Australia Bridging Visa

What is the Australia Bridging Visa?

Australia Bridge visas can be quite confusing because there are so many different types. Many people have the misconception that if they aren’t eligible for any other type of visa, they can they apply for a this visa subclass which is false. Generally, a bridging visa is issued if you are applying for another type of visa whilst in Australia.

The most common bridge visa is the Australia Bridging Visa ‘A’.  If you’re in Australia and you’re on a visa and you’re wishing to apply for another visa before before the expiry of your current visa, you’re automatically issued a bridging visa ‘A’. This bridging visa A doesn’t come into effect until your current visa expires. Put simply, an Australia Bridging Visa allows you to remain lawfully living and remaining in Australia whilst waiting for that new visa application to be processed.

Depending on the type of visa you’re on, the type of visa you’re applying for will determine whether you get work rights or what conditions may be attached to that bridging visa. The one thing that doesn’t come with Australia Bridging Visa A is travel rights. The Bridging Visa A allows you to remain in Australia after the expiry of your substantive visa while you wait for a decision. This means the Bridging Visa A entitles you to travel anywhere within Australia but you are not entitled to depart Australia and then return.

Travel Overseas on an Australia Bridging Visa

If you did want to travel overseas, you would need to apply for a bridging visa B and that allows you to travel over and back in. Bridging visa B costs $155 AUD and allows you to travel for the purpose in the period that you’re wishing to travel. A lot of people ask, can I just apply for a bridging visa B? Lets just skip bridging visa A and go straight for the bridging visa B?

Australia Bridging Visa B

The Australia bridge visa B is only one that you can apply for when and if you have the need to travel. And it’s not going to be extended for a long period of time. It’s usually just for the period of your travel. If you do have a couple of trips coming up, then you could possibly extended a usually beyond that. Generally speaking, the Australian Department of Immigration grant a bridge visa B for greater than three months.

Purpose of the Bridging Visa

The Australia bridge visa is an interim visa that’s granted only to those in Australia and allow them to remain in Australia while their new visa is being processed. You’ve got a lot of restrictions and while many applicants think they apply for a bridging visa if they’ve got no other options for any other visa then this is categorically not the case, simply because the bridge visa is not an initial visa application, it comes only after a substantive visa has expired.

Can I apply for a Bridging Visa outside Australia?

This is not possible because it comes with another visa that you’re applying for.

Bridging Visa ‘E’

If you are an over stayer or an unlawful resident you cannot apply for visa type ‘A’ or ‘B’. If you’re unlawful, then you will need to apply for a bridge visa E. This visa lets you stay lawfully in Australia while you make arrangements to leave, finalize your immigration matter or wait for an immigration decision. The Bridge Visa ‘E’ allows the holder to remain in Australia until departure or immigration decision providing they comply with all Australian laws and are in Australia when the application is lodged and when the decision is made.

There is no cost for a BVE application and the BVE processing time can be as little as 1 day. However, do prepare yourself for long waits, extensive queues, multiple requests for information and delays. BVE applicants are at the bottom of the pile for Australia visa bridging applications and are treated as such.

BVE Document Checklist