Bridging Visas (BVs) are classes of temporary visas, granted under Subdivision AF, to provide a lawful status in Australia to eligible non-citizens. A bridging visa is granted in certain circumstances to allow a non-citizen to stay lawfully in Australia until their immigration status is resolved. The type of bridging visa allotted to you entirely depends on your circumstances.
As the name suggests, bridging visas facilitate to bridge the interlude between your previous visa and the subsequent visa you are applying for. Bridging visas are granted and valid only while you are in Australia. A Bridging visa will cease to exist once you leave the country.
The only exemption provided to the travelling restrictions on the BVs is through the Bridging Visa B or the BVB. A BVB comes with a travel facility that allows you to travel overseas and come back to Australia while retaining your lawful status. Apart from the BVB, the BVE or the Bridging Visa E is also helpful in multiple scenarios, such as when you have overstayed and are making voluntary arrangements to depart Australia or while you are seeking Ministerial intervention or Judicial review.
Eligible family members of an applicant who has applied for a substantive visa in a combined application will be granted the same bridging visa as the primary applicant.
One should always obtain a lawful status to remain in the country. Non-citizens without a valid visa or visa holders who overstay their visa validity become Unlawful Non-Citizens or UNC. A person categorized as a UNC does not hold a valid Australian visa or has a right or permit to live in Australia through either Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
There are a number of reasons why an individual becomes a UNC and ends up in immigration detention. Usually, it happens under the following circumstances:
Under such circumstances, a UNC becomes eligible for are bridging visas E or F but most commonly a subclass 050 or the Bridging Visa E (BVE).
Being an Unlawful non-citizen can cause problems for an individual. UNCs are liable for detention. They might be granted a visa, removed from Australia, or transferred to a regional processing centre in a regional processing country. Besides, if you overstay and become a UNC, you might face a re-entry ban for three years after you leave Australia, and you might have also need to repay the Australian Government the cost of your removal.
A bridging visa helps you avoid getting an unlawful status and maintains the legitimacy of your stay in Australia. Currently, there are seven bridging visa (BV) classes and nine subclasses:
Class WA – Subclass 010 – Bridging A (BVA)
Bridging visa subclass 010 is a temporary visa. The subclass 010 Bridging visa A or BVA allows you to stay in Australia lawfully between the interim period of an existing substantive visa that has already been granted and a potential substantive visa that has been applied for and may be granted in due course. A BVA does not allow you to travel, i.e., you cannot return to Australia on this visa if you leave. A BVA carries the same working rights as on your previous substantive visa. One can also apply for a BVA while awaiting a judicial review of their visa decision (within the prescribed time) after being refused a substantive visa application.
A Bridging visa A (BVA) is the most common and favourable one of all the bridging visa types. It is granted automatically when an onshore applicant makes a valid substantive visa application while holding an existing substantive visa.
Class WB – Subclass 020 – Bridging B (BVB)
A Bridging visa B (BVB) is also a temporary visa. It allows you to leave and re-enter Australia while a valid application for a substantive visa is being processed. You will be required to return to Australia within the specified travel period granted. After returning, a BVB will allow you to stay in Australia till your substantive visa application gets processed. A BVB carries the same working rights as a BVA, i.e., you can work as per the stipulations provided in your previous substantive visa. A BVB and a substantive visa can be held at the same time.
A BVB is the only visa that allows you to travel while your substantive visa is being processed. If you travel outside Australia whilst on any other class of bridging visa, it will get cancelled upon your departure, and you will not be able to return on the same visa.
Class WC – Subclass 030 – Bridging C (BVC)
The Bridging visa C (BVC) or subclass 030 is a temporary visa for non-citizens who have overstayed their last visa and have filed an application for an eligible substantive visa. This visa has been framed to allow such applicants who have filed a valid substantive visa application to make their remaining stay in Australia lawful while they await a final decision on their visa. Subclass 030 does not give you travelling rights even if you are holding a BVC, which means if you leave Australia, you might not be allowed to return.
Class WD – Subclass 040 – Bridging D (BVD) (Prospective Applicant)
Subclass 040 or the Bridging visa D (BVD) is a short-term bridging visa that is granted only when an applicant’s substantive visa has expired or when a substantive visa is about to expire in 3 working days. This visa lets a visa holder stay lawfully in Australia for a very short time (valid for five days) until the holder is able to make a substantive visa application.
Both BVD subclass 040 and subclass 041 allow an applicant a time period of five days to file a legitimate application.
Class WD- Subclass 041 – Bridging (Non-applicant)
Subclass 041 or the Bridging visa D (BVD) is a short-term bridging visa that is granted only when an applicant’s substantive visa has expired or when a substantive visa is about to expire in 3 working days. This visa lets a visa holder stay lawfully in Australia for a very short time (valid for five days) until the holder is granted a Bridging visa E (BVE).
Class WE – Subclass 050- Bridging E (BVE) (General)
Subclass 050 or the Bridging visa E (General) (BVE) is a temporary bridging visa that permits an unlawful non-citizen to stay in Australia until their immigration matter is finalized or arrangements have been made towards their departure from Australia.
This visa simply allows a lawful stay if an applicant’s substantive visa has expired or they await an immigration decision. Subclass 050 or the BVE can also be applied for by the holders of a BVE 050 or a BVD 041.
After the Subclass 010 Bridging visa A, the BVE is the most exercised visa; its popularity can be attributed to the fact that it accommodates multiple numbers of scenarios where a BVE can be granted to the applicant.
Class WE – Subclass 050- Bridging E (BVE) (General)
Subclass 050 or the Bridging visa E (General) (BVE) is a temporary bridging visa that permits an unlawful non-citizen to stay in Australia until their immigration matter is finalized or arrangements have been made towards their departure from Australia.
This visa simply allows a lawful stay if an applicant’s substantive visa has expired or they await an immigration decision. Subclass 050 or the BVE can also be applied for by the holders of a BVE 050 or a BVD 041.
After the Subclass 010 Bridging visa A, the BVE is the most exercised visa; its popularity can be attributed to the fact that it accommodates multiple numbers of scenarios where a BVE can be granted to the applicant.
Class WE -Subclass 051 – Bridging E (BVE) (Protection Visa Applicant)
Subclass 051 or the Bridging visa E (Protection visa Applicant) (BVE) is a temporary bridging visa used in circumstances where an eligible non-citizen (as specified under regulations) who is under immigration detention seeks to apply for a Protection visa.
Class WF – Subclass 060 – – Bridging F (BVF)
Subclass 060 or the Bridging visa F (BVF) is a temporary bridging visa used exclusively for individuals who are of interest to the Australian police in connection with serious commonwealth offences such as human trafficking, sexual servitude, or deceptive recruiting. With this visa, one can stay temporarily in Australia until the Minister decides on a specified date. Usually, the visa remains valid for up to 30 days from the date of award or until the Minister apprises that the individual concerned is no longer a person of interest to police. The subclass 060 class WF (Bridging visa F) is usually granted to a non-citizen who has been identified by the Commonwealth or State/Territory police as being a suspected victim of human trafficking.
Class WR – – Subclass 070 – Bridging R (BVR) (Removal Pending)
Subclass 070 or the Bridging visa R (BVR) allows an individual to be released from the immigration detention centre and lets them stay in the community till their removal formalities are completed.
It is formulated to prevent an unlawful non-citizen from being held indefinitely in immigration detention by allowing them an ordinary stay before finally having them removed from Australia. Besides subclass 060 (Bridging visa F), subclass 070 or the BVR is the second most rarely used bridging visa in the Australian visa system.
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