My friend applied for 155 RRV offshore. It has been more than 120 days and no approval or any further document request from Home Affairs. Normally it takes a few days to a few weeks to get the application approved. 120 days is very unusual and outside 95th percentile. Anyone has any suggestion what is the best way to approach this situation? Thanks.
155 Resident Return Visa (RRV) Takes Too Long to Approve
gstfree on 19/10/2022 - 17:42
Comments
I don't think there is any strong adverse impact. I do not complain the delay, just want to make sure the Department received application and it's queueing in progress.
“…outside 95th percentile”. Lol
What about the OZzies waiting for a passport?
Hi Andy, my friend's circumstance may be different from passport renewal. I have a passport application in progress. On the day of lodgement Auspost clearly told me waiting time is 16 weeks. If not received passport after 16 weeks I can contact passport office to enquire the progress.
In my friend's case his RRV application was far beyond the normal processing time. The department can't provide information regards to the application. My question is if there is any better way to to start communication with the department.For example: engage a migration agent if they have special channel with the department? Thank you :)4 weeks for a renewal for me.
Never dealt with government departments before?
What can you do? If your friend doesn't like it, I guess they can withdraw their application? 😋Why not just call Home Affairs and ask them directly? They should be the best one to give your friend the right information, rather than your friend asking their friends, and you as one of them go asking around :)
Thank you very much. Fully agree with you. However, the Home Affairs contact number only provides general information and can't advise any specific case. I have no intention to chase up but just want to make sure the department received the RRV application and no outstanding additional required information, because the application is far longer than normal processing time.
I have no intention to chase up but just want to make sure the department received the RRV application and no outstanding additional required information…
I'm almost certain that no-one on here can:
- make sure the department received the application
- determine if any outstanding additional info is required.Did you or your friend actually tried to get to the correct channel, because last time I did an enquiry on behalf of someone when their application went silent way beyond the standard processing time, they actually looked it up and provided some guidance. And tried ringing the global number, can't remember now, don't try the useless 13 number as their operating hours are ridiculous.
This is a quote from the home affairs webpage relating to a resident return visa.
(Its the first hit if you google "resident return visa")"Subclasses 155 and 157 Resident Return visa- If you leave Australia after your travel validity expires, or it expires when you are outside Australia, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. This visa allows you to return as a permanent resident."
They shouldve applied for the return visa before they left Australia.
Thank you. I would think the same thing. But my friend's individual situation is different. He could not get 5 years RRV before departure Australia.
Why not?
Many factors may impact a Permanent Resident (PR) not getting a standard 5 years RRV. For example: Home in Australia but expatriate in Singapore most of the time. Due to not meeting residency requirements, each RRV visa only comes with 3 months travel authority. .
@gstfree: your friends need to check if he/her meets the residency requirements. Or he/she can write a comment under his/her application.
@gogolitalia: Thank you. Yes, my friend comes back Australia 1 month every year. Strong tie to Australia. He has been on 3 months RRV in the past 10 years :) There is no concern about eligibility, but just make to make sure no IT glitch. I am thinking if a migration agent has any special channel with the Department? Thanks.
That's not correct. It does not make sense, you apply for the 155 or 157 if your 5 years PR has expired and you are not in Australia. However, for the 155 and 157 you need to meet the residency requirements. For 155 need to have lived in Australia for 2 (or 3 don't recall it) years before the date you apply for the 155, for the 157 you have to have lived in Australia at least one day. I have applied for the 155 while in Japan and had been accepted in 3 working days.
Very professional answer.
RRV offshore application needs a strong proof of connection to Australia. If there is no strong connection like partner is Australian or has a house, etc. It will take very low priority in the queue and potentially getting rejected.
Straight forward RRV applications should be very quick to approve.
I even thought that offshore RRV is not possible.
But maybe there are some exceptions because of covid?Offshore RRV is Okay. My friend applied for offshore RRV in the past 10 years every year.
Yes, straight forward RRV is very quick. One of my colleagues's RRV application was approved within minutes of lodgement last month.
Sounds like the department is frowning upon your friend travel patterns and start questioning his tie to Australia being genuine or not. They probably wait until his Aussie dependents or whatever no longer being so to get him/her to do a bit more hard work than coming every year for a few week holiday.
Shouldn’t take that long. It took me 2 hours to get it when I applied for my RRV (155) back in 2018. I submitted around 8 in the morning and they sent me grant letter around 10 o’clock. I was quite surprised!
2018
A lot has happened in four years. Like passport wait times.
Write to your Federal parliamentarian
How is your friend adversely impacted by the delay?