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
Dear Sir Nilesh,
I’m holding Bridging Visa C 030 with working permit, just granted this year. Is there any way that I can apply another visa to can still stay in Australia and travel?
Thank you so much Sir
Dear Sir, Greetings of the day, we found very unorthodox situation. We are a consultancy, we lodged a file of our student, but erroneously she got bridging visa. We dropped a mail to Home Affairs. Its been around 40 days since she received that visa. Normal processing time for Student visa from Offshore is around 25 days. So Kindly put some light on the same. Thanks and Regards,
Hi Nilesh good day, I have a question. I’m currently on Bridging Visa A my Subclass 500 visa don’t have yet a result due to I was not able to do my medical because of lockdown . I’m planning to go back home this November and planning to apply for BVB, is there any issues if i will go back home and return to AU once borders lifted and do my medical? And when is the possible time to apply for BVB if i will go back this coming November? I’m a bit confused of what to do , hope you can help me. Thank you, Will appreciate your response.
Hi Nilesh,
I have applied 190 Visa for NSW and holding BVA.
Planning to apply BVB to leave Australia in a couple of months. In case if I could not return back with in the defined BVB period, will the 190 application be refused and the department will not process further?
No.
The processing will continue and subclass 190 visa is able to be granted while you are overseas.
Help me answer more questions like this: https://www.facebook.com/myvisa/reviews
Does this work the same with 485 visa? I have lodged it onshore, but may not be able to come back on BVB in the defined travel period.
Will my 485 be granted while overseas?
Hi
I Came in Australia 2013 with both. Now I have bridging visa E
WE / 050. My case has been refused now but I am waiting for final court. I was wondering if I can apply for any other visa. Also I wanted to add I am student in labor university do you think I can apply for student visa?
If you have already lodged a protection visa in Australia and that application has been finally decided then he did not possible for you to lodge any further protection visa in Australia.
If you have an Australian partner then there might be scope for lodging a partner visa however the scope for you lodging any student visa is non-existent.
Use this link to book your consultation with me: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute-Chat/
Help me answer more questions like this: https://www.facebook.com/myvisa/reviews
Dear Sir,
I applied 485 visa with dependent. I received the acknowledgment letter and my bridging visa A. But my partner have not received bridging visa yet. We still have 3 days my partner visa will be expired. I tried to call to DHA but they are so busy. What should we do now.
Use this link to book your consultation with me: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute-Chat/
Hi Nilesh.
I understand that 485 post-study visa varies from 2 to 4 years depending on the program studied. I have recently finished a program that allows me to opt for the 485 post-study visa for 2 years. I currently have got a Bridging visa A. Does the time that I will spend under bridging visa A count towards this visa grant? I mean, if I spend 6 months under BVA before the 485 (positive) visa answer, will that be for the remaining time to complete the time granted? Or, does the (2 years) visa grant count since the moment of 485 visa approval?
Thank you very much.
Hi Nilesh,
I have finished my degree last year ( November 2020) and had a student visa till Feb 2021. I applied for a 485 visa in Feb and currently, I am on a bridging visa. Is it possible to withdraw my application and apply for a student visa (subclass 500) again? If so what would be the process.
Hi Jasdeep
I will simply stay patient and wait for the decision in relation to the 485 visa.
This is because when you lodge a fresh application whilst the holder of a bridging visa A class, you will be subjected to additional schedule 3 criteria and this may result in a refusal of the student visa you propose to apply for.
If you do withdraw your present application you should be aware that your bridging visa a class granted in association with that 485 visa application will cease after 35 days of the withdrawal being processed by the department of home affairs.
Additionally you should know that if you do lodge an application for a student visa whilst holding a bridging visa a class then you will be granted a Bridging Visa C class in association with that you visa application.
Note that a bridging C class does not have any exit and return facility.
I hope that helps full stop if you require further information or assistance then please book in a chat with me.
Use this link to book your consultation with me: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute-Chat/
In order to help others find me more readily online wait for me to provide more online advice please offer your honest review of our services here.
https://www.facebook.com/myvisa/reviews
Hi Nilesh,
My partner and I are currently on 482 visas (TSS - Short Term Stream). We've already renewed these once onshore, and have been advised that it might be possible to renew once more offshore. My question is: If we leave Australia before our current visas expire and apply for renewed 482 visas, will a Bridging visa be granted to cover the period from current visa expiry until a decision is reached on the new application? I was under the impression that a Bridging visa could only be granted while the applicant is onshore.
John
Yes unfortunately if you make an application when you are physically outside of Australia at the time, Then you will not be great if any bridging visa at all.
This means you'll need to remain overseas until such time as the decision is made in relation to the application allowing you a 482 visa to enter Australia.
Subject to covid travel restrictions you might be able to enter Australia on an electronic travel authority depending on your passport country.
Help me answer more questions like this: https://www.facebook.com/myvisa/reviews
Hi there, I have submitted in july 2021 an application for a partner visa 820. I have just been granted a bridging visa B allowing me to return to Canada from 1 November 2021 until it ends on 15 November 2022. I will re enter australia before the bvb expiry date. Can you please tell me, if I am outside of Australia when my partner visa is approved, is this an issue? Is my partner visa application at risk?
Alex
This is a great question.
Regulation 820.411 of schedule 2 of the Migration Act states that the applicant must be in Australia when the visa is granted.
What is likely to happen is that the case officer will contact you and advise you the day looking to Grant the 820 Visa application however they know that you are offside and typically they will wait until you are back on sure until such time as they grant the application - but this is subject to any concessions that apply in relation to granting a visa that is ordinarily one where the applicant must be inside Australia because of covid considerations.
I would not stress too much about it because I cannot see a situation where a case officer will refuse the visa because you are caught offshore.
I love the fact that you have secured a bridging visa B for a 12-month period allowing you quite a lot of breathing space.
Thank you again for your question Alex.
Help me answer more questions like this: https://www.facebook.com/myvisa/reviews