Bridge Visas

[Baker1702]

Hi

 

Wonder if anyone can shed some light on my situation. My girlfriend and I are hoping to emigrate to Melbourne next year. Was hoping for July. I'm already an Australian Citizen through descendant's, so we are looking at partnership visa's. On the home affairs website it states that the partnership temporary visa can take up to 21 months to be processed outside of Australia, or 26 months if applied for inside Australia. Because of our goal to be there this time next year, we have been researching BVB Bridge visas. More specifically Bridge Visa B (The one that allows travel in and out of Australia within a certain time window). 

 

If we were to leave next July, would it be possible to get my girlfriend over on a working holiday visa initially, then apply for the partnership visa while in Australia, eventually put her on the Bridge visa until the Partner visa is processed? Has any one been in this situation? If so what did you do?

 

Thanks in advance :D 

[Quoll]

Girlfriend or partner? If you can evidence the living together requirement now, put it in now. They’re taking longer than the 2 months they were taking in London earlier this year but a year should be ample. 

[Baker1702]

girlfriend. We haven't lived together for the required 12 months yet. we will have in Feb next year

[MaggieMay24]

She could enter on the WHV (assuming she's eligible) and then at some point before that expires, and when you meet the criteria for a partner visa, she can submit that application from within Australia.  She'd be given a bridging visa A immediately but it doesn't take effect until the WHV expires.  Once it takes effect, she'd need to apply for a BVB if she wanted to travel overseas.

[Baker1702]

Perfect. That’s made things clearer! Thanks a lot. Appreciated :)