Resident Return Visa

Resident Return Visas Application Assistance

For assistance with your resident return visa application speak to AIS Immigration Solutions today. AIS Immigration Solutions are an Australian migration agency based in Brisbane, Queensland. The skilled team have decades of experience and can provide you with tailored advice and application assistance to ensure you secure the visa you’re after. Call AIS Immigration Solutions today on or send an enquiry online to book a Skype appointment with one of our experienced professionals.

Features and Overview:

Both Resident Return visas subclass 155 and subclass 157 are permanent resident visas for Australian permanent residents and former Australian permanent residents or Australian citizens who are returning to Australia after overseas travel. These visas differ in the length of stay that they grant. Subclass 155 allows a length of stay of up to 5 years form the date of grant, while subclass 157 allows a length of stay of up to 3 months from the date of grant. Both the 155 and 157 return resident visas allow the following activities:

  • stay in Australia indefinitely
  • work and study in Australia
  • enrolment in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
  • Sponsorship of eligible relatives for permanent residence
  • travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the travel facility is valid
  • applications for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

VISA ELIGIBILITY

To obtain for a Return Resident visa, you must:

  • be an Australian permanent resident, or;
  • be a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or;
  • be a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced their citizenship.
  • hold a valid passport
  • meet character requirements

You are not eligible for this visa if:

  • your last permanent visa was cancelled
  • (if applicable) you have received a notice that your permanent business visa might be cancelled

You should not apply for this visa if you hold:

  • an Authority To Return (ATR) that was granted between 1 March 1976 and 31 August 1979
  • a Return Endorsement (RE) that was issued between September 1979 and 31 December 1986
  • a BF-111

Resident Return Visa Subclass 155:

You may be eligible for a resident return visa subclass 155 if you either:

  • meet the resident requirement (5 year travel facility)
  • have ties of benefit to Australia (1 year travel facility)
  • are a family member of someone who holds, or has applied for, a Resident Return visa and satisfies the criteria for grant (up to 1 year travel facility).

Resident Return Visa Subclass 157:

You may be eligible for a resident return visa subclass 157 if either:

  • you lawfully spent at least one day but less than two years in the past five years in Australia immediately before you apply for this visa
  • you were an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen the whole time you were in Australia
  • there is a compelling and compassionate reason for leaving Australia.

Application Process

You can apply online now, without providing any documents, if:

  • you are a permanent resident
  • you have resided in Australia for a total of at least 2 years within the last 5 years
  • your name and date of birth have not changed since grant of your last visa.

If applying from outside of Australia:

If you have been outside Australia for more than three continuous months immediately before you apply, you must have a compelling and compassionate reason for the absence.

You cannot include family members in your application. Each family member must complete their own application.

Processing time:

Processing times can vary.

Other Requirements:

The subclass 155 and 157 visas are permanent visas however this does not mean that the visa always lasts indefinitely.

  • If you do not travel outside Australia the visa lasts indefinitely (it does not end) and you will not become unlawful when the travel facility ends
  • If you do travel outside Australia after the travel facility on the visa ends, the visa will end when you leave Australia. So it is best to apply for another Resident Return visa before you leave Australia. You can also apply from overseas.

Cost:

The cost of applying for a resident return visa is $410 AUD. For paper applications, applicants must pay an additional $80 AUD.

Is this visa right for me?

The resident return visa is suitable for former Australian permanent residents and Australian citizens. You are not eligible for this visa if your last permanent visa was cancelled. Please see eligibility for further details on whether this visa is for you.

Speak to one of our helpful migration assistants today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send us an enquiry for help in obtaining your returning resident visa.

Student Visas

Student Visa Application Assistance

For assistance with your student visa application (subclass 500) speak to AIS Immigration Solutions today. AIS Immigration Solutions are an Australian migration agency based in Brisbane, Queensland. The skilled team have decades of experience and can provide you with tailored advice and application assistance to ensure you secure the visa you are after.

Call AIS Immigration Solutions today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send an enquiry online to book a Skype appointment with one of our experienced professionals.

Features and Overview:

The Student Visa subclass 500 allows successful applicants to participate in an eligible course of study in Australia for up to 5 years. Visa holders may bring family members to Australia with them. This visa allows you to:

  • participate in an eligible course of study in Australia
  • travel in and out of Australia
  • work up to 40 hours every 2-week period once your course starts

VISA ELIGIBILITY

To obtain for a Student Visa, you must:

  • be enrolled in a course of study in Australia
  • hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), or fall in one of the exemption categories, for your stay in Australia
  • must be 6 years or older
  • prove you have a welfare arrangement, if you are under 18

In addition, you must meet these general requirements:

  • meet English language requirements
  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet character requirements
  • have enough money to support yourself during your stay
  • have adequate health insurance
  • have paid back any debt to the Australian Government
  • have not had a visa cancelled or previous application denied

You cannot apply for this visa within Australia if you have one of the following visas:

  • Domestic Worker (Temporary) Diplomatic and Consular visa (subclass 426)
  • Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or consular) stream
  • Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) – primary visa holder only. A family member of a Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) can apply for a Student visa in Australia
  • Transit visa (subclass 771)
  • Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Sponsored Family stream or in the Approved Destination Status stream

Application Process:

You can be in or outside of Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

You can include family members when you lodge your visa application. For student visas, your family member is:

  • your partner, or
  • your or your partner’s dependent child who is unmarried and has not turned 18 years of age.

You must declare your family members in your student visa application even if they do not plan to travel with you to Australia. If you do not do this, your family members will not be eligible for a student visa to join you in Australia.

Processing time:

Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector

  • 75% of applications in 22 days
  • 90% of applications in 35 days

Postgraduate Research Sector

  • 75% of applications in 56 days
  • 90% of applications in 74 days

Non-Award Sector

  • 75% of applications in 11 days
  • 90% of applications in 21 days

Schools Sector

  • 75% of applications in 48 days
  • 90% of applications in 74 days

Independent ELICOS Sector

  • 75% of applications in 21 days
  • 90% of applications in 62 days

Vocational Education and Training Sector

  • 75% of applications in 64 days
  • 90% of applications in 71 days

Higher Education Sector

  • 75% of applications in 18 days
  • 90% of applications in 29 days

Your application can take longer to process if:

  • you do not fill it in correctly
  • you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Other Requirements:

Packaged courses

You will need to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for each course. The last course you take as part of the course package is your main course of study. The Department of Home Affairs will use your main course of study to work out what financial and English language skills evidence you must provide.

If your visa application includes a package of courses, course gaps must be less than two calendar months, unless the first course finishes at the end of the standard academic year and the next course commences at the beginning of the standard academic year.

For example, the academic year generally ends in November and starts again in February the following year, three to four months is an acceptable gap between courses.

Standard visa grant periods apply to packaged courses.

Cost:

The cost of applying for a resident return visa is $575 AUD for the main applicant, unless they are exempt. There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa.

Speak to one of our helpful migration agents today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send us an enquiry for help in obtaining your student visa.

Global Talent (subclass 858) visa

Global Talent (Subclass 858) Visa

AIS Immigration Solutions are experts in migration services and are here to help you in obtaining your Global Talent visa. With over a decade of experience, the highly skilled team at AIS Immigration Solutions can guarantee a simple, stress-free application process with their tailored-to-you guidance and application advice.

Contact AIS Immigration Solutions today on +61 7 3216 0052 or enquire online to book a ZOOM or Skype consultation with one of our experienced professionals.

Features and Overview of the Global Talent visa

The Global Talent subclass 858 visa is a permanent visa suitable for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of the following areas:

  • a profession (refers to ‘a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science’).
  • a sport (refers to ‘an activity involving physical exertion and skill, in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment’);
  • the arts (refers to ‘the theoretical or physical expression of creativity found in human cultures and societies. Major constituents of the arts include visual arts, literature, and performance arts’).
  • academia and research (refers to ‘scholarly and systematic inquiry into a subject to discover facts or principles’).

The Global Talent Visa program aims to attract top talent in certain critical sectors. It is designed to help Australia compete with countries globally for the world’s best and brightest. The program targets individuals who are distinguished in their field and who are likely to be able to earn at least AU$158,500 in Australia. This amount relates to the Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) which is indexed annually usually on 1 July.

If you are a highly skilled candidate and CAN demonstrate your international recognition and achievements, the Global Talent Visa is an attractive option for you. Your eligibility for this visa is determined based on whether you can make an application in relation to one of the target sectors set out below, or a related sector.

  • Agri-food and Agtech
  • Financial Services and Fintech
  • Health Industries
  • Digitech
  • Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space
  • Energy
  • Circular Economy
  • Infrastructure and Tourism
  • Resources
  • Education

Once the visa is granted it allows the following activities:

  • permanent stay in Australia
  • work and study in Australia
  • enrolment in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
  • sponsoring of relatives to come to Australia
  • travel to and from Australia for 5 years, and
  • applications for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Global Talent Visa eligibility

To be eligible for the Global Talent Visa, you must:

  • have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement (and still be prominent) in a profession, a sport, the arts or academia and research
  • be nominated by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen, or Australian organisation with a national reputation in relation to your area of talent
  • the applicant may be in or outside Australia when the visa is granted, but not not in immigration clearance
  • would have no difficulty obtaining employment at a minimum salary level of $158,500
  • not have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused

The are two stages in the visa application process.

Preparation and lodging of an Expression of Interest (EOI)

  • In the first instance an expression of interest (EOI) needs to be lodged for consideration to determine eligibility for lodging the Global Talent Visa.
  • If you meet eligibility criteria as mentioned above, you will be provided with a unique identifier number (UIN) which provides priority processing for a Global Talent subclass 858 visa application.

VISA APPLICATION:

  • Once you have received your unique identification numberyou will have (60) sixty days to apply for your visa.
  • When lodging the application, you can be either in or outside of Australia.

Cost:

The base visa charge due to the Department of Home Affairs is at time of writing AUD$4,180 . There is an additional charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

A second instalment of AUD$4,890 is charged for applicants who:

(a) was at least 18 at the time of application; and

(b) is assessed as not having functional English.

How to proceed?

We strongly recommend you seek advise from a registered migration agent before you lodge an expression of interest. At AIS Immigration Solutions we assist clients with a full assessment of their eligibility requirements and able to provide advise how to prepare supporting documents including;

  • Assessing eligibility and whether it is a suitable alternative to other visa options
  • Approaching the Department to secure a unique identifier
  • Undertaking research to support the application
  • Interviewing referees
  • Advising on documentation and supporting evidence
  • Drafting supporting references, outlining achievements, prominence and benefit to Australia
  • Drafting extensive submissions on how the applicant meets the requirements
  • Preparing and submitting the nomination and visa applications
  • Liaising with the Department until a decision is made

UPDATE FOR ENGINEERS

Engineers Australia has announced that the Department has accepted it as a nominating organisation for the Global Talent Independent (GTI) Program. The following information has been received from EA:

The GTI Program is a streamlined visa pathway for highly skilled engineering professionals to work and live permanently in Australia.

A list of priority sectors has been identified and Engineers Australia may consider nominating candidates in these target sectors if they fulfil requirements and can provide evidence of their excellence. We strongly recommend you contact us to determine whether you are eligible for GTI nomination assessment. Once you are assessed as eligible you can apply to Engineers Australia to support your nomination application.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible to apply for the Global Talent Visa Program, you must:

  • Prove you are internationally recognised, with evidence of outstanding achievements.
  • Still be prominent in their field of expertise.
  • Provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia, in their area of expertise.
  • Have no difficulty obtaining employment in Australia or becoming established in their field.
  • Have a recognised organisation or individual in Australia in the same field as your clients endorse them as global talent.

How to apply for nomination?

There are three-steps to the GTI nomination assessment:

1. Self-assessment for eligibility
2. Application submission
3. Application assessment and nomination

For more information about the application process and the documentation required, contact us on +61 7 3216 0052 to arrange a face-to-face consultation(via ZOOM) with one of our registered migration agents

Speak to one of our helpful migration assistants today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send us an enquiry for help in obtaining your Global Talent Visa.

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Investor Retirement

Pathways to Permanent Residence for Retirees

AIS Immigration Solutions are experts in migration services and can help retirees obtain permanent residence in Australia. With over a decade of experience, the highly skilled team at AIS Immigration Solutions can guarantee a simple, stress-free process with their tailored-to-you guidance and visa application advice. Contact AIS Immigration Solutions today on +61 7 3216 0052 or enquire online to book a Skype interview with one of our experienced professionals.

Features and Overview:

A pathway to permanent residency for eligible retirees has been created by the Australian Government. This pathway provides options to long-term residents who have contributed to, and are well established in the community.

Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply for a pathway to permanent residence you must have, on 8 May 2018:

  • held a Retirement visa (subclass 410) or Investment Retirement (subclass 405) visa or
  • your last substantive visa was a Retirement visa (subclass 410) or Investment Retirement (subclass 405) visa

You must also:

  • not have held any substantive visa apart from Retirement visa (subclass 410) or Investment Retirement (subclass 405) between 8 May 2018 and the day you apply for the permanent residence pathway, and
  • be in Australia when you apply for the permanent residence pathway

Pathway options:

Eligible retirees may access the pathway by applying for a:

  • Parent visa (subclass 103) or
  • Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)

Applicants will be subject to most of the existing requirements for a parent visa however, you will not need to meet the sponsorship, balance of family test or Assurance of Support requirements.

If your Retirement visa (subclass 410) or Investment Retirement visa(subclass 405) is about to expire and you lodge a pathway application, we will grant you a Bridging visa which will allow you to stay in Australia lawfully while we process your pathway application.

If you lodged a Parent visa (subclass 103) or Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) application before 8 May 2018 and wish to be assessed on the retirees’ pathway, you will need to withdraw your existing parent visa application and lodge a new pathway application.

Parent visa (subclass 103):

No places will be available for retirees under the Parent visa (subclass 103) until 2022.

Waiting times for Parent (subclass 103) visas are significantly longer than those for Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visas.

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143):

We will give priority to retirees who apply under the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) category until places become available in the Parent visa subclass from 2022.

Is this visa right for me?

The pathway to permanent residence for retirees is suitable for self-funded retirees who have no dependents and want to live in Australia during their retirement years. Please see related Parent visa (subclass 103) and contributory parent visa (subclass 143) pages for details regarding eligibility, application process and costs involved.

Speak to one of our helpful migration agents today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send us an enquiry for help in obtaining permanent residence as a retiree.

Tourist Visitor

Visitor Visa Application Assistance

Planning on visiting Australia? AIS Immigration Solutions can help you in obtaining a Visitor Visa (subclass 600). Based in Brisbane, Queensland, AIS Immigration Solutions are an experienced Australian migration agency who can assist with meeting your visa application requirements. The skilled team have decades of experience and can provide you with tailored advice and application assistance to ensure you secure the visa that you are after. Call AIS Immigration Solutions today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send an enquiry online to book a Skype appointment with one of our experienced professionals.

Features and Overview:

The Visitor Visa (subclass 600) is a temporary visa that allows tourists, business visitors or visits to family for a duration of 3, 6 or 12 months. General eligibility for this visa includes being a genuine visa and having enough funds to support your stay and leave from Australia.  Please see below for more detail regarding eligibility streams.

Tourist Stream (applying within Australia):

This visa allows you to:

  • visit family or friends
  • be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
  • study or train for up to 3 months in total on this visa. But if your main reason for travelling to Australia is study, a student visa might be more appropriate.
  • you cannot work on this visa

VISA ELIGIBILITY

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Tourist Stream (applying within Australia), you must:

  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

Eligible applicants can apply for this visa from within Australia. If you apply in Australia, you must be in Australia when we make a decision on your application.

Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in18 days
  • 90% of applications in 29 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

  • you don’t fill it in correctly
  • you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $355 AUD per applicant.

Tourist Stream (applying outside Australia):

This visa allows you to:

  • visit family or friends
  • be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
  • study or train for up to 3 months in total on this visa. But if your main reason for travelling to Australia is study, a student visa might be more appropriate.
  • you cannot work on this visa

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Tourist Stream (applying outside Australia), you must:

  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • pay your debts to the Australian government
  • have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the outcome of your application is decided.

Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in18 days
  • 90% of applications in 29 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

  • you don’t fill it in correctly
  • you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

You might be able to request we fast-track your visa application if you hold a passport from:

  • the People’s Republic of China (but not Hong Kong or Macau)
  • India
  • the United Arab Emirates

Fast-tracking your application costs AUD1,000 in addition to the visa application charge.

Sponsored Family Stream:

This visa allows you to:

  • visit family or friends
  • be here as a tourist, for a cruise or for any purpose except business or medical treatment
  • study or train for up to 3 months in total on this visa. But if your main reason for travelling to Australia is study, a student visa might be more appropriate.
  • you cannot work on this visa

VISA ELIGIBILITY

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Sponsored Family Stream, you must:

  • Have sponsor. Your sponsor can be either a family member from Australia or an Australian government official
  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • pay your debts to the Australian government
  • have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when the outcome of your application is decided.

Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in 54 days
  • 90% of applications in 64 days

Your application might take longer to process if:

  • you do not fill it in correctly
  • you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

Business Visitor Stream:

This visa allows you to:

  • make general business or employment enquiries
  • investigate, negotiate, enter into or review a business contract
  • conduct activities as part of an official government visit
  • take part in a conference, trade fair or seminar. The organisers can’t pay you to take part

You can’t:

  • work for or provide services to a business or organisation based in Australia
  • sell goods or services directly to the public

If you want to do short-term work in Australia that isn’t a business visitor activity, consider applying for a temporary work visa.

APEC Business Travel Card holders

You might not need to apply for a visa to travel to Australia if you hold an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC). We consider you to have applied for a Visitor visa when you applied for the ABTC.

ABTC holders (other than New Zealanders) might be granted a Visitor (subclass 600) Business Visitor stream visa to visit Australia.  If you hold an ABTC with ‘AUS’ printed on the back, you can enter Australia for short-stay business visitor or tourism activities for as long as the ABTC is valid. The ABTC is valid for 5 years from the date we issue it.

If you apply for and are granted a separate visa, the visa associated with your ABTC will cease.

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Business Visitor Stream, you must:

  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • pay your debts to the Australian government
  • have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You can’t include family members in your application. Family members travelling with you should apply for a 600 Visitor Tourist stream visa.

You must be outside Australia when you apply and when outcomes of application is decided.

 Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in 9 days
  • 90% of applications in 17 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

  • you don’t fill it in correctly
  • you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

You might be able to request we fast-track your visa application if you hold a passport from:

  • the People’s Republic of China (but not Hong Kong or Macau)
  • India
  • the United Arab Emirates

Fast-tracking your application costs AUD1,000 in addition to the visa application charge.

Approved Destination Stream:

This visa is for citizens from certain areas of China visiting Australia on a tour organised by an approved travel agent. This visa allows you to:

  • enter Australia with your approved tour group
  • participate in activities that are part of your tour

You must leave Australia with your tour group before your visa expires

VISA ELIGIBILITY

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Approved Destination Stream, you must:

  • be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China
  • intend to travel to Australia as part of a tour organised by an approved travel agent
  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • pay your debts to the Australian government
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be in the People’s Republic of China when your visa application is lodged and when we make a decision on your application.

Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in 4 days
  • 90% of applications in 5 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

  • you don’t fill it in correctly
  • you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $140 AUD per applicant.

Frequent Traveller Stream:

This visa stream is for citizens of the People’s Republic of China who travel often to Australia for business or personal reasons. This visa allows you to:

  • visit family or friends
  • be here as a tourist, for a cruise or a holiday
  • undertake business visitor activities

Eligibility:

To obtain a Visitor Visa under the Tourist Stream (applying within Australia), you must:

  • hold a passport from and be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China
  • meet Australian health requirements
  • meet the character requirement
  • pay your debts to the Australian government
  • have enough money to support yourself while in Australia
  • be a genuine visitor

Application Process:

You cannot include family members in your application. A separate application must be made for each member of your family, including those listed on your passport.

You must be in the People’s Republic of China when you apply. You must be outside Australia when we make a decision on your application.

Processing time:

  • 75% of applications in 7 days
  • 90% of applications in 10 days

Your application may take longer to process if:

  • you don’t fill it in correctly
  • you don’t include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
  • it takes us time to verify your information

Cost:

The cost of this visa is $1,045 AUD per applicant.

Is this visa right for me?

The Visitor Visa (subclass 600) is a temporary visa that does not allow visa holders to work while in Australia. Please view each stream for required eligibility and to determine if this visa is for you.

Speak to one of our helpful migration agents today on +61 7 3216 0052 or send us an enquiry for help in obtaining your visitor visa.