As the name says – a person holding a permanent resident (PR) visa is permitted to stay in Australia indefinitely.  Your visa does not expire, unlike a temporary visa.  However, what does expire is the capacity to travel outside of Australia.  This is a temporary component and upon initial granting of your PR visa, you are given a 5 year travel period.
During these 5 years, you can come and go from Australia and upon returning stay as long as you like. But once those 5 years have passed, if you wish to travel again, or if you are overseas and want to return to Australia, you must have renewed your PR visa.  This new visa is called a Resident Return Visa (RRV).

If you do not hold a valid visa for re-entry to Australia you might be refused boarding onto your flight at the airport or have your entry into Australia delayed until your identity and claims to enter have been verified.
Ideally, as a permanent resident in Australia you should ensure your travel visa (PR or RRV) is still valid.  If it has expired, or close to it, it is highly recommended that you apply for your RRV whilst you are still in Australia.

If you migrated to Australia before 1987 or travelled overseas between 1 March 1976 and 31 December 1986, you could have been issued with an Authority to Return (ATR) or a Return Endorsement (RE).  If this is your case, you should not apply for any other visa because, if your application is approved, this will legally cease your Authority to Return or Return Endorsement.  Contact Great Australian Migration if you think this is your situation.

Short answer…. No, don’t do this! 
Entering Australia on an ETA or visitor visa actually means that you have re-entered Australia for that purpose – not as a PR.  You will have no permission to work or study, it will affect any government benefits you may receive, no Medicare; and upon expiring, will leave you in Australia without a valid visa.  You must re-establish yourself as a PR by applying for a RRV – do this ASAP.  Entering as a visitor will also affect your time period towards applying for Citizenship.
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You should apply for a Resident Return visa if any of the following apply to you:

• you are a current or former Australian PR and your last PR visa was not cancelled
• you were previously a citizen of Australia and have returned to PR status
• you want to return to Australia as a PR
• you are departing and might not return to Australia before your travel visa expires

You can apply for this visa before or after it has expired.  You can also apply for this visa both within Australia or once you are overseas.  It is highly recommended that you obtain your new RRV before you leave Australia.  The process for applying for this visa before you depart is much easier and processes faster.  Lodging whilst overseas could leave you stranded overseas for longer than you expected, should there be any issues.
Apply online through ImmiAccount - Visa fee $475 AUD.
If you can’t apply online, a paper form can be filled but it will cost more - Visa fee $555 AUD.
Great Australian Migration can assist you with applying; the service fee will be determined based on any outlying issues you may have.  Starting price is $300 AUD.

Check which one of these applies to your case:

1. If you were living in Australia for a total period of at least 2 years over the last 5 years as a PR visa holder or as a previous Australian citizen, then you meet what is known as the ‘residence requirement’ and you will be granted with 5 years.  This visa should be granted quickly – within 5 working days!
2. If you have not met the ‘residence requirement’ but have demonstrated you have substantial ties with Australia, then you should be granted with a period of 12 months.  And in the most extreme circumstances, 3 months.  This visa will take much longer to process – possibly 3 months or more!  Another reason to apply from within Australia if you can.
   
   

If you do not meet the requirements, it’s best you contact Great Australian Migration to help you with your application.
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If you have been given a new passport, your visa remains valid but is still connected to your old passport.  You must provide your new passport details to the Department of Home Affairs for the visa information to be updated. This is not automatically done.  You might be able to update this online using your ImmiAccount. If you are having troubles with ImmiAccount, you can complete Form 929 – Change of address and/or passport details (193KB PDF) ​and return the form by post to the Department. There is no fee for this service.

People arriving into Australia (visa holders or citizens) must complete a Passenger Card.  It is an official document that identifies the person entering the country and their declaration regarding their health, character and declarable items. Failure to complete the card can lead to fines and possible visa cancellation.
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When answering questions on the front about items you are bringing into Australia, if you are in doubt, it is best you tick ‘yes’.  This will allow you to speak with an officer who can check the item/s and confirm if it’s OK to pass. If not, the item may be taken from you for processing or destruction; but the main thing is you should not face any penalties.  This applies even to items you brought from Australia to take with you overseas and then return.   https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/can-you-bring-it-in

Great Australian Migration is here to assist you with all your visa and citizenship needs.  Reach out to receive service that is personalised for you...

1. By Conferral.  This means that you must meet requirements and apply to become a citizen.  More information about this process is available on our dedicate Citizenship page.
   
   
2. By Descent.  You are born overseas to an Australian citizen, but this does not automatically make you Australian.  You need to apply to the Australian Government to confirm this fact and issue you with a certificate.  You can do this overseas, in which case you will then need an Australian Passport to come to Australia.  Or you can travel to Australia on another type of visa and then make you application onshore.  If you take this route, you must ensure you remain on a valid visa whilst you await the outcome and you must also abide by the conditions of that visa.  So for example, if you come to Australia on a visitor visa, this means no work.  Once your citizenship is approved, yes you are now permitted to work and seek all the benefits available to Australian citizens.
   
   
3. By Birth (subject to location, parent status, your age).  Again, just by being born in Australia does not automatically mean you are a citizen.  Your citizenship relies on the status of your parents at the time of your birth.  To become a citizen by birth in Australia, you must be born onshore and at least one of your parents must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.  If you are born overseas, you will need to meet the criteria for “Citizenship by Descent”.  A parent who is a PR only will not qualify.
   
   ​There is also special provision for children not born to a qualifying parent.  A child will automatically qualify for citizenship on their 10th birthday provided they have lived, studied and resided in Australia as their primary residence during that time.  If this is the case, they will apply for “Evidence of Citizenship” – see more about this process below.​

1. Ceremony presentation.
   The certificate is given to you at your ceremony after you apply and have been approved for citizenship by conferral.  Adult applicants will be given their own certificate and it will have your name on the front.  If you have conferred children with you as part of your application, they will be listed on the back.
   
   
2. Evidence of Citizenship.
   This is the process of obtaining your own certificate through application.
   You may need to do this because you have lost your certificate; maybe it was damaged or destroyed due to flood or fire; you may need a certificate to prove your status to obtain a passport; you were born in Australia to non-qualifying parents and you are now 10 years of age; or you are listed on your parents certificate and now you want your own. 
   
   

Important information about your Certificate:

• Once you are issued with your own certificate, you are no longer deemed listed on your parents’ certificate and you can’t use the original certificate in the future.
• Do not alter your certificate – e.g. laminate, frame with glue; write on your certificate; amend a misspelling or date. 
• If you have lost or destroyed your certificate, you should make a statutory declaration as soon as you are aware and your statement should note about how/when you became aware that it was lost/damaged, and in which manner (eg moving house, fire, flood, etc).
• This certificate is THE MOST important document you hold, even more than your passport – so keep this new certificate SAFE.
• If there is an error on your certificate such as your name is misspelt, or the date of birth is wrong you must inform the Department as soon as possible.  Depending on when the error is noted, you may not need to formally make another application or pay for a new certificate.  If you have changed your name and also want your Citizenship certificate to reflect this, you will need to apply for another certificate. 
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• If you are waiting on your Citizenship approval or ceremony, you will need to ensure you travel on a current overseas passport and ensure you have a valid visa.
• Once you are conferred as a Citizen, you will need to travel on an Australian passport.  You should wait at least 10 days before applying for the passport to allow the Department time to notify the Passports office of your citizenship details.
• Try to limit your travel plans as you must undertake your citizenship ceremony within 12 months of being approved.  Travel overseas can delay you attending your allocated ceremony and there is generally a substantial wait for another.
• If you do plan to travel outside Australia before your ceremony, you should advise the Department at the time of your citizenship appointment if possible, or if you have already had your appointment and approval, your local council as they will be conducting your ceremony.

 
For all your Citizenship needs, please look to Great Australian Migration.  We are ready to help you!

As a general rule, those who visit Australia are not permitted to work… but if you are looking to migrating to Australia, a working holiday visa can be a great starting point. This visa is granted for 1 year and will give you time to see different cities and towns to decide what might suit your work and lifestyle. You are also open to work in any occupation or job. This gives you the opportunity to show your worth to an employer who may be in a position to then sponsor you on to a proper full-time working visa.  It is also one of the rare visas that still allows you to apply for a student visa whilst in Australia if you need to upgrade your skills.  And at just $650 AUD its great value!
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​Common criteria:
~ starting age 18 years… maximum age 30 years or 35 years (depending on the country of your passport)
~ for your first visa, you must be outside of Australia to apply
~ if you are a dual citizen, you can only qualify for your first visa provided you have not previously held a 417 visa or 462 visa, so no swapping from one visa subclass to another using different passports.
~ have enough money to support yourself upon your initial arrival into Australia as it can take you some time to find employment. The expected amount to show is $5000 AUD plus the cost of a ticket to depart Australia
~ be in good health (you will be required to undergo an official medical check)
~ be of good character (you will need official police certificates to show this)
~ generally, you have not previously had a visa cancelled or refused, this could cause you to have an exclusion period applied to you.
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~ Education:
Many countries require that you have completed a tertiary education or at least 2 years of an undergraduate university degree.  Acceptable tertiary qualifications: degrees, graduate certificates, diplomas.  Higher level (certificate I to IV) and High School certificates are generally not accepted.
~ Functional level of English (not applicable to all countries, check with us):
There are different ways you can prove your functional English level.  The most common is you hold an approved passport (USA, UK, Canada or Ireland); have completed schooling delivered in English; or you pass an approved test – eg IELTS, PTE, Cambridge.

How can you qualify for another visa to stay longer in Australia?
A great bonus of this visa is that by doing a few months of specified work in regional Australia will open the door for you to apply for a second, and possibly, a third visa!  That’s 3+ years of building your work experience and possible sponsorship to staying more permanently in Australia.

What is specified work in regional Australia?
Australia is a BIG country and there is work in all the 4 corners of the land. The government wants to encourage you to explore and help the smaller cities and towns. It’s possible you may actually fall in love with the people, area and work – enticing you to stay longer or even to seek permanent residency.

What areas of Australia are “regional”?
Put simply – stay away from most capital cities – especially Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.  Amazingly some capital cities are still deemed regional – like Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin.

How long do you need to work?
To qualify for a 2nd visa – you will need to work at least 88 days (3 months) full-time or equivalent time to qualify.  And to qualify for the 3rd visa – double this again, 179 days (6 months).

What is “specified work”?
There are a range of jobs that can meet this criteria.  Examples of this are:
- Tourism and Hospitality industry (in very remote areas)
- Fruit and/or vegetable picking and packing
- Taking care of animals being reared for consumption such as cattle herding
- Fishing and Pearling directly related to commercial operations
- Building construction
- Work in bushfire effected areas to help with re-building/re-growth of the area
As you can see, there is a variety of work and ways to meet criteria for a 2nd and 3rd visa.

Great Australian Migration offers a "work, time and location check" service to those in Australia and to those that have gone back home and now want to try for their 2nd or 3rd year visa.  We will check your documents such as reference letters, pay slips, contract and/or other proof in support of the work you have done, the location of where it was done and that you have enough hours/days to satisfy criteria.  This is $300AUD.  And if you are looking to obtain your first visa and need help with it all, we are here to help with that too – full service for $1250AUD.

Contact us for more information, whether its this visa or another… we are here to help you 😊

Basically speaking, there are 2 types of visas – substantive visas such as a visitor visa, partner visa, student visa, employer sponsored visa – the reason and purpose why you are in Australia … and then there are bridging visas which are the “in-between visas” to take you from one substantive visa to another.  You may also hold this visa if you are seeking appeal of the visa decision, either at the AAT or through the Courts.
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There is a basic but important rule to note about Bridging Visas (BVs) – the lower down the rank you go, the more restrictive it is.  And no, a BVA is not better than a BVB – go figure! 

Here are the most commonly granted Bridging Visas and the order that is most beneficial to you as the visa holder!
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​This visa can only be obtained by paying an application fee.  It is for the purpose of obtaining permission to travel. This visa can only be granted if you are holding an active BVA, so don’t jump the gun by applying for a BVB simply because your BVA has been granted and is waiting in the background. You should make your application for a BVB as far in advance to travel as possible, ensuring you have documents in support of your plans. Also look to include as many trips you think you will take in your application so the Department can look to granting you a visa with a multiple travel facility.  This may avoid you needing to lodge again for a future trip. But don’t be surprised if the visa isn’t granted straight away – it could be granted only a few days prior to your planned travel!  Most importantly – DO NOT LEAVE AUSTRALIA without this visa first being granted and especially do not let the travel facility expire whilst you are overseas. It CAN’T be granted to you from overseas and you may be stuck there! Should the travel component expire whilst you are back in Australia, you do not need to apply again unless you plan on travelling again. The BVB stays active for you to remain in Australia until a decision is made.

This BV will be granted to you when you are doing everything right.  What does that mean?  The normal scenario is that are holding a substantive visa in Australia, and you apply for another substantive visa. The Department grant you this BVA to keep you lawful in Australia should your first substantive visa expire and the 2nd visa application hasn’t had a decision yet. The BVA will only become active once the 1st visa is expired. If not, it will stay in the background, inactive. For this basic scenario, you do not normally need to apply for this visa separately. If you are undertaking other immigration matters or if you are unsure, please speak to a Registered Migration Agent who can look into this for you further. Work rights on this visa are generally determined by the visa you had previously, so for example if you had a visitor visa with no work rights, then the BV will have that too.

This is when things are starting to go a little amiss. Now what does that mean? Generally, this BV is granted in 2 scenarios – you are applying for another substantive visa whilst on a BVA or BVB; or you are applying for another visa from an unlawful state, meaning you are not holding another visa at all. This visa can’t be granted to you if you have ever held a BVE. A BVC will allow you to stay in Australia whilst your application is processing but does not allow you to travel, nor can you apply to travel. Generally, you will have no work rights either.

Now we are at the end of the line for bridging visas. It is called a Status Resolution Visa. This visa is normally granted to those who have gotten themselves into a sticky situation. You may have had a visa cancelled and are seeking review of the decision; you have overstayed your visa and are looking into options; you have made the decision to go home; or you may be asking the Minister to intervene in your case. You understand and don’t want to be in Australia without a valid visa – this can lead you to potential detention and removal from the country; which can then affect other visa applications, even for other countries! So do the right thing and take action asap. Before applying directly to the Department for this visa, I highly recommend you book yourself a consultation and speak with a Registered Migration Agent about your case. You may still have options open to you. Remember as noted above, a BVC might be open to you still… but not if you have a BVE granted to you first.

Great Australian Migration’s principal agent – Emily Surina (MARN 2318036) left the Department as a Status Resolution Team Leader and Trainer to open this agency, so she understands exactly the process and is sure to guide you in the right manner – with honesty and integrity.
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For BVE packages, see our specials!

There are normally 3 conditions people want to change on their Bridging Visas…

1. Travel rights: As mentioned earlier, only a person who holds a BVA can apply for a BVB to travel.  This is applied for through ImmiAccount and costs $180 AUD.
   
   
2. Work rights:  You may have restrictions when it comes to your work rights. But now that you have applied for another visa and will be in Australia longer than first planned, you may need to work in order to support yourself.  You will need to demonstrate that you have a compelling need to work, and this is usually because you are in financial hardship. In some cases, you may also need to show a reason in your delay in applying for the next substantive visa – in particular if you are the holder of a BVE.  Apply for a change of conditions on the same type of visa that you already have through ImmiAccount, there will be no visa application fee. However, you may want to consider engaging the services of a Registered migration Agent to do this application for you, they will usually charge a fee for this.
   If you are the holder of a BVB with no work rights, you will unfortunately need to apply for another BVA in which case the travel facility will be removed and you will need to apply for another BVB after the work rights have been granted.
   
   
3. Study rights: You may have been imposed with a restricted permission to study. Generally, this is difficult to have removed as someone who is in Australia looking to study should have applied for a student visa. However, there are some situations where very limited study rights may be given (3-4 months permission). We again, highly recommend you speak with a Registered Migration Agent if this is your case.

If you are in a position where you find your immigration pathway is not going as smoothly as you thought, don’t delay!  Contact and pay for a consultation with a Registered Migration Agent – they really are worth every cent to provide you with reassurance and a plan to straighten your way. Yes, it might mean that you are given advice that isn’t what you want to hear and you may need to leave and start again, but it's better to do that than to have your visa cancelled or to face exclusion periods to apply for another visa all because you didn’t want to pay for a consultation.
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At Great Australian Migration we want to help you as best we can – with honesty, hard truths and integrity. 

You have lodged a visa application and it’s been refused… or worse, you were granted a visa and now it’s been cancelled.  What options do you have available to you?
 
Firstly, for any refusal or cancellation decision taken by the Department, they will give you a written notification of the reasons.  It is based on this letter that appropriate decisions and steps can be taken.  The Department will likely outline a few of these steps, but not all.  Nor will they tell you what the best choice for your circumstances is.
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There are many aspects that need to be considered and not all are available to you.  It is highly recommended that for any visa refusal or cancellation, look to a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer to help you navigate this best.
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You will be given a period of time to seek review of the merits of your case through the AAT. The AAT are an independent body from the Department of Home Affairs that take a fresh look at your application again, as if they were a case officer, to see if they too would have come to the same decision or if they would have made a different decision. This is your opportunity to put forward your case personally, rather than just on paper as a visa application or cancellation is so often decided. A win at the AAT does not mean that you will be granted your visa.  What it does mean is that your case will be returned to the Department for further consideration based on the AAT outcome for a new decision. 

​This is usually sought after you have had your decision reviewed by the AAT. With this option you are taking the Department of Home Affairs to court. This decision should not be taken lightly. It is highly recommended that you hire an immigration lawyer to review your case and to represent you in court. Failure to do so will most likely lead to your case failing at court, as the Department will definitely have lawyers representing them. It is best to note that the Court system cannot grant you a visa, it can only make judgement on the legality of the decision made by the Department. If there has been no miscarriage of the law, you will fail. And should this be your case, you will incur court fees and have a debt to the Commonwealth. This debt will need to be paid, or at least show payments toward the debt, before any future visa can be considered for grant.

​This is your last attempt to have the Department grant your visa – by a personal decision taken by the Minister themselves. As you can imagine, this is very difficult to accomplish and should not be relied upon. You can only seek this process after you have sought review at the AAT. It is imperative that the AAT have made a decision on your case as this is the power that then grants you access to the Minister. Without it, the Minister can’t make a decision on your case even if they wanted to. It is also very important to note that unlike the AAT and Court where you must be given a hearing and receive an outcome, the Minister is not mandated to intervene in your case. The Minister has therefore provided a guideline to describe the types of cases that they are willing to consider, anything not on that list will not be referred to the attention of the Minister. 

Seems simple enough – just apply again. This, however, also has its restrictions. Whether you can apply again from within Australia or if you will need to depart Australia and lodge overseas will be subject to the type of visa you had refused and when it was refused. If you are holding a substantive visa or a bridging visa at the time of refusal. If your visa was cancelled, subject to why it was cancelled and if you were the primary or secondary visa holder will also determine if you can apply for a visa whilst in Australia or not.

The decision to depart Australia shouldn’t be taken lightly. There may be consequences to departing - for example, you must be in Australia to undertake AAT process, so if you leave and do not have a visa to return, you may not be able to undertake the process and therefore close future access to the Minister also. A person who has had their visa cancelled or refused may be subject to exclusion periods and the type of visa you depart on (or failure to hold a visa on departure) could also affect your time period to apply for another visa. It is best to discuss this prior to departure to ensure you understand if and when you can apply for another visa to return to Australia. 

As you have read, the most appropriate route is not always straight-forward and engaging with a Registered Migration Agent is a great start. At Great Australian Migration we can review your situation, give opinion upon the likely success of your case by the AAT or whether you should seek counsel from an immigration lawyer. We can also guide you about any exclusion periods you may be facing plus any additional application processes that may need to be taken if you are able to lodge for another visa, be it in Australia or overseas.  

Book a consultation with our trustworthy and honest Registered Migration Agents today!