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 were 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, 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
Hi there,
My wife is currently on BVA but that will expire on the 13th of June and she’ll jump on BVC. She’s got a family emergency in the UK and needs to go oversee her father’s major surgery. They don’t know what’s the outcome of this surgery will be. She needs to be there in September. I know BVC got no travel rights but I read somewhere that if necessary we can contact the department for a special permission. From your experience, is this possible ? Would she be able to come back to Australia somehow ? We’re applying for partner visa 820. Thank you
Hi. Is it possible to travel twice outside Australia during BVB?
Thanks.
Hi Nilesh. I hope to know your insights regarding my concern. I currently have a tourist visa that will expire on July 3. And already have been granted BVA that will take effect on July 4. I am planning to apply for BVB as I need to go to US by the end of July to take care of family concerns. What advice can you give me regarding on when is the best time to apply for BVB? And does the length of stay for BVB exactly covers the intended stay you applied for? No allowance like if you applied for 6 weeks will they allow you for 8 weeks? Thank you so much for your time and help.
Hi Nilesh,
Thanks for the advice. I have an odd question. I currently have a 600 visa for one year and wanted to potentially pursue an onshore partner visa. From your post it looks like a bridging visa won't be granted until that tourist visa expires. Are there any options to get a bridging visa granted in advance or a way to cancel my existing year long visa? Mainly wanted to check before setting up time to talk through partner visa steps.
Hi Nilesh,
I have submitted the student application and got BVA. I want to visit my country so I need BVA, however I am scared to visit as they don’t process my application and give the refusal due to which I may be not let in the country Or, even if the application refuse will I be allowed in 28 days to come back?
Please let me know
Hi,
Does applying for BVB while waiting for my visa (491) make my application faster or slower?
I meant, would my BVB application affect my 491 visa processing?
cheers,
Bright
Hello again....
I have applied for a Bridging Visa A while I wait for my Substantive Visa (subclass 309/100) to be approved. The good news is that I have been granted my Bridging Visa A, but they did not give me working rights. The purpose of my move here is to set up house while my husband fulfill his work obligations in my former country of residence (Taiwan) and once done, he will move back to Australia to be with me.
In order for me to set up house, I need a job. Right now, I am able to stay with HIS family members, that's as far as it goes. I have to pay for my own food and I need money to start a bank account in order to start renting. How do I establish financial hardship when I already have nothing? My husband cannot support two homes in two different countries. Do I just provide his financial documents from Taiwan?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Dianne
Hi I am onshore and holding BVB active for a year and waiting for my Student visa VET sector. It’s been 6 months since I applied for student visa on shore. Case officer asked for medical on 1st Feb and did my medical on 10th Feb and updated on same day and since then I haven’t heard anything from Department. Is it safe to travel? I got my bridging B in March. What if they will refuse my student visa application while am overseas. Please guide and help.
Hi
My BVB has expired while I am offshore I couldn't return in time due to getting infected with covid and after exploring few visa options I have applied for visitor visa I am confused as to how to inform the department about my situation through my visitor visa application? Please help me out
Thankyou
If my BVB has expired before getting back to Australia,is tourist visa the best option to come back or should I be exploring visa options? And how do I let the DHA know about my situation?