Bridging Visa Australia
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.
How to apply for a bridging visa?
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.
Is the application necessary?
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.
Automatic grant
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.
Purpose
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.
Otherwise…
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.
Types of bridging visas
The three most common types of bridging visas are a, b, and e.
Which do you have?
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.
Know this…
BVB limitation
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.
BVB disaster
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.
Bridging visa after re-entry
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.
Second BVB
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.
Only one chance!
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.
Bridging visa lifespan after a decision on substantive application
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.
Bridging visa to travel overseas
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.
Extension of BVE
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.
Depart on BVE – consequences
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.
BVE ban duration
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.
Bridging visa “in effect”
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.
When your bridging visa kicks in
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.
Bridging visa might never activate
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.
Bridging visa not automatically granted
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!
Practice tip!
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!
Your experience?
Please share your comments with me.
I’d love to know more about your experience with applying for this visa subclass!
676 Responses
Hello Nilesh,
My wife came in Australia with ETA and logded my 820/801 Application online. We got BVA right away but at the time being, she still have a valid ETA.
Can she still travel with the valid ETA?
Best Regards ,
I recently applied for my 491 visa. Hence, I was on a BVA. Later in May, I received 189 invitation while awaiting 491 grant. I immediately applied for my 189, received my BVC then withdrew my 491 visa application. However, at the time of receiving my BVC, my partner hasn’t received hers. We only got withdrawal notice for both of us for 491 application.
Our migration lawyer said we could apply manually after 3days of no response. Then we applied manually for her BVC.
When case officer replied, he stated that BVC has been issued automatically and that he is refusing the grant of the manually submitted BVC application as there is an existing BVC.
My question is this: Will this affect our 189 visa application as we disclosed as at the time of application no visa refusal history. Will this affect our 189 application or we need to write a letter to explain the situation. Really confused. Thanks.
Thank you very much for your post and your patience. Here are the first three (3) things that come to my mind. There may also be other important issues that arise from your particular circumstances. Please seek specific immigration law advice before taking any further steps.
1. If it is possible to withdraw the manually submitted Bridging Visa “C” Class (Subclass 030) application, before any refusal, thios should be done.
2. I can’t see this affecting your 189 Visa application in terms of your previous disclosure about prior Visa refusals, even assuming the Visa lodged manually has been in fact been refused, rather than withdrawn.
3. In the circumstances, I would not personally see any need to provide a letter as you have proposed.
Regards Nilesh Nandan Immigration Lawyer & Special Counsel MyVisa® Immigration Law Advisory http://myvisa.com.au/
*In the interest of speed, my communications are transcribed and transmitted using voice-to-text software – please ignore any unintended typographical or interpretation errors. Please also see the standard Notes and Disclosures which apply to my communications. These are located at the footer of my work emails.
For greater clarity about your immigration issue you can book in a quick 10-minute-chat with me here: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute
Hi sir,
I was in BVA for 2 years and last year I changed it to BVB to travel oversees. I came back in 2 weeks but visa is still BVB and my HR is saying my visa is getting expired in august. But In vevo it shows nothing.
Thank you very much for your post. Here are the first three (3) things that come to my mind. There may also be other important issues that arise from your particular circumstances. Please seek specific immigration law advice before taking any further steps. It could be that I have misunderstood you :).
1. The date of expiry mentioned in the BVB relates to the date of the expiry of the re-entry facility.
2. The Bridging Visa “B” Class (Subclass 020) allows you to continue to stay in Australia (until a final decisions is made) provided you have re-entered before the date stipulated in the Bridging Visa “B” Class (Subclass 020) grant letter.
3. In the circumstances, it makes very good sense that Visa Entitlement Verification Online system (VEVO) is not showing anything, because there is nothing to show in terms of a fixed expiry date at the present time. If your Visa application is refused, then you will notice that the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system (VEVO) search will start to show an expiry date, which will be 35 days typically after the decision has been made to refuse any Visa – but of course if your application is granted, then the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system (VEVO) will show that you hold a substantive Visa and it will state a new expiry date of that substantive Visa.
I hope this helps. For greater clarity about your immigration issue you can book in a quick 10-minute-chat with me here: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute
Regards Nilesh Nandan Immigration Lawyer & Special Counsel MyVisa® Immigration Law Advisory http://myvisa.com.au/
*In the interest of speed, my communications are transcribed and transmitted using voice-to-text software – please ignore any unintended typographical or interpretation errors. Please also see the standard Notes and Disclosures which apply to my communications. These are located at the footer of my work emails.
I have been granted a bridging visa for 838 it’s almost a year now and immigration has sent more questioner to be filled is this normal
Hi Rishi
Thank you very much for your post. Here are the first three (3) things that come to my mind. There may also be other important issues that arise from your particular circumstances. Please seek specific immigration law advice before taking any further steps. It could be that I have misunderstood you :).
1. Request for further information after lodgement, there’s not out of the ordinary so I would not stress about it unless you have a specific reason for worrying.
2. If it is the case that you have provided any incorrect answer or any bogus document, or any false or misleading information, in respect of the application for the Subclass 838 Aged Dependent Relative visa, then you’ll need to get some advice about correcting the record.
3. I would be interested to know the specific set of questions that you have been asked. Please share details with me.
For greater clarity about your immigration issue you can book in a quick 10-minute-chat with me here: https://myvisa.com.au/10-Minute
Regards Nilesh Nandan Immigration Lawyer & Special Counsel MyVisa® Immigration Law Advisory http://myvisa.com.au/
*In the interest of speed, my communications are transcribed and transmitted using voice-to-text software – please ignore any unintended typographical or interpretation errors. Please also see the standard Notes and Disclosures which apply to my communications. These are located at the footer of my work emails.
Hello Nilesh,
Currently my parents are overseas with visa subclass 804 BVB.
Due to some urgent issues they need to stay beyond the BVB expiry date.
Would you please answer my query below,
1) Does BVA expire if there is no travel from overseas to Australia within the BVB due date ?
2) If we have to travel from overseas to Australia after BVB expiry then do we need some substantive visa (For ex: visa class 600) ?
Regards,
Devendra Rohit
I am in Student VISA (Subclass 500), which will expire on 20 December 2023. I applied for Graduate VISA 485, and my Bridging VISA A is inactive now. Can I transfer this inactive Bridging VISA A to Bridging VISA B?
I have lodged 143 visa a few years ago and hold a visitor(600) visa which will expire two months later. Can I apply a BVA to extend my staying in Australian till my 143 visa proved?
Thanks