Former Resident Visa (Subclass 151)

The Former Resident Visa (Subclass 151) is a permanent visa for people who spent much of their childhood in Australia as permanent residents or who served in the Australian Defence Force. Unlike most Australian visas, this subclass typically requires a paper-based application rather than an online submission through an ImmiAccount (online portal).

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility Stream

Before applying, you must determine which of the two pathways you qualify for:

• Long Residence Stream: You must be under 45 years old, have spent at least 9 years in Australia as a permanent resident before you turned 18, and have never been an Australian citizen.
• Defence Service Stream: No age limit applies. You must have completed at least 3 months of continuous service in the Australian Army, Navy, or Air Force and have been discharged before January 19, 1981 (or meet specific later discharge criteria). You must never have been an Australian citizen.

Step 2: Gather Historical Evidence

Because this visa relies on events from years or decades ago, gathering proof is the most time-consuming step.

• Residency Proof: Collect school reports, medical records, or census data proving your 9-year stay.
• Defence Proof: Obtain your official military discharge papers and service records.
• Proof of Ties: You must prove you maintained a connection to Australia while away. Gather evidence of correspondence with Australian friends/family, ownership of assets in Australia, or active memberships in Australian professional or social organizations.
• Identity & Character: Prepare your current passport, birth certificate, and police certificates for every country where you have lived for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.

Step 3: Complete the Paper Forms

You must complete Form 47PT (Application for migration to Australia by a former resident). If you have family members joining you, they must be included on this form. You will also likely need to complete Form 80 (Personal particulars) and Form 1221 (Additional personal particulars) for character assessment.

Step 4: Lodge the Application and Pay

Check the Department of Home Affairs website for the current mailing address for paper applications, as these are processed at specific centers. You must pay the Base Application Charge at the time of lodgement.

Step 5: Health Exams and Biometrics

After your application is received, the Department will contact you to request:

• Health Examinations: To be completed by an approved panel physician.
• Biometrics: You may need to visit a visa application center to have your fingerprints and photo taken.

Step 6: Finalize the Visa

If you are over 18 and do not speak "functional English," you may be sent an invoice for a Second Installment fee. Once all requirements are met and fees are paid, you will receive a notification of the decision. If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you must enter by the date specified in your grant letter.

Item	Cost
Base Application Charge (Main Applicant)	AUD 4,910
Additional Applicant (18 years or older)	AUD 2,455
Additional Applicant (Under 18 years)	AUD 1,230
Second Installment (for those without functional English)	AUD 4,890

Total Estimate: For a single applicant with functional English, the cost is AUD 4,910. Does not include: Costs for medical examinations, police certificates, biometrics collection, or NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) certified translations for documents not in English.

Processing times for the Subclass 151 visa are not regularly published because the number of applications is very low. However, based on the complexity of verifying historical records, you should expect the following:

• Standard Processing: 12 to 24 months.
• Verification Delays: Expect longer wait times if the Department needs to retrieve physical paper files from government archives to verify your residency from decades ago.
• Document Validity: Most police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue; you may be asked to provide updated ones if processing exceeds a year.
• Travel Facility: Once granted, the visa includes a 5-year travel facility. If you wish to travel outside Australia after these 5 years, you will need to apply for a Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155 or 157).