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I have an Australian PR that has 'Must Not Arrive After' as '12 December 2022'. I have a 19 hour transit on November 26th in Singapore.
Am I eligible for VFTF given the expiry date is only 17 days? This website mentions it must be 1 month - https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore/visa-free-transit-facility
Does that 1 month apply only to visa and not to permanent residency?
The spirit of the law here is clear: you are a permanent resident of Australia and are returning home, so it's exceedingly unlikely that you would choose to abscond during your transit and become an illegal immigrant in Singapore, and thus VFTF applies.
The letter of the law, unfortunately, was clearly not written with your scenario in mind.
The good news is that your connection in Singapore is under 24 hours, meaning it can be completed as a "normal" transit without VFTF. This means the airline will have no problems with your itinerary, and you can plead your case directly with immigration on arrival.
You can also contact ICA by email/their website and ask for written confirmation that you are eligible for VFTF. In my experience they are amazingly responsive and helpful, and you're likely to get a response within a day or two.
To clarify the various dates listed on an Australian permanent residence visa:
Must not arrive after date
You must enter Australia before this date. As long as you enter Australia before this date you are allowed to be in Australia for the stay period listed for your visa.
...
For permanent residents (including resident return visa holders), this is the date the travel facility of your visa ends. That means if you depart Australia after this date you will require a Resident Return Visa (subclass 155 and 157) to re-enter Australia. Departing Australia without a resident return visa can impact your permanent residency requirements for citizenship.
Period of stay
Tells you how long you are allowed to stay in Australia on your visa.
Visa expiry date
...
For permanent visa holders only. If you are:
- Outside Australia, this is the date that your travel facility ends.
You will need to apply for a Resident Return visa if you do not return to Australia before the expiry date.
Holders of a permanent resident visa, who depart Australia will also have VEVO show an ‘Expiry’ date. This date is the date the travel facility is due to end. You will need to apply for a Resident Return visa if the travel facility date passes while you are outside Australia.
My visa lists a 'Must not arrive after date' that is the same as the date after which I need to apply for a resident return visa if I wanted to leave and reenter Australia:
| Date of grant | 20 March 2018 |
| Must not arrive after | 20 March 2023 |
| Length of stay | Indefinite from the date of each arrival |
| Travel | Unlimited until 20 March 2023. For travel after this date, apply for a Resident Return visa: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/RRV |
If your visa lists the same 12 December 2022 date for 'Must not arrive after' and 'Travel' then you might not be eligible for VFTF.
Obtaining a resident return visa would solve your problem. I am not sure whether you are allowed to apply for one before your travel facility ends but it's worth checking out. The immi page for resident return visas lists a processing time of less than one day for most applications.
