Bridging Visa A

A Bridging Visa A is a temporary residence permit granted when applying for a new visa in Australia. It is designed to allow applicants to stay in Australia lawfully while waiting for a substantive visa to be approved. If an applicant's visa application is refused, they have the right to appeal, and during the appeal period, the applicant will continue to hold a Bridging Visa A. This visa is usually issued automatically as part of the substantive visa application process without the need to actively apply or pay fees. However, it is important to note that a Bridging Visa A is only possible when a substantive visa application is submitted in Australia. In certain specific circumstances, applicants may need to apply for a Bridging Visa A separately. For example, when the application conditions of the substantive visa are not sufficient to directly issue a Bridging Visa A; or when the applicant has held a Bridging Visa A or B but has terminated and meets the application conditions of another Bridging Visa A; or when the current Bridging Visa A does not allow work, but needs to earn living expenses for economic reasons, you can apply for a Bridging Visa A without work restrictions. In addition, if the applicant's visa application is refused and the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) upholds the decision of the Immigration Department, and the applicant decides to apply for judicial review, then during the period of submitting the judicial review, in order to ensure the legal residence status in Australia, the applicant must submit an application for a Bridging Visa A.

Tip: A Bridging Visa A will not be granted while you are waiting for the outcome of your citizenship application; a Bridging Visa A will not be granted while you are waiting for an EOI invitation.

• Application Fee:

  0 AUD (because it is automatically issued as a fringe benefit when applying for the next substantive visa)

• Approval cycle:

  Usually issued on the same day or the next day after applying for a substantive visa

• Effective date:

  Bridging Visa A comes into effect on the day your current substantive visa expires and lasts until your new visa is approved.

• Expiration Date:

  1) Automatically ceases when the new visa is granted. 2) If the new visa is refused, you must leave Australia within 28 days, unless you appeal to the ART and the visa remains valid pending the review outcome; if refused again, you must also depart within 28 days. 3) Please note, while holding a Bridging Visa A, you must strictly comply with visa regulations to ensure a lawful stay in Australia.

• Bridging A visa validity period:

  The validity period of the Australian Bridging Visa A is the same as the validity period of the original visa held by the applicant. For example, if the applicant holds an Australian tourist visa, the validity period of the Australian Bridging Visa A is also the validity period of the tourist visa.

• Work Permissions:

  Bridging Visa A may not include work rights. It is recommended to read the visa application letter carefully. If you need to work under special circumstances, you can apply to lift the restrictions.

• limitation factor:

  1) You are not allowed to leave the country while holding a Bridging Visa A. Once you leave the country, it will become invalid. 2) The original visa cannot have a "no further stay" clause. 3) The conditions and restrictions of the original visa must be observed. Violations may result in the cancellation of the Bridging Visa A.

Bridging Visa A is designed to facilitate people who already hold another visa in Australia and wish to undertake short-term activities within the validity period of their visa while waiting for a new visa to be approved.

• People who already hold other overseas visas

  Bridging Visa A is mainly designed for those who already have other types of Australian visas, such as tourist visas, family visit visas, etc.

• People who need to visit Australia for a short period of time within the validity period of their visa

  If you are planning a short visit or activity within the validity period of your current Australian visa, you may need to apply for a Bridging Visa A to secure your lawful stay in Australia.

• People who need to wait for new visa approval

  Bridging Visa A is specifically for applicants who are waiting for a new substantive visa to be approved. Bridging Visa A ensures that you remain in Australia lawfully while you are waiting to apply for your new visa.

In addition to the most basic requirement of holding an Australian overseas visa, applying for an Australian Bridging Visa A also requires meeting the following conditions:

• Hold a valid Australian visa:

  Applicants must already hold another Australian visa which is still valid when applying for a Bridging A visa.

• Departure Guarantee:

  Applicants need to be able to prove that they will leave Australia within the validity period of their visa.

• Financial and living security:

  Applicants must fully demonstrate that they have sufficient financial and living security while in Australia.

• Honest Application:

  Applicants must fill out the application form honestly and provide authentic and valid application materials.

Tips: You cannot leave the country while holding a Bridging Visa A. If you have to leave the country, you can apply for a Bridging Visa B.

The application steps for Australian Bridging Visa A are as follows:

• 1. Confirm your eligibility

  First, you need to make sure you are eligible to apply for a Bridging A visa. This usually happens when your substantive visa is about to expire or has expired, but you have already lodged a new visa application and are waiting for it to be approved.

• 2. Prepare necessary documents

  Before you apply for a Bridging A visa, you will need to prepare some necessary documents, which may include:

  • A valid passport
  • Expired or expiring substantive visa
  • Confirmation letter of new visa application submitted
  • Any supporting documentation related to your personal circumstances or travel plans

• 3. Submit your application online

  Applications for Bridging A visas are usually submitted through the Australian Immigration Department's online system. You need to visit the Australian Immigration Department's official website and follow the instructions to complete the online application form, or an agency can help you submit the application.

• 4. Payment of Fees

  Before submitting your application, you may be asked to pay an application fee. Please make sure you are prepared to pay this fee and understand how much it will cost and how to pay it.

• 5. Wait for approval

  Once you have submitted your application and paid the appropriate fees, you will then need to wait for the Australian Immigration Department to approve your application. Generally, Bridging A visas are approved in a shorter time frame, but this may vary depending on your individual circumstances.

• 6. Receive visa decision

  Once your application has been approved, you will receive a notification from the Australian Immigration Department letting you know whether your visa has been successfully granted. If approved, you will receive a confirmation letter for a Bridging A visa, which will allow you to stay in Australia legally while you wait for your new visa to be issued.

• 7. Follow visa conditions

  Finally, once you have been granted a Bridging A visa, it is important that you follow all of the conditions on your visa. This includes being aware of and complying with any restrictions and requirements related to work, travel or residence.

Warm reminder: In most cases, there is no need to apply for Bridging Visa A, and the system will automatically issue it if the conditions are met.

• There are two main types of situations in which Australian Bridging Visa A is issued:

  1. Hold a valid visa in Australia and apply for a new visa. 2. If the applicant's new visa application is rejected and an appeal is filed within the prescribed time, the applicant will also hold a Bridging Visa A.

• Precautions

  • When an applicant only holds a Bridging Visa A, they are not allowed to leave Australia. Once you leave, you will not be able to re-enter Australia using a Bridging Visa A. If you need to leave Australia, you need to apply for a Bridging Visa B separately.
  • In most cases, the terms of a Bridging Visa A remain the same as the last visa held. For example, if a student visa holder has successfully lodged an application to renew their student visa, they can continue their studies as normal and work up to 40 hours per fortnight while on a Bridging Visa A.
  • For certain visa categories, applicants have the right to work unlimited hours even if they hold a Bridging Visa A. For example, student visa applicants applying for an independent skilled migrant (subclass 189/190/491, etc.) can work unlimited hours while holding a bridging visa. These visa categories include:
  • Business investment immigration (132, 188, 888) applicants
  • Independent skilled immigrants (189, 190, 491, 191) applicants
  • Employer-sponsored permanent residence (186, 494) applicants

When the principal applicant and his/her family submit a substantive visa application together, the principal and secondary applicants will usually automatically be granted a bridging visa A at the same time, ensuring that they can legally stay in Australia while waiting for their visas to be approved. If you still need to apply for a bridging visa A separately after submitting a substantive visa together, the family members of the principal and secondary applicants can also be included in the visa application to ensure the legal residence status of the entire family in Australia.