When Do You Become a Permanent Resident on Subclass 115 for Citizenship in 2026?

According to the Department of Home Affairs official Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115) page (as of July 2026), for citizenship purposes you become a permanent resident at one of two points: when you enter Australia on this visa, or, if you were previously present in Australia and held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving Australia, when the Department grants the visa. The start date matters because it marks the beginning of the period used for later citizenship eligibility. As the rule turns on your own movement and visa history, this article is general information only and is not personalised advice; for your circumstances, rely on the latest official information or appropriate professional advice.

The visa itself is a permanent visa and lets you stay in Australia indefinitely. The two-part rule described above is specifically about when you are taken to have become a permanent resident for citizenship purposes, and it appears in both the stay and citizenship sections of the official page.

When does permanent residency start if you are entering Australia for the first time on this visa?

If you have not previously held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving Australia, you become a permanent resident for citizenship when you enter Australia on this visa. The official wording is "you enter Australia on this visa". You must enter before the date specified in your grant letter, and the first entry date is generally set at 12 months from the date of visa grant.

Suppose an applicant is granted a Subclass 115 visa while outside Australia and has never before held an Australian permanent visa. For citizenship purposes, that applicant becomes a permanent resident on the date they first enter Australia on the visa, not on the grant date.

When does permanent residency start if you previously held a permanent visa in Australia?

The second branch applies where you were previously present in Australia and held a permanent visa immediately before you last left Australia. In that case, for citizenship purposes you become a permanent resident when the Department grants the Subclass 115 visa, not on a later entry date. The official wording is "if you previously have been present in Australia and held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving Australia, when we grant this visa".

Suppose an applicant last left Australia while holding a permanent visa and is later granted a Subclass 115 visa while outside Australia. For citizenship purposes, that applicant becomes a permanent resident on the grant date, even though they may enter Australia several months later.

How can you confirm your own visa dates and travel validity?

You can check your visa details, conditions and travel validity using VEVO, which the official page identifies as the tool for seeing when travel validity ends. Travel to and from Australia is allowed as many times as you want for 5 years from the date the visa is granted. After that initial 5-year travel validity, you will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, or you might consider Australian citizenship, since citizens use an Australian passport to leave and re-enter.

Separately, keep in mind the first entry requirement. You must enter before the date in your grant letter, generally 12 months from grant. If you do not travel by that date, you can still travel with an expired first entry arrival date if the visa is still valid, but the visa may be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border. Check whether the visa is still valid using VEVO.

What does permanent residency on Subclass 115 allow you to do?

As the holder of this permanent visa, you can stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study, enrol in Medicare, sponsor relatives to come to Australia, and attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program if eligible. If eligible, you can later apply for Australian citizenship; the official page notes that after a certain time you might be eligible. As a newly arrived resident, you may have to wait before you can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Subclass 115 visa make me a permanent resident as soon as it is granted?

Only in one situation. The visa itself is permanent and lets you stay in Australia indefinitely from grant, but for citizenship purposes you generally become a permanent resident when you enter Australia on the visa. The exception is if you were previously present in Australia and held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving — then you become a permanent resident at grant.

I have not travelled to Australia yet. Am I already a permanent resident for citizenship?

If your case is the standard first-entry case, no — you become a permanent resident for citizenship on the day you enter Australia on the visa, not at grant. If you previously held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving Australia, yes — the start date is the grant date even before you enter. Check which branch matches your history using the wording on the Department's official page.

How long is the travel validity on a Subclass 115 visa?

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date the visa is granted. Once that 5-year travel validity expires, you need to be granted a Resident Return visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. Becoming an Australian citizen is the other option, because citizens do not need a visa to enter and use an Australian passport instead.

When must I make my first entry to Australia on this visa?

You must enter Australia before the date specified in your grant letter, and the first entry date is generally set at 12 months from the date of visa grant. If you do not travel by that date, you can still travel with an expired first entry arrival date if the visa is still valid, but the visa may be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border. Use VEVO to check whether the visa is still valid.

I previously held a permanent visa and left Australia. When does my permanent residency restart on Subclass 115?

For citizenship purposes, you become a permanent resident when the Subclass 115 visa is granted, because you were present in Australia and held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving. The start is the grant date rather than a later entry date. This can bring the start of the relevant period forward compared with a first-time applicant.

What can I do once I hold this visa?

You can stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study, enrol in Medicare, sponsor relatives, and attend free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program if eligible. If eligible, you may later apply for Australian citizenship after a certain time. As a newly arrived resident, you may have to wait before accessing certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

References

Department of Home Affairs — Remaining Relative visa (Subclass 115)