Bridging Visas:

There are a number of different bridging visas available. The different visas apply to different circumstances of applicants. There are five classes of bridging visas.

Examples of potential bridging visas include:

• Bridging Visa A (BVA): This is a temporary visa and allows you to stay in Australia after a substantive visa expires or while an application for a substantive visa is being processed. It can be granted if you apply for a substantive visa while in Australia. However, if you decide to leave Australia, you will not be able to return on a BVA.

• Bridging Visa B (BVB): Unlike Bridging Visa A, under a bridging Visa B, while you are waiting for your substantive visa application to be processed, you can leave and return to Australia. However, the time you spend overseas must be within a specific travel period. You can hold a substantive visa and a travel visa at the same time.

• Bridging Visa C (BVC): This is a temporary visa that will allow you to stay in Australia while your substantive visa is being processed. A BVC may also be granted even where you do not already hold a substantive visa. As with the BVA, a BVC does not allow you to return to Australia if you leave.

If you have a dispute in relation to a Bridging Visa, come and speak to one of our qualified Migration Law Solicitors today to decide the right visa for you.

Generally, a bridging visa will come into effect once it is granted. If you hold a substantive visa, the bridging visa will only come into effect once the substantive visa ceases.  

In the instance where a bridging visa is in effect and you are approved for a substantive visa, the bridging visa will cease to apply. However, if the application for a substantive visa is rejected, the bridging visa will cease to apply 28 days after the notification of the decision to refuse the substantive visa.