Do you need a comprehensive guide about an Australian bridging visa, how to get and qualify for one, and other crucial information? Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers are here to genuinely help. For more concerns and assistance, call our office and book an official consultation.
An Australian immigration bridging visa is a temporary visa granted for applicants to lawfully stay and wait in Australia while their application for a substantive visa is underway. In a manner of speaking, this temporary visa serves as the “bridge” between an
expired (or expiring) substantive visa and a new one.
Essentially, Australian bridging visas let you stay in Australia without breaking immigration regulations that will adversely affect present and future visa applications.
Aside from allowing substantive visa applicants to remain in Australia legally while awaiting a substantive visa decision, there are other purposes Australian bridging visas serve as, including the following:
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There are five main types of Australian bridging visas, namely:
A
A bridging visa A enables you to legally remain in Australia after your substantive visa expires and your application for a new substantive visa is in progress. If you decide to depart Australia while on this visa, however, you will not be permitted to return.
B
An Australian immigration bridging visa B or BVB allows individuals who have applied for a substantive visa to remain in Australia while it’s still being processed. An Australian bridging visa B permits applicants to leave and return to Australia if needed while their substantive visa application is ongoing.
C
An Australian Bridging visa C is applicable for non-Australians who have overstayed in the country and wish to apply for a valid substantive visa. Being granted this visa makes their stay lawful. If you leave Australia on this visa, however, you may not be able or allowed to return.
D
If your substantive visa has expired and you wish to stay lawfully in Australia just for the period of applying for a substantive visa, preparing to leave the country, or being granted an Australian bridging visa E, this is the appropriate bridging visa.
E
If your substantive visa has expired, a BVE enables you to stay for the meantime while in the process of settling certain immigration matters before leaving. This temporary visa does not allow you to re-enter Australia after your departure.
Applying for your Australian bridging visa A can be done either online or by paper.
If you applied for your substantive visa online using an ImmiAccount, then you must lodge your Australian bridging visa application using your ImmiAccount as well.
If on paper, you must submit your application using a webform (applicable for bridging visas A, B, and C only).
Work rights for bridging visas in Australia depend on the individual visa conditions. Bridging visa A, B, C, and E may or may not have work rights or have some restrictions. In that case, you must submit a separate application for a specific bridging visa and prove you are experiencing economic hardship, hence your request to be permitted work rights.
BVA is granted automatically if you have an ongoing application for a substantive while also holding a valid substantive visa. There are no available processing times for Australian bridging visas B, C, D, and E.
BVA, BVC, BVD, and BVE are all free of charge, while Australian immigration bridging visa B costs A$155.
You may experience challenges with your bridging visa application if your case proves to be more complex. If overwhelmed, you can always choose to tap into the expertise of professionals to help you navigate Australian immigration laws.
Partnering up with Parish Patience for any type of visa applications gives you the following advantages:
Work only with registered migration agents and Australian immigration consultants who are exceptionally well-versed in all areas of visas.
We have been in the business of fulfilling PR and citizenship dreams and serving top-quality legal services for migrants since 1888.
Your interests and winning a visa grant for you are the most important to us. We’ll make every great effort to realise your visa aspirations.
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It’s a temporary visa for individuals whose current substantive visa has expired or expiring, and whose application for a new substantive visa is ongoing. This visa then allows them to legally stay in the country while they await a visa decision.
As a holder of a temporary visa, which includes bridging visas, you will be considered a temporary Australian resident for tax purposes and you shall be taxed for your income earned in Australia.
Recent changes made to Australia’s immigration laws made it possible for bridging visa holders to apply for permanent residency. For example, you can apply for PR as a skilled migrant worker. But it goes without saying that you must fulfil all the eligibility requirements of the PR visa that you will apply for.
Your bridging visa B will be valid and will allow you to stay lawfully in Australia for as long as your substantive visa application remains in progress. You can also leave and return to Australia within your bridging visa’s specified travel period and while your valid visa application is still being processed.
No. Only a bridging visa B will allow you to leave and return to Australia. If you depart Australia on a BVA, you may not be able to return.
Yes, all bridging visas are temporary visas.