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
Hi Sir. I need help please !
My parent is in australia by visa 600( expire july 2026, stay max 12 month in 18 months). We have apply visa 864( age parent visa) and grant bridging visa A( not effected). I confuse like when BVA in effect? They need to wait until 2026 to active BVA? Does have any way to active BVA before visa 600 expire
Thank you so much
Hi.
Please kindly assist, l applied for PR 186 DE, my partner will be coming in Australia on visitors 600 and expiry in May. Can add on my current visa application and apply for a bridging visa as soon her tourist visa 600 expires.
And what are the conditions, will she be allowed to work or she maintain tourist visa condition?
Dear Sir,
I would appreciate your advice. My family and I currently reside in Australia with a valid training visa 407. The visa will expire on the 5th of January 2024.
On the 26th of December, 2023, I applied for protection visa 866. Unfortunately, I missed the fact that I need to apply for a bridging visa separately, and submitted an application for BVA on the 29th of December. This BVA application has not been approved yet. I am afraid that I will not get approval by the 5th of January due to the holiday season.
Should I worry and do anything about it? Should we just wait onshore? Will we be considered illegal after the 5th of January and before BVA approval?
Thank you for your time, and have a Happy New Year!
Staying in Australia waiting for 864 granted (many many years ahead). Also having BVB. Will I be able to get repeatedly BVB for reasons like "visiting my other son" who lives outside Australia? Or must be him who visits us in AUS? Is this or is this not a reason to get another BVB? One of the reasons being listed is also "taking a holiday" Can that be used? Or does it need to add the proof of accommodation a holiday facility, or similar? Thanks.
I currently hold residency in Australia and applied for citizenship, due to a death in the family I left Australia to fly to Germany for 14 days without applying for a riding visa?
what are the consequences and what should I do to get successfully trough with the citizenship application?
Hello sir, first of all, I currently have a First working holiday visa.
I already applied for a second visa. Nov, 17.
now, I still have Bridging visa A.
That visa still hasn't been changed to a Second visa.
and I actually have planned to travel overseas. My flight schedule is Nov.30
But I didn't know the fact that I could not go overseas while holding visa A.
What happens if I just go abroad without a bridging visa and come back to Australia?
Is it okay?
Hi, this is my situation. I Applied for bridging visa e on 31 octorber 2023, and today is 16 november 2023, but i still dont hear back from the department of homeaffairs. My departure date is 27 november 2023. What should i do now? Thank you
i am planning to apply for my parents visa 804 on 23 November their 3 months 600 is valid until 17 December. What if they dont get BVA on time? do I follow up or just let them stay?
Hi i have applied for bridging visa b last year and i have protection visa was just recently refused after i applied for bridging visa b and my question can i still apply for bridging visa b without havibg any problems with my protection visa , btw i appealed for my protection visa, would really appreciate if you can answer my question pleaseee
Hi,
just wondering about holding sub class 010 can be possible to change to sub class 482. Please advice