Bridging Visa A
A Bridging Visa A (BVA) allows a person in Australia to remain in Australia lawfully –
- While a visa application they have made is being processed, or
- During a ‘Merits Review’ by the Administrative Appeal Tribunal (AAT), or
- During ‘Judicial Review’ proceedings
‘Conditions’ imposed on a Bridging visa will depend on the substantive visa you have held or are applying for & the circumstances under which you apply.
Criteria to be met by BVA applicants :
Depending on an individual’s circumstances, there are a range of criteria that an applicant & their family members have to meet. Some of them are –
- To apply for this visa, you must hold or have held a substantive visa
- You can be of any age to apply for this visa
- Although family members are allowed to combine their BVA application with that of the primary applicant, each BVA applicant has to satisfy the BVA criteria independently. Hence, it is possible that in some cases the primary applicant & some family member are granted different classes of Bridging visas
- You must be in Australia when you apply & at the time of visa grant
- Whether you apply for a BVA along with your visa application or separately will depend on your individual circumstances. Contact us to know more
- You must meet the Character Requirement
- You must have & maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia
- You must not travel outside Australia while you are the holder of a BVA
Rights of BVA applicants :
- You can include family members in your application
- You can stay lawfully in Australia until your substantive visa application is finally determined
- If the BVA was granted in association with a judicial review, then you can stay in Australia until the judicial review proceedings are completed
- If your current BVA does not allow you to work in Australia, you can apply for another BVA to let your work. However, this will depend on you proving to the ‘Department’ that you have a ‘compelling need to work’
In order to retain their legal immigration status continuously, it is very important that all BVA applicants be aware of the circumstances, dates or periods applicable to commencement & cessation of a Bridging Visa A.
There are also some circumstances under which a BVA is granted without an application or circumstances under which you can apply for a subsequent BVA.
To know if you are eligible to apply for a BVA or some other Bridging visa in accordance with the Migration Act & Regulations, contact us so that we can help you retain your legal immigration status in Australia.
