When must one enter Australia?

[Misho]

I'm sorry for asking this question again but i can't find it on forum..

To those who have been granted a visa, I was wondering how long do you have until you have to enter Australia upon granting of PR visa? 3 months, 6 months, longer?

Thank you for any answers in advance!
Misho

[Dolly]

Hi,

When you are notified that you've got your visa, your letter will give you a date whereby you have to either validate or emigrate. That date will depend on which category medical you have and when your police check/medicals were done.

We got our visas in March 2007 and our date for validating/emigrating was October 2007. OH got a category B medical. You'll find other members that will say they had longer.

Dolly

[kaz101]

As Dolly says if does depend and the letter you receive will tell you.

We came in on a skilled independent visa and we had 12 months from time of medicals / police checks to validate the visa.

Regards,
Karen

[Misho]

Thanks Karen and Dolly for your responses..
I was wondering just in case my husband got into some teaching contract this fall and had to stay until summer of 2010..
I am giving myself at least a 12 month waiting period from time we lodged our application.

But your answers helped!
Misho

[Amr]

After the first entry. If i should return again to my country because of work contract how long time i can spend out side australia and keep the PRV.

[techy]

we have been granted visa and have already had our initial entry to aussie (we went to perth) but just 3 days for vacation, just for intial entry. until when can we delay our 'permanent' stay in aussie, can we move in just 1-2 yrs before our visa expire? we are still in doubts about moving, the concern is with regards to work, we are hoping to land jobs first before we permanently move in, but time is ticking and afraid if we delay too much then our visa validity will cease (even if it has not reached the 5-yrs period). can anyone pls advise on this?

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by Amr

After the first entry. If i should return again to my country because of work contract how long time i can spend out side australia and keep the PRV.

As far as I'm aware (I'm not an agent) you must return before 'must not arrive after' date on your visa otherwise you will lose it.

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by techy

we have been granted visa and have already had our initial entry to aussie (we went to perth) but just 3 days for vacation, just for intial entry. until when can we delay our 'permanent' stay in aussie, can we move in just 1-2 yrs before our visa expire? we are still in doubts about moving, the concern is with regards to work, we are hoping to land jobs first before we permanently move in, but time is ticking and afraid if we delay too much then our visa validity will cease (even if it has not reached the 5-yrs period). can anyone pls advise on this?

As far as I'm aware (I'm not an agent) you must return before 'must not arrive after' date on your visa otherwise you will lose it.

The longer you stay out the country the longer your citizenship will be delayed...

[SOMV]

If you have not spent enough time in Australia on your permanent visas and you cannot therefore yet qualify for citizenship (and a passport), you will have to bear in mind that your permanent visa label will run out after 5 years. That means that you will have to apply for a new visa label (the correct technical term is the "RRV" or "Resident Return Visa"). The RRV will allow you to travel in and out of Australia for a further 5 years, and then you have to repeat the same process again and again or until you have obtained Australian citizenship (and passports).

An RRV will only be granted if you have spent enough time in Australia as a permanent resident! So this is where the counting of time becomes crucial!

I could go on for pages about this, but very briefly the system currently works like this:

• You obtain a permanent visa which is valid for 5 years.
• You must make your initial entry to Australia within a specified period (related to when you completed your medical and police checks).
• Your permanent visa is permanent but your label is only ever valid for 5 years, so you must remember that in order to be able to apply for a new 5 year visa label, which will allow you to travel in and out of Australia, you will need to be able to show at least 2 out of 5 years of residence in Australia before your visa labels expire.

There are more rules that apply, but I won't go into those. Just to return to your question of timing: Strictly speaking you have 5 years from your visa grant to enter Australia permanently once you have made your initial entry. However, if you do take the whole 5 year period and enter Australia say a day before your visa label is due to expire, then you will, technically, be stuck in Australia for 2 years, as you will be unable to travel in and out of the country until you can obtain a new visa label in your passport.

In other words, the last thing you want is to miss the 5 year deadline and then to discover that you cannot apply for a new RRV (if you are not in Australia when your visa label expires), or not be able to travel in and out of Australia for 2 years.

There are some exceptions to this general rule, but please do bear the above in mind as the general rule and when calculating when you should return to Australia permanently.

[techy]

thanks, SOMV. would you happen to know the site where the rules are stated? I want to read thru and understand the rules on entry. As we might need to enter earlier that we think as we might missed the 2 yr grace period.