Extension of subclass 189 visa

[SSSF]

Hi All,

 

I have a question to seek your advice. My family and I were granted the subclass 189 visa in February 2013, and it will be expiring in Feb 2018. We have validated the visa in October 2013 as part of our vacation trip to Australia, and since then we visited Australia every year, and we have finally purchased a house in March 2015. However, other than these events, we have not relocated to Australia for good. We are still living in elsewhere outside Australia because of some family matters.

 

Would like to consult you that - with the situation as described above, please advise if our visas can be extended for another couple of years (for example 2? or 5? or cannot anyway). Thanks.

[Ken]

There's no such thing as an extension of a subclass 189 visa because it's a permanent visa. If you enter Australia before it expires in Feb 2018 you can stay forever. If however you want to enter Australia after Feb 2018 you're then in the realm of the Resident Return Visa (the RRV). If you've lived in Australia for 2 years out of the previous 5 and are in Australia then you're entitled to a 5 year RRV. Less than that you can only get a 1 year RRV (or even less) but only if you can satisfy the authorities that you have sufficient ties to Australia (which at the moment it sounds as if you don't have - although the house might be considered to be a tie).

Edited July 12, 2016 by Ken