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 I’m BVE holder with no work right since 2019 and my passport is expired we do not have a consulate that can renew it. I’am in long waiting processing for my judicial review through the federal circuit court. I also have a case going on through the family court.
What visa other is possible for me to apply to change my circumstances ?
Can I travel outside the country while waiting for my case progress?
And if I decide to leave the country would be easy for me to come back ?
Thank you
Hi Nilesh,
I was hoping you would be able to shed some light on my situation. I have applied about a year ago for extension of my working holiday visa (462) and am still bridging (Bridging A visa). I would like to apply for a Partner visa but since there was still no decision on my working holiday, should I just cancel that application after I apply for a new visa? I should be granted a bridging visa, right?
Thank you!
Hi Nilesh, I was hoping you can me with 2 questions. I am on BVA waiting for my student visa (500). I received a State nomination letter today relating to my 190 EOI and waiting for the Invitation to Apply (ITA) from the dept of home affairs. Question (1) after I get the invitation and submit my application for 190, will I get another BVA? (2) Should I withdraw my student visa right after I get the second BVA (so that I don’t have the risk of the student visa overriding approval of the 190)?
Hi now i hold bridging visa A and now my visa under AAT. Just asking can i change to another visa example 191 visa or can company sponsor my visa? Or i need to study ?
Hi
My AAT got refused and we apply for minister intervene under compelling compasonate ground. (we applied our child citizenship). My lawyer write and post letter for Minister on last date of my visa expire 15th October. Now, immigration updated our minister letter applied on 17th October and refusing to give me work permission stating that we are unlawful while applying minister intervene.What can we do in this situation.
Hi Nilesh,
My visa runs out today ans I still haven’t received my Bridging Visa. I have applied for a 408 visa.
Do you know if its normal?
Hello, myself and my partner have applied or Partner Visa Sublcalss (820)
We are currently on bridging Visa (A) with work rights.
We want to travel overseas for 5 months on bridging visa (B)
Will they let her work when she comes back on another bridging visa A?
Will going overseas do any harm to the partner visa application ?
Any other risks with this ?
Hi, i would like some info regarding temporary graduate visa application, i have applied this Visa and currently on BVA, now i need to travel and dont want to return until the end of next year. If i just leave Australia on BVA will my application still being processed?
Hi Nilesh,
My wife is currently awaiting an outcome on a subclass 461 visa application and she was granted BVA (about 2.5 years ago). Then, last month we applied for sublass 189 (NZ stream as I'm a NZ citizen) and they granted my wife BVC which I believe will be in effect after we cancel her subclass 461 visa application right?
My question is, can she be granted BVB to go overseas or are they really strict on that? It's been a rough period due to covid and it's been years since she's seen her aging grandmother. Thanks mate
Hi Nilesh,
I am on Subclass600 visa and intend to apply for a 804 visa. However, due to the COVID lockdowns, I couldn't travel and had to let my passport expire. Can I now put in my application for PR and then apply for a BVB to return to my home country just to get my passport renewed so that I can update my application afterwards?