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
Hello there,
I am currently on a BVA, awaiting the resolution of my 485 application. It has been 4 years since I last visited my home country and 2 years since I last saw my family due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I was wondering if this could be considered a substantial reason for travel?
Hi Nilesh,
I have applied 408 visa and received bridging visa A in April 2022. Due to some medical emergency I need to go back to India to be with my family and therefore I applied for bridging visa B. I submitted my travel itinerary and medical certificates. Its been 2 weeks and my flight is this week end and there if no reply from the department. I have emailed them and called them. There is not guarantee from there side. What should I do and what is the current time in getting bridging visa B. Thank you
Hi sir how can I bring my wife and born Australian kids back in Australia again because their BVB expired overseas and stuck in india . I was the main applicant for student visa and secondary applicant my wife & kid so but student visa has been refused and case in AAT . Pls answer how can I bring my family here .
Hi nilesh , my name is Balkar Kumar my student visa has been refused last year nov 2021 including with my wife and kids . Now case is in AAT problem is my wife and kids left Australia in March 2020 on BVB but BVB expired overseas . What is the alternative so I can bring my wife and born kids here in Australia they can come back pls answer it . I was the main applicant. Thanks
Hi Nilesh,
Thank you so much for your information. I very much appreciate your efforts to spend your valuable time to share these information with us.
I have some questions regarding passport information and travelling issues.
Visa situation:
I am currently on bridging visa A and waiting for post graduate visa 485 application (I applied in January 2022). I am planning to apply for bridging visa B as I need yo travel back to my home outside Australia in this November.
Passport situation:
Expire in the early of 2023.
My plan is now to renew my passport in Australia, then change details of passport on my ImmiAccount. After that, I will apply for a BVB with the new passport number.
Issues:
I need to renew my passport in Australia before my travel in this November. After I renew and change details of passport on my ImmiAccount, will I be automatically provided a new BVA with my new passport number?
Is there any risk in my plan from your perspectives?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks,
Tina
Hi
Im waiting for my bvb for almost 10 days to be granted. My father is sick and I haven’t seen him or travel overseas since 2018.
I called the department and told them and i sent a letter from the doctor also. Still they didn’t consider it.
Now i have bva
Do you think they will grant it?
Thanks dee
Hi Nilesh,
I have previously received BVB in 2021 and travel was allowed until 22nd 2022 for one year however my BVB was still active.
Now I need to go to india and i have applied for new BVB and received yesterday. tricky thing is, My new BVB is not active yet. On system my previous BVB is still active.
my concern is if I leave Australia, I will be able to come back even though my new BVB is not active? will it get activated automatically or I need to contact immigration?
Thank you
sandeep
Previous visa was active until 22nd april 2022.
Hi I would like to apply BVC to BVA and to BVB so what is the procedure’s.
Hi Nilesh
Me & husband are currently in Australia on a BV. Student visa denied back in 2019, appealed to AAT, heard in Jan 2022 and remitted back to DoHA. Study I came to do has now been completed. Report from AAT stated that they would expect me to leave Australia around the 18/05/22 due to expiry of CoE.
DoHA requested more info in Feb 22, supplied in Mar 22. since then no contact. Immi acc shows as further assessment.
Husband has now been offered employer sponsorship (482 TSS STSOL). Can this be applied for from a BVA and if so what visa will we go onto whilst awaiting the outcome?
Regards
Hi Nilesh,
I am currently on Briding A for a 491 visa. I previously had a student visa 500 and it has expired, but my studies didn’t finish. If I withdraw from my studies now does it affect my 491 visa progress, Kindly advice.
Thanks,
Aravind