A Bridging Visa is a temporary visa that allows you to stay in Australia after your “current” substantive visa ceases and while your “new substantive” visa application is processed.
It “bridges” your stay in Australia from the cease date of your current visa usually until 35 days after a final decision is made on your application.
Most of the time you don’t need to make a formal application for a bridging visa. This is because it is granted to you by operation of law.
A formal bridging visa application is usually not needed if you apply for a further visa while you are in Australia and you already hold a substantive visa at the time of making your further visa application.
The reason why a formal visa application for a bridging visa might not be required is that by operation of law, the valid application for a further visa in Australia is typically (but not always) deemed to be an application for a bridging visa as well. The Department usually always grants that application, either manually or automatically.
The purpose of a bridging visa is to bridge the gap, if any, between the time at which your current substantive visa expires and the point in time when the Department grants your new substantive visa.
The bridging visa is a mechanism for keeping you lawfully present in Australia.
If a bridging visa was not to be granted, then it would mean that you would be an unlawful non-citizen, present in Australia for that period between when your substantive visa expires and your further visa is decided.
The three most common types of bridging visas are a, b, and e.
The most important thing to check is that you always have a visa whilst you are in Australia (if you’re not the holder of an Australian passport).
You can check the visa that you hold at any time by completing a VEVO check. It’s online and free.
Be careful with a bridging visa b (BVB). Its purpose is to allow you to leave and return to Australia whilst you wait for the grant of a further substantive; you may exit Australia for a very finite travel period and must re-enter Australia by a specified date.
The biggest risk with a BVB is that you forget the period of your BVB grant, and you then fail to re-enter Australia before the date specified. Take very careful note to start returning to Australia several days before your BVB expires, so that you have ample time to re-enter Australia when you return.
When you re-enter Australia your bridging visa b does not change back to a BVA but will show as a BVB, allowing you to continue to stay in Australia but importantly does not then have any exit and return facility.
You will need to take care to lodge a further BVB if you wish to again exit Australia during the period in which you are waiting for the grant of your further substantive visa.
If you hold a BVA or a BVB you can apply for a further BVB.
Unfortunately, if you hold a BVC or a BVD or a BVE then you can’t apply for a BVB. It’s like losing your virginity.
Think of it this way – if you hold a BVC or BVD or BVE, you can never go back to get a BVB. At least until after your further substantive visa application has been granted.
As explained above, bridging visas “bridge” you from the time an existing visa ceases to be “in effect” until the time a decision is made on any new visa you may have applied for.
Usually, the bridging visa will run for a period of up to 28 days (and possibly 35 days, depending on when you lodge your application and when your bridging visa is granted) after the decision of the Department to refuse your visa application, allowing you or your migration agent or immigration lawyer enough time to file an appeal.
The Department of Home Affairs can issue you with a bridging visa if you intend to exit Australia. This is known as a “bridging visa on departure grounds”. These visas are for a fixed period.
There may be some scope to have these extended if, for some reason, you can’t depart. This is subject to negotiation between you and the compliance officer at the Department of Home Affairs.
For example, you might be without a visa and need a week or so to get things in order before you can exit Australia.
Immigration will often grant you this type of visa for a fixed term which will allow you time to exit the country or lodge another application.
There are serious consequences that follow after you exit Australia on a BVE. This is known as “special return criteria” where you may suffer a period of exclusion from Australia or a ban from a further visa grant for Australia.
The duration of this ban will depend on the sort of visa you are applying for and your circumstances. This is something that I advise on regularly and you should get independent immigration legal advice if you wish to make an application for Australia after exiting on a BVE.
Although your bridging visa may be granted (and you may have received a letter from Immigration saying that you have been granted this visa) take care. This visa usually only comes “into effect” when your existing visa expires and remains in place while the Department considers your new visa application. For example, suppose you are a holder of a subclass 600 Visitor visa. And you apply for a subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage visa while onshore.
Check your precise visa status regularly on the Department’s site.
You will not automatically become the holder of a bridging visa as soon as you make that 482 visa application. You will still be on your subclass 600 until it expires. Your bridging visa will usually kick in, if at all, immediately upon the expiry of your subclass 600 Visitor visa.
The Department may grant your 482 visa application while your subclass 600 visa is still in effect. This means your bridging visa in association with your subclass 482 visa application will be extinguished and never come into effect.
Don’t stress. Be vigilant with your follow-up as to why it could be that the Department didn’t consider your application valid.
Consider making a separate application for a bridging visa if your recent substantive visa application was valid but the Department hasn’t yet granted your bridging visa – this usually wakes up case officers!
Stay onshore (inside Australia) if your bridging visa is not yet in effect.
Exiting Australia will usually extinguish this visa and you may well find yourself stuck offshore. This can be tricky and I would recommend you get advice if you plan to exit from Australia. Book a call with me!
Please share your comments with me.
I’d love to know more about your experience with applying for this visa subclass!
View Comments
Will it make a difference in processing times if i am onshore on a visitor visa when applying for a medium term 482 visa ? Also will i be able to get a bridging visa and work with my employer while waiting for the 482 decision?
Hi Nilesh,
My student visa expires on 27th July 2022 and I am planning to go overseas end of this year around December. I am planning to extend my visa and apply for a BVB to allow me to travel.
My question here is (1) Can the immigration refuse my current application for student visa while I’m on a BVB (travelling) and (2) Am I allowed to go back to Australia to make an appeal? Or I will be stuck overseas? Please help. Your response will be much much appreciated 🙏🏻
im currently on BVA visa , and im planning to apply a BVB visa to travel go back to my country for 2 months regarding my passport will expired around 7/8 months ahead, is it a possible reason for my application?
Hi , I am currently in bridging Visa A and I got letter of visa refusal almost 3weeks ago(I applied for students visa sub 500).. I read all things properly but didn't realize I have only 21 days to apply for another visa. I mistakenly read it 28 days.. now I have only 2days left and it is Sunday and Monday..
Is there anything I can do in 1 day .
UREGENT!!!!
Yes you must absolutely apply NOW! If it is the last day you could me text me NOW on +61409 841 837 ...I can send you a quotation for doing this work on your behalf.
Use this link to book your consultation with me: https://myvisa.com.au/consultation/
I will also ask my team to send you an email in case you missed looking at this post.
Make sure you do something because once you lose the opportunity to take your application for review to the AAT, you will forever lose this right and you will have extremely limited options here in Australia.
Regards
Nilesh Nandan
BBus(Accy) LLB(QUT) MBA(IntBus)
Immigration Lawyer | Special Counsel
MyVisa® Immigration Law Advisory
myvisa.com.au/about/
1300558472
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Yes. I can not see why not.
Can you apply at the your country's embassy inside Australia?
Regards
Nilesh Nandan
BBus(Accy) LLB(QUT) MBA(IntBus)
Immigration Lawyer | Special Counsel
MyVisa® Immigration Law Advisory
myvisa.com.au/about/
1300558472
Hi Nilesh,
I applied 408 visa and now I'm on BVA, I haven't done my medical exam and I want to travel overseas. Since it's risky to travel on 408 visa so I was wondering if they can refuse the visa while I'm offshore but still didn't do my medical exam.
Cheers.
Yes they can refuse while you are offshore.
Can bva holders travel interstate? (Between Sydney and Melbourne via plane)
Hi Nilesh, I applied for a student visa subclass 500, I’m currently on bridging visa A, can my partner apply for a subsequent student visa if I am still on bridging visa?
Hi,
Thank you so much for all the information. My query is regarding obtaining bridging visa B, while I am waiting for the decision of my 408 visa(COVID-19 Pandemic event) to be finalised. There seem to be very mixed accounts of people who have applied for a BVB, while waiting for the 408 visa. I have made travel arrangements to travel on the 8th of July and return on the 13th of August. To justify the reason for my travel, I have mentioned that AI am the only child of my parents, and I haven't been able to see them in over 4 years time, during which both of them got very ill. I also mentioned that I wasn't able to apply for a graduate visa(485) at the moment because my student visa expires before I receive my final results from my university.
I just wanted to find out what are the approval rates for BVB, for the 408 visa are looking like at the moment, and how likely is that my BVB is going to be granted before my intended dates of travel.
I applied for both the 408 visa and BVB on the 2nd of June.
Thank you so much.
Hi, I am on bridging visa A and planning to visit my and my partner's family. My passport expires 11.06. Unfortunately I was able to apply for my passport only one and half month ago, due living in WA, closed borders and my embassy being in NSW. My flight is 05.07. and I am still waiting for my passport. By embassy I'll get passport before my flight. I dont know if I should apply for BVB now on my current passport, eventhough gonna expire before my flight, or wait for my new passport and not be sure if I am gonna get BSB on time.
Thank you
Hi Nilesh Nandan, i am stuck overseas on expired BVB due to covid-19 border closure. I am waiting for my 189 grant. 189 applied onshore. I am working for Australian employer from overseas. I want to return to Australia asap. Can i apply tourist visas to return and then reinstate my BVA? What are the odds of getting tourist visa in this situation?
Hi,
I have applied for Judicial review and then applied for bridging visa A. It’s been one month and I didn’t get any reply from immigration. I sent all the documents again but still no reply..
Why bridging visas are delaying and please advice What should I do now..
Thanks