of grant, and a subclass 116 carer who uses the usual 12 months to make first entry has about 4 years of travel left after arriving.
What is a Resident Return visa?
A Resident Return visa is a permanent visa that restores the right to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident for a current permanent resident, a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or a former citizen.
The Department of Home Affairs' Resident Return visa page sets out the main rules, checked on 24 September 2026:
- Applications are made online, from inside or outside Australia but not in immigration clearance.
- Each family member applies separately; there are no secondary applicants.
- The charge is A$1,475 per applicant under the Department's current visa pricing, after the charge rose on 1 July 2026.
- Applications that meet the residence requirement are generally processed within 5 working days.
- The remaining travel facility of an old visa does not carry over, and a facility cannot be extended.
- The character requirement applies, and an application that meets none of the options below is refused.
A permanent resident who is not travelling does not need one.
How long can you travel on a Carer visa?
You can travel on a Carer visa for 5 years from the date of grant, leaving and re-entering Australia as many times as you like while the travel facility lasts.
Clauses 116.511 and 836.511 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) grant each subclass as a permanent visa "permitting the holder to travel to and enter Australia for a period of 5 years from the date of grant". The visa itself does not expire; only the travel facility does. After it ends, a permanent resident has no automatic right to return, according to the Department's page on overseas travel as a permanent resident.
When does the Carer visa travel facility start?
The Carer visa travel facility starts on the grant date for both subclasses, which for an 836 is while the carer is already in Australia and for a 116 is before the carer has arrived.
The end date appears in the grant letter and in VEVO. The Department's Travel Facility Expiry Reminder emails eligible permanent residents 60 days before the facility expires, if a personal email address is on record and no Resident Return visa application is pending.
Subclass 155 or 157: which one fits a former Carer visa holder?
A former Carer visa holder fits the subclass 155 when they have spent at least 2 of the last 5 years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen, and fits the subclass 157 only when they fall short of that and need to leave, or left, for compelling and compassionate reasons.
| Situation (Migration Regulations, checked 24 September 2026) | Visa | Travel facility | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| At least 2 years (730 days) in Australia in the last 5 years as a permanent visa holder or citizen, not on a temporary or bridging visa | 155 | 5 years | 155.212(2), 155.511(b) |
| Less than 2 years, but substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia, and no continuous absence of 5 years or more without compelling reasons | 155 | Up to 1 year | 155.212(3), (3A), 155.511(c) |
| A member of the family unit of someone granted, or applying for, a 155 | 155 | Up to 1 year | 155.212(4) |
| At least 1 day but less than 2 years in the last 5 years, with compelling and compassionate reasons for departing; if outside Australia, away no more than 3 months in a row unless there are compelling and compassionate reasons | 157 | 3 months | 157.212, 157.213, 157.511 |
One application is assessed for both subclasses. The Department's own summary of the 157 is worded differently from clauses 157.212 and 157.213, and the Regulations govern.
When must a 116 holder first enter Australia?
A 116 holder must first enter Australia before the date set in the grant letter, which the Department generally sets at 12 months from the date of grant.
Conditions 8502 (not to enter before a specified person) and 8515 (not to marry or enter a de facto relationship before entry) may be imposed under clauses 116.611 and 116.612. The travel facility is already running from the grant date, and permanent residence for citizenship starts only on that first entry. The rest of the offshore Carer visa route, including the conditions, is covered in its own guide.
Does travel affect citizenship after a Carer visa?
Travel affects citizenship after a Carer visa because absences may total no more than 12 months in the 4 years before applying and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months, under section 22 of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth).
A Resident Return visa keeps permanent-resident status for re-entry, but it does not stop absences counting. The Department warns that coming back on a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authority after the facility has lapsed may affect permanent-resident entitlements and the ability to meet the residence requirement. How the clock runs differently for each subclass is explained on the page about the Carer visa to citizenship.
When does the travel facility stop mattering for a Carer visa holder?
The travel facility stops mattering for a Carer visa holder on the day they become an Australian citizen, because citizens travel on an Australian passport, or for as long as they stay in Australia without travelling.
For a holder who keeps permanent residence and travels, the next Resident Return visa is best lodged before the current facility ends, and in time for the processing, which the Department says generally takes 5 working days when the residence requirement is met. A person who is not eligible for a Resident Return visa or citizenship may have to apply again for a permanent visa, such as a Former Resident, family or skilled visa, according to the Department.
An 836 carer usually spends the queue years and the first years after grant in Australia, so the 2-of-5-years test tends to be met by the time the first facility ends. The page on who can apply for an 836 explains that onshore route.
Every stage from application to grant and beyond is set out on the Carer Visa Australia home page.
A registered professional makes a grant more likely
An RRV lodged on the wrong day count, or a trip taken after the travel facility has lapsed, can leave a carer outside Australia without permanent-resident status. A registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner checks the movement records and the ties evidence before the application, which makes a grant more likely. No adviser can guarantee a grant.
Ask about your caseRead next
Carer visa to citizenship: when the residence clock starts for a 116 and an 836Permanent residence counts from grant for an 836 and from arrival for a 116.
Subclass 116 Carer visa: applying from outside AustraliaThe 116 is lodged from overseas, decided overseas, then entered by a set date.
Subclass 836 Carer visa: applying and waiting in AustraliaThe 836 lets you apply in Australia and stay lawful while you wait.