Australia Subclass 835 in 2026: 5-Year Travel Facility vs Resident Return Visa

If you hold a Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 835) and expect to spend long stretches outside Australia, the choice is between a fixed window and a renewable permission. As of the July 2026 version of the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 835) page, you may travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for five years from the date the visa is granted; once that travel facility ends, you need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa (subclasses 155 and 157) to re-enter as a permanent resident, or become an Australian citizen and travel on an Australian passport instead. The two routes differ in how much ongoing maintenance they require, and that difference is what matters most if you are living in Hong Kong and only visiting Australia occasionally.

What does the five-year travel facility actually cover?

The facility is a travel permission attached to the visa, not a limit on your status. The official page describes it as the ability to travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for five years from the date of grant, "as long as the travel facility on this visa remains valid."

Separately, the visa itself is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely, and it carries work and study rights, access to Medicare, and the ability to sponsor relatives. So the five-year figure governs movement across the border, not the length of time you may remain once you are inside Australia.

When does the clock start, and how do you check your end date?

The five years run from the date the visa was granted, not from your first arrival, your first departure, or the date you moved away. For holders who were granted the visa and then relocated to Hong Kong soon afterwards, this is the detail that most often surprises people, because time spent outside Australia still counts against the window.

To see the exact date your travel facility ends, the Department directs holders to VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online), which shows visa conditions and expiry details. You also need a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia, so passport validity and travel-facility validity are two separate checks before any long trip.

What changes once the five-year window closes?

Your permanent residence does not disappear. What ends is the permission to board a flight and be admitted as a permanent resident. The official page is explicit about the consequence: to travel after the initial five-year travel validity, you need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa so that you can re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

The subclass 835 page states this requirement but does not set out the eligibility tests for subclasses 155 and 157; those are covered on the Department's Resident Return visa (155/157) page, which should be read for the current criteria and any applicable charges, since government fees change and official pages are the only reliable source for them.

How does a Resident Return visa compare with Australian citizenship?

	Resident Return visa (155/157)	Australian citizenship
Basis of re-entry	You re-enter as a permanent resident, by permission	No visa is required to enter Australia
Travel document	Your existing passport, with the granted visa linked to it	An Australian passport, used to leave and re-enter
Ongoing maintenance	A new application and grant is needed before travelling once the facility has lapsed	No re-entry permission to renew
Where it is set out	Resident Return visa (155/157) official page	Australian citizenship official page, including eligibility and processing times

The practical distinction is that the Resident Return visa keeps you on the permanent-resident track and has to be applied for and granted each time you need it, whereas citizenship changes the nature of the arrangement: an Australian citizen does not require a visa to enter Australia, but does need to apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter.

The official page also notes that eligibility requirements and current processing times for citizenship are published on the Department's citizenship pages, and those figures change over time, so they should be read as at the date you plan.

Does travelling late change the start date for citizenship purposes?

No. The Department states that for citizenship purposes, your permanent residence starts on the day the visa is granted, not on the day you first enter Australia or the day you begin living there. That makes the grant date the anchor for both the five-year travel facility and the citizenship residence calculation, which is worth noting if your grant was followed by years abroad.

If you live in Hong Kong, which arrangement fits better?

Consider two holders with the same grant date. One stays in Hong Kong for six years and wants to visit family in Australia next month: on the official page's terms, that person cannot simply board a flight on the strength of the original visa and needs a Resident Return visa, applied for and granted first. Another holder applies for citizenship before the travel facility lapses and, once granted, travels on an Australian passport without needing any re-entry visa.

Which is more suitable depends on how often you intend to return and whether you want a permanent end to re-entry paperwork. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice about your circumstances; for a decision that turns on your own travel history and documents, rely on the official pages cited below or on a qualified professional.

What should you check before booking a long trip?

Confirm the travel facility end date for yourself and for each family member in VEVO, rather than assuming it runs from your last departure.
Check that your passport or travel document will still be valid on the date you leave Australia.
If your movement history matters for a future application, the Department lets you request international movement records as proof of travel in and out of Australia.
Keep your details current: holders and their family members must obey Australian laws, and the Department has a process for notifying a change in situation.
Family members included in the application travel on their own grant, so each person's conditions should be checked individually rather than inferred from the primary applicant's record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my permanent residence expire when the five-year travel facility ends?

No. Subclass 835 is a permanent visa that lets you stay in Australia indefinitely. What ends is the travel facility, so you need a granted Resident Return visa to re-enter as a permanent resident.

How do I find the exact date my travel facility ends?

Use VEVO, which the Department names as the tool for checking visa conditions, work and study entitlements, and when the travel condition ends. The date runs from the grant of the visa.

If I become an Australian citizen, do I still need a Resident Return visa?

No. An Australian citizen does not require a visa to enter Australia, but you need to apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter the country.

When does my permanent residence start for citizenship purposes?

On the day the visa is granted, according to the Department. That date is fixed regardless of when you first arrive in Australia or how long you spend abroad afterwards.

Can family members included in my application use the same five-year facility?

Family members can be included in the application, with an extra charge for each person and health and character requirements to meet. Each holder's own conditions and expiry should be checked separately in VEVO.

How much does the Subclass 835 cost?

The official page does not publish a single flat figure; it directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator for their own costing, notes that the charge is paid in two instalments, that concessions apply only in limited circumstances, and that other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics may apply.

Will I get a visa label in my passport?

No. The Department digitally links the visa to your passport and no label is issued, which is why VEVO is the practical way to show your visa and conditions to someone who needs proof.