Citizenship & Resident Return Visas
There are number of pathways for individuals to apply for Australian Citizenship or to retain or regain their permanent residency status through a Resident Return Visa.
For individuals outside Australia these pathways can sometimes be overlooked and if eligible will generally provide a quicker and cost effective way of obtaining residency.
Australian Citizenship
You may be eligible to apply and obtain Australian Citizenship if you meet one of the following
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- Citizenship by Descent – You were born overseas to an Australian Citizen Parent.
- Citizenship by Adoption – You were adopted by an Australian Citizen Parent.
- Citizenship by Conferral – You are an Australian permanent resident and meet the residency requirements, undertake a Citizenship test and attend a Citizenship ceremony.
- Resuming Citizenship – You were a Citizen of Australia but had to give up your Australia Citizenship when you acquired citizenship of another country, or had to renounce it in order to avoid hardship.
Australian Resident Return Visas
Unless you are an Australian citizen you are required to hold a visa to enter Australia. Resident Return visas (subclasses 155 and 157) are for current or former Australian permanent residents and former Australian citizens who want to travel overseas and return to Australia as permanent residents.
A successful application for a Resident Return Visa will result in either the grant of a:
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- Subclass 155 Resident Return visa – valid for 5 years
- Subclass 155 resident Return Visa – valid up to 12 months
- Subclass 157 Resident Return Visa – valid for 3 months
Whether you are eligible for any of the above visas may be determined by a number of factors:
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- How much time you have spent living in Australia during the last 5 years (residence requirement)
- Whether you have substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia
- Whether you can show compelling reasons for any continuous absence from Australia
- If your partner is an Australian Citizen, holds a Resident Return Visa or has applied for a Resident Return visa
- Your residency/visa status when you last departed Australia
If you are married to an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident, and have not held a permanent residency visa previously, then you will likely need to apply for a Partner Visa.
Are you eligible for these options?
If you would like to discuss these visas and your eligibility please get in touch.
Freephone: 0800 772 0570
Email: mark@cargilmigration.com
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