Key Takeaways
- A partner visa no bridging visa situation usually has a legal cause: the application was made offshore, the application was not valid, the applicant was not in Australia or was in immigration clearance or detention, or the applicant did not hold a substantive visa when they lodged.
- Only an onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application can carry a bridging visa. A Subclass 309, Subclass 100 or Subclass 300 application never comes with one, because those visas are granted while the applicant is outside Australia.
- A bridging visa can be granted and still not appear in VEVO, because a Bridging A visa does not come into effect until the visa you held at lodgement ends.
- If you did not hold a substantive visa when you lodged, you cannot receive a Bridging A visa for that application. You may receive a Bridging C visa, or you may need to seek a Bridging E visa, and the Schedule 3 criteria will apply to the partner visa itself.
- If your visa has ended and you hold no bridging visa that is in effect, you may be unlawful today. That needs action the same day, not after the next ImmiAccount refresh.
Partner visa no bridging visa: what it usually means
A partner visa no bridging visa problem means that you have lodged, or think you have lodged, a partner visa application, but you cannot find any bridging visa grant linked to it. In most cases there is a clear legal reason. Either no bridging visa was ever possible for that application, the application itself was not valid, or a bridging visa was granted but is not yet in effect, so it does not show where you expected it.
People searching partner visa no bridging visa are usually worried for one reason. They want to know whether they are lawful in Australia right now. That is the right question to ask first, and this guide is built around answering it. We explain each cause, how to check which one applies to you, and what to do next if the answer is bad news.
The rules discussed here come from the Migration Act 1958, the Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department of Home Affairs procedural instructions on bridging visas. If you are new to partner visas generally, our complete guide to partner visas in Australia explains the different subclasses before you come back to the bridging visa question.
Why a partner visa no bridging visa problem is urgent
A bridging visa is the visa that keeps you lawful while a substantive visa application is processed. If the visa you entered on has ended and no bridging visa is in effect, you are an unlawful non-citizen under section 14 of the Migration Act. That can expose you to detention, can affect future visa applications, and can create problems for Australian citizenship years later.
That is why a partner visa no bridging visa situation should never be left to sort itself out. Some causes are harmless, such as a grant notice that went to a different email address. Others mean you have no lawful status at all. You cannot tell which one applies to you by waiting. Every partner visa no bridging visa enquiry should start with the records described later in this guide.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for applicants and sponsors who have lodged a partner visa application and cannot see a bridging visa. It covers the onshore Subclass 820 partner visa and the linked Subclass 801 application, and it explains why offshore applicants are in a different position. It does not repeat the general rules on bridging visa conditions, which are covered in our guide to bridging visas in Australia, explained class by class.
Which partner visa applications come with a bridging visa?
Only a valid onshore partner visa application, made while the applicant is in Australia, can carry a bridging visa. In practice that means a combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application lodged on the online partner form while you are physically in Australia and not in immigration clearance.
The Department's policy describes three ways of applying for a bridging visa. The first is automatic: a person who makes a valid application in Australia for a substantive visa that can be granted in Australia also makes an application for a Bridging A, Bridging C or Bridging E visa on the same form, depending on their visa status. The second is a separate bridging visa form. The third is where the Regulations treat a bridging visa as applied for without any form.
For a partner applicant, the first route is the one that matters. The online partner application is also a bridging visa application, as long as the conditions for that are met. If they are not met, there is no bridging visa application to decide, and a partner visa no bridging visa result follows automatically.
One bridging visa covers both partner applications
The Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 applications are made at the same time and on the same form. Under the Department's instructions, the bridging visa granted with them is associated with both applications. You will not receive two bridging visas for the two stages. You can read more about how the stages fit together in our article on Subclass 820 versus Subclass 801.
Which bridging visa you should expect
Which bridging visa you receive depends on your status on the day you lodge. If you held a substantive visa, such as a visitor, student, work or graduate visa, you should expect a Subclass 010 Bridging A visa. If you did not hold a substantive visa, you cannot receive a Bridging A visa for that application. You may receive a Subclass 030 Bridging C visa, or you may need a Subclass 050 Bridging E visa. Each of these is explained in its own guide, starting with our guide to the Bridging A visa, its work rights, conditions and travel.
Knowing which bridging visa you should have expected is the first step in diagnosing a partner visa no bridging visa problem. If you were expecting a Bridging A visa but were not eligible for one, the "missing" visa may never have existed.
Cause 1: the partner visa was lodged offshore
An offshore partner visa application never comes with a bridging visa. If you applied for a Subclass 309 offshore partner visa or a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa, the partner visa no bridging visa outcome is the law working as intended, not a mistake.
Regulation 2.07A of the Migration Regulations 1994 says that a substantive visa application made on a bridging visa form is not a valid bridging visa application if the applicant was not in Australia when the substantive application was made, or if the substantive visa is a kind that can only be granted while the applicant is outside Australia. The Subclass 309 visa and the Subclass 300 visa fall into the second category. A Subclass 309 applicant who later travels to Australia on a visitor visa still has no bridging visa linked to the offshore application.
What this means for a visitor in Australia waiting on a Subclass 309 decision
If you are in Australia on a visitor visa while your Subclass 309 application is processed, your lawful status depends entirely on that visitor visa. When it ends, nothing replaces it. You would also need to be outside Australia for the Subclass 309 visa to be granted. Many couples in this position consider whether an onshore application is possible instead. That decision has its own risks, including no further stay conditions on visitor visas, which we cover in our guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia.
The one offshore exception
There is a narrow exception for people who already hold a Subclass 309 visa. Regulation 2.21A allows a Bridging A visa to be granted without an application to a person in Australia, not in immigration clearance, who held a Subclass 309 visa immediately before their Subclass 100 application was refused or withdrawn while they were in Australia. The Department's policy explains that this exists because the Subclass 309 visa ceases at that point and the person could otherwise become unlawful. This is a protection at the end of the offshore process, not a bridging visa during it. For an offshore applicant, the partner visa no bridging visa position is therefore normal, and the real question is how long your current visa lets you stay.
Cause 2: the partner visa application was not valid
If the partner visa application itself was not valid, there is no bridging visa application to decide, and you will have a partner visa no bridging visa result. The Department's policy is direct on this point: if a person fails to make a valid substantive visa application, there is no associated bridging visa application to assess.
Validity for the Subclass 820 application is governed by item 1214C of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations 1994. The Department's instructions on the Subclass 820 visa list several requirements. The application must be made on the specified online form, at the same time as the Subclass 801 application, with the charge for the Subclass 801 visa paid. The applicant must be in Australia and not in immigration clearance at the time of application.
Common reasons a partner application is invalid
The most common causes of invalidity that we see in partner visa no bridging visa enquiries are these:
- the applicant was overseas when the online form was submitted;
- the visa application charge was not paid in full or the payment failed;
- the applicant held a visa with a no further stay condition, such as condition 8503, and no waiver had been granted before lodgement;
- the applicant held, or last held, certain regional skilled visas and had not held them for the required period under paragraphs 1214C(3)(g) and (h); or
- a bar under the Migration Act applied, for example because of an earlier refusal or cancellation.
The no further stay problem is especially common. Our article on the Subclass 820 visa and condition 8503 explains how waivers work and why lodging before a waiver is granted does not create a valid application.
How you will know the application was invalid
Usually the Department writes to tell an applicant that a substantive application is invalid. An invalidity decision is a determination, not a refusal, and it does not carry the review rights that a refusal carries. If you receive this kind of letter, the partner visa no bridging visa question answers itself: there is no valid application, so there is no bridging visa, and your lawful status depends on whatever visa you held before.
If you are still lawful on your existing visa, the priority is to identify the cause and lodge a valid application before that visa ends, if the law allows it. If your visa has already ended, the position is more serious and is covered under the unlawful applicant cause below. If you are unsure whether your situation is a partner visa no bridging visa case caused by invalidity, ask for advice before you lodge anything else. A careful review of the partner visa document checklist at this point also helps, because a new application should be prepared properly rather than rushed.
Cause 3: you were not in Australia, or were in immigration clearance, at lodgement
An onshore partner visa application must be made while you are in Australia and not in immigration clearance. Paragraph 1214C(3)(c) applies that rule to the Subclass 820 application. The bridging visa rules apply it again. Paragraph 1301(3)(b) requires a Bridging A visa applicant to be in Australia and not in immigration clearance, and paragraph 1303(3)(b) says the same for a Bridging C visa.
This creates a partner visa no bridging visa problem for couples who submit the online form from overseas, for example during a holiday, intending to fly back to Australia later. An internet application is treated as made in Australia for some purposes, but the applicant's own location still matters for the Subclass 820 application and for the bridging visa.
Immigration clearance
"Immigration clearance" is defined by section 172 of the Migration Act. A person is in immigration clearance while they are going through the arrival process at an airport or seaport. A partner application made at that point cannot be a valid Subclass 820 application, and it cannot carry a Bridging A or Bridging C visa. Clause 010.411 also requires a Bridging A visa applicant to be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, at the time of grant.
Applying from overseas and then arriving
The Department's instructions deal with a person who makes an internet application while outside Australia and later travels to Australia. In some cases that person can apply separately for a Bridging A visa once in Australia, if they held a substantive visa when they lodged. For partner applicants, though, the bigger problem is usually the validity of the Subclass 820 application itself. If you were overseas when you clicked submit, get advice on the validity of the application before you rely on any bridging visa. In these partner visa no bridging visa cases, the bridging visa is only a symptom. The underlying problem is the application.
Cause 4: you were in immigration detention or criminal detention
A person in immigration detention or criminal detention cannot make a valid application for a Bridging A or Bridging C visa. Paragraph 1301(3)(f) says this for the Bridging A visa and paragraph 1303(3)(e) says it for the Bridging C visa. A partner visa no bridging visa result is therefore expected for an applicant who lodged from detention.
The only bridging visas available in detention are the Bridging E visa and, in narrow cases, the Bridging F and Bridging R visas. The Bridging E visa rules allow a grant where a person has made a valid application, in Australia, for a substantive visa that can be granted in Australia and that application has not been finally determined. Detention cases also have strict time limits for making a valid visa application under section 195 of the Migration Act, so the order of events matters.
If a partner, sponsor or family member is in detention, contact a lawyer at once. These matters move quickly, and the bridging visa question is tied to whether the partner application can be made validly at all. Our urgent immigration lawyer advice guide explains what to prepare before you call.
Cause 5: you held a bridging visa, not a substantive visa, when you lodged
This is the cause we see most often in partner visa no bridging visa enquiries from applicants who are already in Australia. If the only visa you held when you lodged the partner application was a bridging visa from an earlier application, you could not receive a Bridging A visa for the partner application.
The reason is in Schedule 1. Paragraph 1301(3)(d) requires a Bridging A visa applicant to hold a substantive visa, or to have held a substantive visa when they made the substantive application the bridging visa relates to. A bridging visa is not a substantive visa. Section 76 of the Migration Act also says that holding a bridging visa is not to be treated as holding a visa for the purposes of an application for a visa of another class.
A common example
A student applies for a further student visa while their student visa is still running and receives a Bridging A visa. The student visa ends and that Bridging A visa comes into effect. The further student visa is refused and the student applies to the Administrative Review Tribunal. While that review is running, the student and their Australian partner lodge a Subclass 820 application.
At that moment the student holds a bridging visa, not a substantive visa. The partner application cannot carry a Bridging A visa. If the student has not held a Bridging E visa since their last substantive visa, the partner application can carry a Bridging C visa instead. That is often the bridging visa that applicants say they never received, because they were looking for a Bridging A visa.
Why the new bridging visa may not show as in effect
A person can hold more than one bridging visa at once. Regulation 2.21 sets the order of which one is "most beneficial", and subsection 68(4) of the Migration Act brings the most beneficial one into effect. Under that order, a Bridging A visa ranks above a Bridging C visa.
So in the example, the student holds two bridging visas: the earlier Bridging A visa linked to the student visa review, and the new Bridging C visa linked to the partner application. The Department's own worked example says that in this situation the Bridging C visa is out of effect and the Bridging A visa is in effect, because the Bridging A visa is more beneficial. VEVO will show the earlier Bridging A visa. Many applicants read that as a partner visa no bridging visa problem, when in fact the new bridging visa exists and is waiting in the background.
What happens when the earlier review ends
The earlier Bridging A visa does not last forever. It ceases a fixed period after the Tribunal decides the earlier review. When it ceases, the Bridging C visa linked to the partner application should come into effect, as long as the partner application is still undecided. The Bridging C visa will usually carry condition 8101, which prohibits work, unless another rule in clause 030.6 applies. That is very different from the nil conditions on a Bridging A visa linked to a Subclass 820 application, and it often comes as a shock.
Schedule 3 applies to the partner visa too
Lodging without a substantive visa has a second consequence. The Subclass 820 visa contains Schedule 3 criteria for applicants who did not hold a substantive visa when they applied. You may need to show that you meet those criteria or that compelling reasons justify waiving them. Our articles on the Schedule 3 criteria when you apply as an unlawful non-citizen and on the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver and what counts as compelling explain this in detail, and our Schedule 3 waiver partner visa page explains how the firm prepares these submissions. A partner visa no bridging visa problem caused by lodging on a bridging visa should always be checked for Schedule 3 before anything else is lodged.
Published Tribunal decisions show how often this pattern arises. In Namsombun (Migration) [2020] AATA 2611, the reported issue was an application made more than the permitted period after the last substantive visa was held, where the applicant held a bridging visa pending review of the refusal of a further student visa. In Yuan (Migration) [2024] AATA 3638, the reported issue was again an application made outside that period, with a bridging visa later granted in association with another review application, and cumulative factors. Both matters were remitted to the Department for reconsideration. These decisions show that the Schedule 3 issue is assessed carefully, not that any particular case will succeed.
Cause 6: you held a Bridging E visa since your last substantive visa
If you have held a Bridging E visa at any time since your last substantive visa ended, you cannot receive a Bridging C visa with the partner application. Paragraph 1303(3)(d) says a Bridging C visa applicant must not hold a Bridging E visa and must not have held one since they last held a substantive visa. Clause 030.211 repeats this as a criterion for grant.
This produces a partner visa no bridging visa outcome for people who were granted a Bridging E visa while they made departure arrangements, while they sought ministerial intervention, or while they were in contact with the Department's compliance area. They then lodge a partner application expecting a Bridging C visa, and none arrives.
What the Bridging E visa rules allow
A Subclass 050 Bridging E visa can be granted to a person who has made a valid application in Australia for a substantive visa that can be granted in Australia, while that application is not finally determined. In practice, a person in this group often needs to seek the Bridging E visa from the Department directly. The conditions on a Bridging E visa can include work, reporting and other restrictions, and they are decided case by case. Our guide to the Bridging B visa also explains why a Bridging E visa holder cannot travel and return while the partner application is processed.
Cause 7: you were unlawful when you lodged
If your visa had already ended when you lodged the partner application, you were an unlawful non-citizen at lodgement. You cannot receive a Bridging A visa. You may receive a Bridging C visa automatically with the partner application if you are immigration cleared, or an eligible non-citizen under regulation 2.20(6), and you have not held a Bridging E visa since your last substantive visa.
If a Bridging C visa was granted, the Department's policy says it is likely to come into effect on grant, because you hold no substantive visa. So for an unlawful applicant who expected a Bridging C visa, a partner visa no bridging visa result in VEVO is a real warning sign. It may mean the application was not valid, that you were not eligible for a Bridging C visa, or that the grant has simply not been made yet.
When a Bridging E visa is the only option
If you are not eligible for a Bridging C visa, the remaining option is usually a Bridging E visa. The Department's policy gives the example of a person wrongly granted a Bridging A visa instead of a Bridging C visa, who later cannot get a replacement of either kind. The policy says the only option for that person to remain lawful is to apply for a Bridging E visa. That example shows how technical this area is and how easily a partner visa no bridging visa problem can arise from earlier events.
Unlawful lodgement and the rest of the application
An unlawful lodgement does not stop the partner visa being assessed, but it changes the assessment. Schedule 3 will apply, and the Department will look closely at your immigration history. Our article on applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal explains how earlier refusals and section 48 bars interact with an onshore partner application.
Cause 8: the bridging visa was granted but the notice went elsewhere
Sometimes there is no partner visa no bridging visa problem at all. The bridging visa was granted, but the notice went somewhere you did not look. Subsection 66(1) of the Migration Act requires the Department to notify a person of a decision to grant a visa. Subregulation 2.16(2D) applies this to a bridging visa granted before the substantive visa is decided. The notice is given by a method in section 494B, which includes email to the address you gave for receiving documents.
Where the notice may have gone
The grant notice may have gone to:
- the email address entered in the application, which may be an old address or contain a typing error;
- your migration agent or lawyer, if you appointed one. If you appointed an authorised recipient, the Department sends documents to that person instead of you;
- your spam or junk folder; or
- the ImmiAccount of the person who lodged the application, if that was your sponsor, a friend or a previous representative, rather than your own account.
Appointing a representative and an authorised recipient is done through Form 956 and Form 956A. Our guide to Form 956 and Form 956A explains how those appointments affect who receives the Department's letters. If you changed representative partway through, our article on how to change your immigration lawyer explains how to make sure the Department is updated.
Updating your details
If your email address, phone number or residential address has changed since lodgement, you must tell the Department. The usual way is through ImmiAccount, and our guide to Form 1022 and when to report a change of circumstances explains the rules. Updating your details will not create a bridging visa that was never granted, but it stops future notices going missing.
Partner visa no bridging visa: what the sponsor should know
The sponsor cannot hold or apply for the applicant's bridging visa, but the sponsor is often the person who notices a partner visa no bridging visa problem first. Many couples lodge through the sponsor's ImmiAccount, so the grant letter, or the invalidity notice, may be sitting in an account the applicant never sees.
The sponsor should check the ImmiAccount used to lodge, forward every letter to the applicant, and make sure the applicant's own contact details are recorded correctly. The sponsor should also understand that a partner visa no bridging visa issue is about the applicant's lawful status, not the sponsorship itself. Sponsorship limits are a separate question, covered in our guide on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa and on our sponsorship limitations page.
If the relationship is under strain
A partner visa no bridging visa scare can arrive at a difficult time in a relationship. If the relationship has ended, the bridging visa does not end automatically, but the partner application will be affected. Our article on what happens if the relationship breaks down during a Subclass 820 application explains the options. If family violence is involved, the family violence provisions may allow the application to continue, and our family violence partner visa lawyers page explains how those provisions work.
De facto couples
De facto couples face the same bridging visa rules as married couples. The difference is in the partner visa criteria, including the relationship length requirement and its exceptions. If a partner visa no bridging visa problem has made you rethink when to lodge, read our guide to the de facto partner visa and its relationship length rule before you make any decision.
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Cause 9: the bridging visa was granted but is not yet in effect
The most common harmless partner visa no bridging visa situation is a Bridging A visa that has been granted but is not yet in effect. A Bridging A visa granted with your partner application does not come into effect until the substantive visa you held at lodgement ends. Until then, VEVO will normally show your existing visa, not the bridging visa.
Subsection 5(1) of the Migration Act defines the "visa period" of a bridging visa. It starts on grant. The Department's policy explains that a person can hold a Bridging A visa for its visa period while it is not in effect, because the substantive visa they hold is still running. When the substantive visa ends, the Bridging A visa comes into effect. The full timing rules are covered in our separate guide on when a partner bridging visa starts, and in our article on working while your Subclass 820 visa is pending.
What this looks like in practice
You lodge on a student visa with several months left. Within a short time you receive a letter granting a Bridging A visa. You check VEVO and see only your student visa with its work limits. This is expected. Your conditions are still those of the student visa. When the student visa ends, the Bridging A visa comes into effect with no conditions, because paragraph 010.611(1)(c) and the instrument made under it provide nil conditions for Bridging A visas linked to Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 applications.
When a granted bridging visa is lost
A granted Bridging A visa can also be lost, which some applicants later describe as a partner visa no bridging visa problem. Two events cause most of these losses. First, if your Bridging A visa is in effect and you leave Australia, it ceases under subsection 82(8) of the Act. Second, if the substantive visa you held when the Bridging A visa was granted is cancelled, subparagraph 010.511(1)(b)(vi) ends the Bridging A visa at the time of cancellation, whether or not it had come into effect. If either event has happened, see our pages on visa cancellations and on the Bridging B visa, and get advice before you take any further step.
Partner visa no bridging visa: what to check, step by step
The fastest way to diagnose a partner visa no bridging visa problem is to check four records in order: your ImmiAccount, VEVO, any grant letter, and your lodgement date compared with your visa expiry date. Do these checks the same day you notice the problem.
Step 1: ImmiAccount
Log in to the ImmiAccount used to lodge the partner application. If you no longer have access, our guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains how to set one up and import an application. Check four things:
- the application status, which shows whether the application was submitted and received;
- the date and time of lodgement shown on the acknowledgement of application received;
- the correspondence or messages area, which should contain any bridging visa grant letter or invalidity notice; and
- the payment record, which shows whether the visa application charge was paid.
If the application shows as incomplete or unpaid, you may not have a valid application at all. That is the most serious partner visa no bridging visa finding, and it needs immediate advice.
Step 2: VEVO
VEVO, the Visa Entitlement Verification Online service, shows the visa that is in effect for you today. Check it using your passport details. If it shows your previous substantive visa and that visa has not yet ended, a Bridging A visa may be held in the background. If it shows an earlier bridging visa from another application, you may hold a newer bridging visa that is out of effect. If it shows no current visa at all, treat this as an emergency.
Step 3: the grant letter
If you find a bridging visa grant letter, read it carefully. Check the class and subclass of bridging visa, the date of grant, the statement about when the visa comes into effect, and any conditions. The Department's policy says a bridging visa grant notice should set out the purpose of the grant, when it comes into effect, when it ceases and any conditions. A Bridging C visa letter, rather than a Bridging A visa letter, tells you that you did not hold a substantive visa at lodgement, which has consequences for Schedule 3.
Step 4: lodgement date versus visa expiry date
Compare the date and time you lodged with the date your previous substantive visa ended. Your visa grant notice or VEVO record will show the expiry date or the stay period. If your visa ended before you lodged, even by one day, you could not receive a Bridging A visa. Some visitor visas give a stay period measured from each arrival, so the expiry date depends on your last entry, not on the visa grant date.
This single comparison resolves many partner visa no bridging visa questions. It also tells you whether Schedule 3 applies, which affects how the rest of the application should be prepared, including the relationship evidence and the relationship statement.
Partner visa no bridging visa and unlawful status: what to do today
If your checks show that your substantive visa has ended and no bridging visa is in effect, you may be unlawful today, and you should act the same day. An unlawful non-citizen can be detained under section 189 of the Migration Act. Unlawful time can also affect future visa applications and the residence requirement for Australian citizenship.
The right response depends on the cause. If the partner application is valid and you are eligible for a Bridging C visa, the question is why it has not been granted and whether the Department needs to be contacted. If you are not eligible for a Bridging C visa, a Bridging E visa may need to be sought from the Department. If the partner application was not valid, the question is whether a valid application can now be made and on what basis.
Do not leave Australia without advice
Leaving Australia while unlawful, or while holding a Bridging C or Bridging E visa, can lead to an exclusion period under the public interest criteria, which can stop you returning on many visas for a time. It can also end the onshore pathway altogether. A partner visa no bridging visa problem is almost always better solved from inside Australia, with advice, than by departing. Our article on when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa explains why status problems are one of the clearest reasons to get advice.
Do not lodge a second application on impulse
Applicants sometimes respond to a partner visa no bridging visa scare by lodging another partner application or a visitor visa application. That can make things worse. A second application can be invalid for the same reason as the first, and some applications carry bars or conditions that block later options. Get the diagnosis right first. Our guide to the Subclass 820 visa requirements, documents and how to apply explains what a valid application needs, and a partner visa no bridging visa diagnosis should be completed before any new form is lodged.
Can you apply for a bridging visa separately?
Yes, in some cases. Form 1005 can be used to apply for a Bridging A, Bridging B, Bridging C or Bridging E visa, including to replace a bridging visa that has ceased. Form 1008 is used for a Subclass 050 Bridging E visa. Online versions are available in ImmiAccount in some circumstances, generally where the substantive application was lodged through ImmiAccount and has not yet been decided.
A separate application only succeeds if you meet the criteria for that bridging visa. A replacement Bridging A visa still requires that you held a substantive visa when you lodged the partner application. An initial Bridging C visa generally has to be applied for on the same form and at the same time as the substantive application, so a later Form 1005 usually cannot create a first Bridging C visa. These limits are why a partner visa no bridging visa problem cannot always be fixed by filling in another form.
If a bridging visa is refused
A refusal to grant a bridging visa is generally reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied, and for a person in detention they are shorter still. If you receive a bridging visa refusal, read the notice the same day and get advice on review from a visa appeal lawyer. Our visa refusals page explains the wider review process, and where a Tribunal decision is affected by legal error, judicial review may be relevant. A partner visa no bridging visa refusal is not the end of the matter if review is sought in time.
Does a partner visa no bridging visa problem affect the partner visa itself?
Yes, it can. The bridging visa and the partner visa are separate applications, but the facts behind a partner visa no bridging visa result often affect the partner visa assessment too. If you held no substantive visa at lodgement, Schedule 3 applies. If the application was invalid, there is no partner application at all. If you became unlawful, that history will be considered.
The partner visa is still decided on the relationship. The Department assesses whether the relationship is genuine and continuing across four aspects: the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment. You present these through your evidence, your single relationship statement and supporting Form 888 statements. A bridging visa problem does not change those requirements, but it can add issues that need a careful written response, including a section 56 request for more information or a section 57 natural justice letter.
If a partner visa is refused, the bridging visa linked to it ceases a fixed period after the refusal unless review is sought. Our article on why partner visas get refused shows the issues that most often cause problems, and our guides to partner visa refusal appeal options and partner visa refusals explain what to do while you can still act.
Partner visa no bridging visa: hypothetical scenarios
These hypothetical scenarios show how different facts produce the same symptom. They are illustrations only, not real client stories.
Scenario one: the background Bridging A visa
Amira holds a working holiday visa with months left. She lodges a Subclass 820 application, receives a Bridging A visa grant letter by email the same week, and sees only her working holiday visa in VEVO. She is not in a partner visa no bridging visa situation. Her Bridging A visa is held and will come into effect when her working holiday visa ends.
Scenario two: the missing Bridging C visa
Daniel is on a Bridging A visa linked to a Tribunal review of a refused student visa. He lodges a Subclass 820 application and expects a second Bridging A visa. Instead, a Bridging C visa is granted and is out of effect because his earlier Bridging A visa is more beneficial. VEVO shows the earlier Bridging A visa. His partner application must also deal with Schedule 3.
Scenario three: the application lodged from overseas
Lin and her Australian husband submit the online partner form while visiting family overseas, planning to return the following month. Lin was not in Australia at lodgement. The Subclass 820 application is not valid, so there is no bridging visa. This is a true partner visa no bridging visa problem that requires a fresh plan.
Common mistakes in partner visa no bridging visa cases
The most damaging mistakes in partner visa no bridging visa cases come from assumptions, not from the law itself. These are the ones we see most often.
Assuming the Department will fix it
The Department grants bridging visas only where the criteria are met. If there was never a valid bridging visa application, nothing will arrive however long you wait. Waiting is only safe when you have confirmed that a Bridging A visa is held but not yet in effect, or that a valid bridging visa application is still being decided while you remain lawful on another visa.
Assuming a grant letter means you can work
A Bridging A visa that is not yet in effect gives you no new rights. The conditions on your current visa still apply until it ends. A Bridging C visa may carry condition 8101 even after it comes into effect. Working in breach of a condition can lead to cancellation, which creates a much larger problem than the original partner visa no bridging visa question.
Assuming VEVO tells the whole story
VEVO shows the visa in effect today. It does not show a bridging visa that is held in the background, and it does not show the reason a bridging visa was never granted. Use VEVO together with ImmiAccount and the grant letters, not instead of them.
Assuming processing will be quick
Partner visa applications can take a long time, and the bridging visa may have to carry you through every stage. Our articles on the Subclass 820 processing time and the Subclass 820 partner visa requirements explain why planning around your bridging visa matters for the whole application, and the Subclass 820 evidence checklist helps you keep the rest of the file in order.
Assuming a self-lodged application cannot be helped
Many partner visa no bridging visa problems arise in applications that couples lodged themselves. A lawyer can be engaged after lodgement to review the application and take over correspondence. Our guide to hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application explains how that works, and our article on getting an immigration lawyer second opinion covers reviews where another representative is already acting.
How My Migration Lawyers resolves a partner visa no bridging visa problem
My Migration Lawyers handles complex partner visa matters where lawful status is in question, and acts in many matters where an applicant has lodged and found no bridging visa, an unexpected Bridging C visa or an invalidity notice. The firm is capable of handling these cases from the first status check through to the partner visa decision. No firm can promise a particular outcome, and this section describes what we do, not what any case will achieve.
The work begins with a same day status check where the facts are urgent. Principal Lawyer Weiwei Zhang and the team review the ImmiAccount record, the acknowledgement of application received, the payment record and every letter in the correspondence area. We check VEVO and compare the lodgement date and time with the expiry date of the last substantive visa. From those records we identify which of the causes in this guide applies.
Next, we deal with the urgent fix. If a Bridging A visa is held but not in effect, we confirm that in writing so you know exactly where you stand. If a notice went to an old address or a former representative, we update the Department's records through the correct forms. If no bridging visa is available with the application, we assess whether a Bridging C, replacement or Bridging E visa can be sought, prepare that application and follow it up with the Department. If the partner application was invalid, we advise on whether a valid application can now be made and prepare it properly.
We then address the partner visa itself. Where Schedule 3 applies, we prepare the legal submissions on the criteria or on compelling reasons for a waiver. We present the client's own account and evidence in the form the law requires, including the relationship statement, evidence across the four assessed aspects and supporting Form 888 statements. If the Department sends a request for information or a natural justice letter, we prepare the response within the time allowed. If a refusal follows, we advise on Tribunal review while that right is still available.
You can read more about My Migration Lawyers and our partner visa lawyers service. Consultations are held by video, and we act for clients across Australia, including through our pages for partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.
Book a consultation about a partner visa with no bridging visa
If you have searched partner visa no bridging visa because you cannot find your grant, or because VEVO shows something unexpected, a consultation will identify the cause and the urgent steps. Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers. You can also call 1300 040 300.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it a partner visa no bridging visa situation after I lodged?
The usual reasons are that the application was made offshore, the application was not valid, you were not in Australia or were in immigration clearance or detention when you lodged, or you did not hold a substantive visa at lodgement. Sometimes a bridging visa was granted but is not yet in effect, or the grant notice went to another email address or representative. Checking ImmiAccount, VEVO and your lodgement date against your visa expiry date usually shows which cause applies.
Does a Subclass 309 partner visa application come with a bridging visa?
No. A Subclass 309 application does not come with a bridging visa, because the Subclass 309 visa can only be granted while the applicant is outside Australia. Regulation 2.07A says the application is not a valid bridging visa application in that case. If you are in Australia on a visitor visa while the Subclass 309 application is processed, your lawful stay depends only on that visitor visa. The same applies to a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa application.
My bridging visa was granted but VEVO still shows my old visa. Is that a problem?
No, not usually. A Bridging A visa granted with a Subclass 820 application does not come into effect until the substantive visa you held at lodgement ends. Until then, VEVO normally shows that existing visa and its conditions. When the existing visa ends, the Bridging A visa should come into effect. If your old visa has already ended and VEVO still does not show the bridging visa, check the grant letter and contact the Department promptly.
Can I get a Bridging A visa if I lodged while holding another bridging visa?
No. A Bridging A visa for a partner application requires that you held a substantive visa when you lodged it. A bridging visa from an earlier application is not a substantive visa. In that situation the partner application may carry a Bridging C visa instead, if you have not held a Bridging E visa since your last substantive visa. The Schedule 3 criteria will also apply to the Subclass 820 application.
What happens if I lodged my partner visa after my visa expired?
You could not receive a Bridging A visa. If you are immigration cleared and have not held a Bridging E visa since your last substantive visa, the partner application may carry a Bridging C visa, which usually comes into effect on grant. If you are not eligible for a Bridging C visa, you may need to seek a Bridging E visa. The Subclass 820 application will also be assessed against the Schedule 3 criteria.
How do I check whether my partner visa application is valid?
Log in to the ImmiAccount used to lodge and check the application status, the acknowledgement of application received, the payment record and the correspondence area. A valid application will show as submitted with the charge paid. If the Department has decided the application is invalid, it will normally send a letter saying so. An invalid application cannot carry a bridging visa, so this check should be one of the first you make.
Who receives the bridging visa grant letter if I used a migration agent or lawyer?
If you appointed a representative or an authorised recipient using Form 956 or Form 956A, the Department usually sends letters to that person rather than to you. If you changed representative, or the representative no longer acts for you, the grant letter may be with them. Ask your former representative for copies and update the Department's records so that future letters reach the right person.
Can I apply for a bridging visa separately if none was granted with my partner visa?
Sometimes. Form 1005 can be used to seek a replacement Bridging A, Bridging B or Bridging C visa, and Form 1008 is used for a Bridging E visa. You must still meet the criteria for the bridging visa you seek. A replacement Bridging A visa requires that you held a substantive visa when you lodged. A first Bridging C visa generally has to be applied for on the same form as the partner application.
Am I unlawful in a partner visa no bridging visa situation?
You may be. If the visa you held has ended and no bridging visa is in effect, you are an unlawful non-citizen under section 14 of the Migration Act. If your old visa is still running, you remain lawful on that visa for now. Check VEVO today. If it shows no current visa, treat the situation as urgent and get advice on the right bridging visa before doing anything else.
Why did I receive a Bridging C visa instead of a Bridging A visa?
A Bridging C visa is granted where you did not hold a substantive visa when you lodged the partner application. That usually means your previous visa had ended, or you held only a bridging visa from an earlier application. A Bridging C visa linked to a partner application usually carries condition 8101, which prohibits work. Receiving one is also a sign that the Schedule 3 criteria apply to your Subclass 820 application.
Can I leave Australia while I sort out a missing partner bridging visa?
You should not leave without advice. If you are unlawful, or hold a Bridging C or Bridging E visa, departure can trigger an exclusion period that affects your ability to return. A Bridging A visa that is in effect ceases when you leave unless you hold a Bridging B visa. Leaving can also end the onshore partner pathway. Most bridging visa problems are easier to resolve from inside Australia.
Does having no bridging visa mean my partner visa will be refused?
No, not automatically. The bridging visa and the partner visa are separate decisions. The partner visa is still decided on whether you meet its criteria, including a genuine and continuing relationship. However, the facts behind a missing bridging visa, such as lodging without a substantive visa, can bring in the Schedule 3 criteria. If the application itself was invalid, there is no partner application to decide.
Can I work in a partner visa no bridging visa situation?
That depends on what visa is in effect for you today. If your old visa is still running, its work conditions apply. If a Bridging A visa linked to a Subclass 820 application is in effect, it has no conditions. If a Bridging C or Bridging E visa is in effect, check its conditions, because condition 8101 may prohibit work. If no visa is in effect, you are unlawful and cannot work.
What should I do if my bridging visa ceased after I travelled overseas?
A Bridging A visa that was in effect ceases when you leave Australia without a Bridging B visa. If you came back on a new substantive visa, such as a visitor visa, you may be able to apply for a replacement Bridging A visa using Form 1005, provided you held a substantive visa when you first lodged the partner application. Do this before the new visa ends, so you do not become unlawful.
Can my sponsor fix a partner visa no bridging visa problem?
No. The sponsor cannot apply for the applicant's bridging visa, because the bridging visa belongs to the applicant. The sponsor can still help. If the partner application was lodged through the sponsor's ImmiAccount, the grant letter or an invalidity notice may be there. The sponsor should forward every letter and make sure the applicant's own contact details are recorded correctly with the Department.
How long does it take for a partner bridging visa to be granted?
The Department's policy says an associated bridging visa should be decided as soon as practicable once the partner application is found to be valid, and Bridging A visas can be granted automatically by computer system. There is no fixed period you can rely on. If you lodged some time ago and nothing appears in ImmiAccount, do not assume it is still pending. Check validity and your eligibility for the bridging visa you expected.
Weiwei Zhang is the Principal Lawyer and Managing Director of My Migration Lawyers. My Migration Lawyers is one of Australia's leading immigration law firms, dedicated exclusively to Australian immigration law. The firm represents individuals, families and businesses across all areas of migration law, with particular expertise in complex immigration matters, Partner Visas, Protection Visas, corporate migration, visa refusals, Administrative Review Tribunal reviews, judicial reviews and visa cancellations.
