Former Resident Visa (Subclass 151)

To qualify for this visa, you must meet the criteria for one of two specific streams. You must never have been an Australian citizen to apply for either stream.

1. Long Residence Stream

This stream is for people who grew up in Australia as permanent residents but left before becoming citizens.

• Age: You must be under 45 years of age at the time you lodge your application.
• Childhood Residency: You must have spent at least 9 years in Australia as a permanent resident before you turned 18. Time spent in Australia on temporary visas (such as visitor or student visas) does not count toward this 9-year requirement.
• Ties to Australia: You must demonstrate that you have maintained substantial business, cultural, or personal ties with Australia during your time away. This could include regular contact with Australian family, ownership of assets, or active participation in Australian organizations.

2. Defence Service Stream

This stream is for former members of the Australian military.

• Age: There is no age limit for this stream.
• Service History: You must have completed at least 3 months of continuous service in the Australian Army, Navy, or Air Force.
• Discharge Status: You must have been discharged before January 19, 1981. If you were discharged after this date, you must meet specific historical service criteria regarding your discharge circumstances.

General Eligibility

• Health and Character: You must meet the Australian government's strict health and character requirements. This includes providing police clearances for every country where you have lived for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
• Debts to the Government: You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian government. If you do, you must have an approved arrangement in place to pay them back.
• Previous Cancellations: If you have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused while you were in Australia, you may be barred from applying for this subclass.