So if you hold an Australian PR and over the past 5 years in Australia have not accrued 2 years of residence。
for example:I got my Australian PR more than 10 years ago and have never actually lived there — how do I go back now?My Subclass 189 visa is about to expire — how do I renew it?My Subclass 888 PR has been expired for 3 years — can I still go to Australia?
If you are an Australian PR holder who has been living in China or elsewhere overseas for many years, sooner or later you will run into the questions above. Today we are going to answer them one by one.
Australian PR and the Resident Return Visa
Australia has no hard residence requirement and permanent residency itself never expires, but your right to travel in and out of Australia does have an expiry date, and once that travel facility expires you need to renew it. For full details, see:
Common scenarios after receiving PR
1. Met the 2-in-5-years residence requirement
A Subclass 155 visa does not grant you new PR; it is simply the key that lets you return to Australia on your existing PR. So
if your Subclass 190/189/191 or other permanent visa has reached its 5-year travel facility expiry and you plan to stay inside Australia with no plans to leave, you do not need to renew the Subclass 155 straight away — you can renew it before you next need to depart, and at that point you will typically be granted a new 5-year term.
2. Have not completed 2 years of residence but have substantial ties to Australia
You still have a chance at renewing the Subclass 155, but it will usually be granted for 1 year only.
3. Away for many years, with almost no time spent in Australia
Lodging a Subclass 155 application without proper preparation is very likely to result in a refusal. Once you have made a firm decision to settle, speak to a qualified professional to assess your application.
If you have barely spent any time in Australia in the years since your first PR grant — for example, only one or two brief entries — you absolutely must work with a qualified professional to dig out and present every supporting document. Otherwise a refusal is highly likely, and you will have spent considerable time, effort and money with no visa to show for it.
There are also a few additional points of professional advice we want to share with you.
1、 How do you choose between the Subclass 155 and 157?
Applying for a Subclass 157 to renew does not require you to demonstrate a compelling reason or strong ties to Australia, but you must have spent at least 1 day in Australia within the past 5 years, and it is only granted for 3 months — so it is more of an emergency option.
2、 If I just want to visit Australia as a tourist, should I still apply for a Subclass 155?
Do not treat the Subclass 155 as a tourist visa. Applying repeatedly without actually returning to settle can lead to a refusal next time around. Only apply for a Subclass 155 when you have a genuine plan to live in Australia long-term.If you only need to come back briefly to take care of something, you should apply for a visitor visa instead.
3、 If I apply for a visitor visa after my PR travel facility expires, will my permanent residency be lost?
No. As long as you have once held a PR visa, your permanent residency status remains intact.
4、 How do I renew after the first Subclass 155?
If you are overseas and have not completed 2 years of residence, the first Subclass 155 is usually granted for 1 year only. Once you have lived that 1 year in Australia, we typically recommend staying put and living another year without departing; once you have reached the full 2 years, your next Subclass 155 renewal will be granted for 5 years.
Success stories: clients who had not settled in Australia for years
(Photographed in 2021)
International students, watch your visas — a fresh Australian crackdown is under way, with many held up at the border
Another 3,000–5,000 Subclass 189 grants may still be issued, with processing advancing to November; Subclass 190 and 491 grant months are opening up across the board
The skilled-migration points-test reform discussion paper is out — what is there unanimous agreement to change, and how?
Migration information sharing group
2025
Step 1: Press and hold to add our support consultant
Step 2: After adding, please
follow the NewStars official WeChat account
Free initial consultation and planning for overseas study and migration
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
Adelaide
Canberra
Hobart
Perth
Beijing
Guangzhou
New Zealand – Auckland
