Permanent Visas

'Permanent' or 'resident' visas allow the holder to remain in Australia indefinitely. Migrant and some humanitarian entrants are granted permanent visas. Holders of permanent visas are 'Australian residents' for the purposes of section 7(2) of the SSAct.

Resident status

While visas are the most common evidence of resident status, you may come across some old style visas. These old visas can be imprints or stick-in labels different in size, shape and colour from the present ones. On these visas, resident status was evidenced with any of the three stamps below. The stamps, which appear on travel documents including passports, indicate that the holder was granted permanent resident status on the date shown on the stamp.

Persons who are granted permanent resident status or citizenship in Australia can obtain from DIAC a 'certificate of evidence of residence status' if they have no other proof of their status. The information in the certificate is current only at the date of issue.