Bridging visas

Australian Bridging Visas are granted to overseas nationals who are in Australia. You cannot apply for an Australia Bridging Visa if you are overseas.

This group of visas is granted to people who are either already in Australia without a substantive visa, or who would otherwise become 'visaless' if a Bridging Visa were not granted.

There are several classes of bridging visas - they are used to make 'non-citizens' lawful who otherwise would be unlawful in the following situations:

• during the processing of an application, made in Australia, for a substantive visa (any visa which is not a bridging visa or criminal justice visa), including merits review of a decision to refuse such an application;
• while arrangements are made to leave Australia;
• at other times when the 'non-citizen' does not have a visa (for example, when seeking judicial review) and it is not necessary for the person to be kept in immigration detention.