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 Nilesh,
We applied for covid 19 visa on the day our visa expires. I got acknowledgment from home affairs that us it now received. Previously we have 485 with my wife. 2 questions.
1. Does my wife need to apply separately because she got an email from home affairs that her visa has expired although i have included her as dependent on my visa application.
2. What does it mean by automatic grant after application? Because 2 days past since we applied our visa we still didnt get a bridging visa grant letter. Also, our visa has now expired.
Thank you in advance for your reply. More power
Hi,
I am currently based in Sydney and have a work event in Gold Coast. I am on BVA and want to confirm that I can travel within Australia under the BVA?
Hi Nilesh,
Hope you are doing well. My mother is stuck overseas for last two years with expired Bridging visa B .
I have applied substantive visa - Aged Parent (804 )in 2013 and visa Q date is 2014.
A Visitor visa under family stream was applied last year and not granted till date. Should I stick with this stream and later when granted reinstate her Bridging visa B when she is here?
My undeŕstading is that cond. 8503 no further stay if applied on her tourist visa would not affect in reinstating her Bridging visa B as her substantive visa application (804)is already in final processing phase in Australia. Please advice if I am doing the right thing.
Thank you
Regards
Hi Nilesh,
I have a PR which was granted in Dec 2016 and I had entered Australia in Feb 2017.
In April 2021, I applied for citizenship and I guess it would be processed/reviewed only after April 2022.
Now my PR is expiring in Dec 2021 as it will be 5 years since it was issued. So would appreciate your advice on below.
1) Do I get a bridging visa automatically after my PR expires in Dec 2021 or do I need to apply for it? If yes, will it be BVA or BVC?
2) If I have to travel outside Australia and return to Australia then do I need a Resident Return Visa (RRV) or can I just convert my bridging visa to BVB.
3) How long does it take to get a BVB from BVA?
4) Does having a Bridging visa impact my citizenship application.
Thanks in advance
hi im holding bridging visa A. and im planning to migrate here with my kids . any chance or possible for this. or do i eligible to get pr points by taking english course PTE. and my husband in brindging visa e his trying to get his work right as well.
Hi Nelish,
If I am applying for a waiver and the outcome doesn’t come yet when my visa (subclass 500) is expired, can I apply for BVE and apply further visa when waiver result comes out? How long can I stay with this visa? many thanks
I got bvb and my newborn got bVE because she did not have any substensive visa. Immigration said we usually do not put ban on children. So what does that mean now she got BVE and it says she can not come back if she leaveas australia. My question is does she have ban for 3 years? Can she apply for another visa if she leaves australia?
What bridging visa will be granted to me after applying for 838 visa does this visa come with any condtions do I get working rights
Hi Nilesh,
I have completed my studies earlier than the given duration. Then I applied for subclass 485 in the meanwhile I got a nomination for 491 so I withdraw my 485 application. Now I have Bridging A for 491 and a student visa in effect. Here my question is do I need another COE as my student visa is going to expire after 6 months more.
Thanks
Hi Nilesh,
I finished my studies earlier than the given time on COE, then I applied for subclass 485, in the meanwhile I got 491 and then I withdraw by 485 visa. Now, I have Bridging A of 491 and student visa in effect. Here my question is do I need another COE to stay on my student visa as it is expiring after 6 months.