The Department of Home Affairs has urged Australian permanent residents travelling to the United States, Germany and South Korea this September to check the travel facility attached to their visa before departing.
September is one of the most popular months for permanent visa holders from these three countries to travel overseas, the department said, with the school holiday period giving families a chance to visit relatives in the US, attend Oktoberfest in Germany or take in Seoul’s International Fireworks Festival – while avoiding the higher costs and crowds of the Christmas and New Year period.
While permanent residents can remain in Australia indefinitely, the travel facility attached to their visa expires, typically after one or five years. A permanent resident who departs Australia without a valid travel facility may be denied boarding for their return flight and face significant delays getting home.
“If you are an Australian permanent resident planning a trip back home to the United States, Germany or South Korea during the September school holidays, you will need to check whether your permanent visa has a valid travel facility,” a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said. “If it has expired, or it will expire while you are on holiday, you will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa to come back into Australia.”
The spokesperson said many travellers wrongly assumed permanent residency alone guaranteed re-entry to Australia at any time, when in fact a valid travel facility – on either a permanent visa or a Resident Return visa – was required to board a return flight.
The department advised permanent residents to check their travel facility’s expiry via the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service, apply for a Resident Return visa ahead of departure if needed, and ensure all other travel documentation remains valid for the duration of the trip.
The department also noted that eligible permanent residents could consider applying for Australian citizenship, which allows travel on an Australian passport without the travel facility restriction.
