Is this your situation?
Your Bridging Visa A (BVA) has expired or is about to expire. You may not have another visa to fall back on. You might have missed a deadline, or your application was decided without you realising, or you left Australia and the BVA ceased when you departed.
The BVA is the most common bridging visa type. It is also the one that causes the most confusion because its cessation rules are tied to the outcome of your substantive visa application, and most people do not fully understand those rules until things go wrong.
Why Bridging Visa A expires
A BVA is linked to a substantive visa application or an ART review. It ceases 35 days after the related application is finally determined, meaning granted, refused, or withdrawn. If you did not lodge a new application or a review within the relevant period, the BVA ends.
It also ceases immediately if you leave Australia while holding only a BVA. A BVA does not have travel rights. Once you depart on it, it is gone. You cannot return on it. This is one of the most common traps. People fly home for a family emergency, not realising their BVA ceases the moment they leave Australian territory.
A BVA also ceases if the application it was associated with is withdrawn by the applicant.
What happens if it has expired
If your BVA has ended and you do not hold any other visa, you are an unlawful non-citizen. You face all the consequences of being unlawful: no work rights, no Medicare access, risk of detention, and a mark on your immigration record that affects future applications.
Your options
Apply for a Bridging Visa E (BVE). If you are unlawful, a BVE is the main bridging visa option. It is discretionary. The Department will consider why you are unlawful, what steps you are taking to resolve your situation, and whether there are compassionate circumstances.
Lodge a new substantive visa application. If there is a visa you are still eligible to apply for (keeping in mind section 48 restrictions), lodging it may trigger a new BVA.
Lodge an ART review (if within deadline). If your substantive visa application was recently refused and you are still within the review deadline, lodging an ART review will generally trigger a new BVA.
How Bullseye Consultant can help
Amanpreet Bhangoo (MARN 1573884) can check your visa status through VEVO, identify any remaining options, and assist with a BVE application if appropriate. Call (07) 3519 7009.
FAQ
Q: Can I renew my Bridging Visa A?
BVAs are not renewed in the traditional sense. A new BVA is generated automatically when you lodge a new substantive visa application or ART review while in Australia.
Q: I left Australia on a BVA. Can I get another one?
Not automatically. You need a separate visa to return to Australia. If you return on a new visa and lodge a further application, a new BVA may be generated, but you need to get back into Australia first.
