Why are Bridging Visas important to those studying in Australia?

You might have heard about the student visa, work visa, post-study work visas, and training visas. But what are these bridging visas and why should international students from India know about these visas? We’ll brief you on the answers.

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What are Australia's Bridging Visas?

Just as the name suggests, bridging visas serve as a bridge or connection, filling the gap between your expired visa and the one you have applied for. Bridging visas allow you to legally be in Australia if your visa (say, a student visa) has expired and you are waiting to receive your next visa (say, a post-study work visa).

When will you need a bridging visa?

Visas are what make you eligible to stay in a foreign land. It is unlawful to stay in a foreign country without a valid visa, no matter how long you have been living there or whether you were holding a legal visa until some time ago.

In the case of Australia, if you don’t have a valid visa, the government can detain you, send you back from Australia and charge you the cost involved in removing you from Australia.

The only option in front of you would be to leave the country as soon as possible. Then again, not without penalties.

If you leave Australia when you do not hold a valid visa, there are chances that you will not be granted a visa for up to 3 years.

Hence you must know your legal status in the country, your rights, and your duties. Be conscious of the visa expiration dates and also the visa processing times. This will help you plan and apply for the right visas ahead so that you are never at the risk of not having a valid visa.

A bridging visa can help you navigate the phase when your last visa is expiring or has expired and the one you have applied for is yet to be granted.

There could be other reasons why you need a bridging visa. For example, if you are awaiting a court decision on an appeal about your visa or if you are planning to leave Australia, but are currently unlawfully staying in the country.

Which are the different types of Bridging visas in Australia?

There are several types of bridging visas, but 4 of them are more common – Bridging visa A, Bridging visa B, Bridging visa C and Bridging visa E. You can choose among them based on your purpose and the eligibility criteria.

Please note that the term ‘substantive visa’ is used throughout this article. A substantive visa is any visa that is not a bridging visa, criminal justice visa or an enforcement visa. Your student visa is an example of a substantive visa.

Bridging visa type: Bridging Visa A (BVA) Subclass 010

• You should be in Australia at the time of application.
• You cannot extend this visa.

Note that a BVA will end immediately once you leave Australia, or you got the substantive visa you applied for or if you are granted another bridging visa. Hence, the duration of the visa will depend on the outcome of your application. If your substantive visa application was refused, your BVA visa will be valid only for 35 days from the day you received the decision. Please check the immigration website for more details about the duration of your stay.

Get more details about this visa from the official website.

Bridging visa type: Bridging Visa B (BVB) Subclass 020

• You should be in Australia when you apply for this visa and when the visa is granted.
• You will be allowed to work if the last substantive visa you held or the one you applied for lets you work. The details will be mentioned in the grant document.
• If you intend to travel, you should produce documents explaining your valid reasons for travelling.

You can get more details on BVB visa from the official website.

Bridging visa type: Bridging Visa C (BVC) Subclass 030

• If you are applying for this visa, you should be in Australia at the time of application and also at the time of grant.
• You can work under a BVC only if the substantive visa you had applied for is one of the SkillSelect visas. If your BVC is granted with work restrictions, you can apply for a new BVC that lets you work. However, you will have to demonstrate that you are experiencing financial difficulties.
• If you hold a BVC, you cannot apply for a BVB (that allows you to travel).

Bridging visa type: Bridging Visa E (BVE) Subclass 050

• You and anybody else included in the application should be in Australia at the time of the visa application.
• Refer to your visa grant to know whether you are eligible to work. If you are not, you should not work under any circumstances. Chances are, you will be detained or removed from Australia if you are found working.

You can refer to more details about the visa before deciding on which visa to apply for. If you have any questions about visas and would like to have some professional guidance with your study abroad plans, just reach out to us. Our experts will help you for free.