If you've ever applied for a visa inside Australia and wondered what happens between your old visa expiring and your new one being decided, the answer is a bridging visa.
Bridging visas are temporary visas that let you stay in Australia lawfully while the Department of Home Affairs works through your application.
There are five types: BVA, BVB, BVC, BVD, and BVE. They each serve a different purpose and come with different conditions. Here's how they work.
Bridging Visa A (BVA) -- Subclass 010
A BVA is the most common bridging visa. You're usually granted one automatically when you lodge a visa application onshore while holding a valid substantive visa.
It doesn't activate straight away. It sits there in the background and only kicks in when your current substantive visa expires.
Once it activates, you can stay in Australia legally while your application is being processed.
The conditions on your BVA generally mirror the conditions on the visa you held when you applied. So if you were on a student visa with work rights, your BVA will likely have similar work conditions.
One important thing about BVAs: if you leave Australia while on a BVA, it cancels. You won't be able to re-enter on it. If you need to travel, you need a BVB first.
Bridging Visa B (BVB) -- Subclass 020
A BVB lets you travel in and out of Australia while your substantive visa application is being processed.
You have to apply for it before you leave, and it has a set travel period, usually up to 3 months.
You can only get a BVB if you already hold a BVA and you have a substantial reason to travel.
Work commitments, family emergencies, or pre-booked travel typically qualify.
If your BVB travel period expires while you're overseas and you haven't returned, you'll need to sort out your visa situation from outside Australia, which is a much harder position to be in.
Bridging Visa C (BVC) -- Subclass 030
A BVC is granted when you apply for a visa onshore but you weren't holding a substantive visa at the time.
Maybe your visa had already expired, or maybe you were already on a bridging visa when you lodged.
BVCs come with more restrictions than BVAs.
You generally can't work on a BVC unless you apply for and are granted work permission.
You also can't travel on a BVC. If you leave Australia, it's cancelled and you can't come back on it.
If you're on a BVC and need to work, you can apply to the department for permission to work on the basis of financial hardship.
You'll need to show that you can't support yourself without working.
Bridging Visa D (BVD) -- Subclass 040/041
A BVD is a very short-term bridging visa.
It's designed to give someone a few days of lawful status while they sort out their visa situation.
There are two types: subclass 040, which is granted by the department, and subclass 041, which can be granted at airports or by officers in the field.
A BVD is typically a stopgap.
It buys you time to lodge a substantive visa application or get other arrangements in order.
It usually only lasts a few days and has very limited conditions.
Bridging Visa E (BVE) -- Subclass 050/051
A BVE is for people who are unlawful in Australia, meaning they don't hold any visa at all.
If the department identifies you or you come forward and make arrangements to leave, you might be granted a BVE to cover the period while your departure is being organised.
BVEs are also granted to people in immigration detention who are released into the community.
The conditions on a BVE vary, but they often include no work rights and a requirement to report regularly to immigration authorities.
Which Bridging Visa Applies to You?
The type of bridging visa you get depends on your circumstances when you applied.
If you're unsure which one you hold or what conditions are on it, check your VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) or your ImmiAccount.
The conditions on your bridging visa are legally binding, and breaching them can have consequences for your current application.
If you're in Adelaide and confused about your bridging visa situation, speaking with an immigration agent in Adelaide who deals with these cases regularly can clear things up fast.
Bridging visas sound simple but the conditions attached to them can catch people off guard if they're not paying attention.