If you are in Australia and your visa is going to expire in near future, you should not wait for the last minute to apply for a suitable visa in particular if your visa that you are currently holding has a condition that prevents you from applying for a new visa in Australia. You are unsure, check your visa condition in your Visa Grant letter or VEVO.
Below is the update from the Department of Home Affairs which will help you understand where you stand in this situation
If you can’t return to your home country
You should apply for a new visa before your current visa expires.
If you are Staying in Australia
You must apply for a new visa before your current visa expires. You might be granted a bridging visa that will keep you lawful until a decision is made on your visa application.
If you have No further stay condition (includes 8503, 8534 and 8535) in your Visa
You can’t apply for most other visas until you leave Australia. If your visa has less than 2 months validity remaining, you can request to waive this condition. We will advise you of the outcome of your request. If your request is approved, you can make a new visa application.
Condition 8558 (Non-resident cannot stay for more than 12 months in any 18 months period)
You will need to apply for a new visa that suits your new needs.
If your Visa has expired
If your visa has expired, you need to apply for Bridging E visa (BVE) immediately in order to become lawful. A BVE keeps you lawful while you make arrangements to leave or finalise your immigration matter.
Complying with visa conditions
If you can’t provide additional information due to office closure (Health or Police clearances, Biometrics, English Language Testing)
You will be given additional time to complete checks and provide the requested information.
If you can’t return to Australia before my visa expires and want to return
You will need to apply for a new visa once the travel restrictions are lifted.
Can’t complete Australian Study Requirement or periods of stay under the regional initiatives for Temporary graduate visa holders
We are looking at concessions on a case-by-case basis.
Bridging Visa Holders
If your Bridging visa expires and you are outside Australia, you will need to apply for another visa. Bridging visas cannot be granted if you are outside Australia.
Visa medical appointments
Clients should be aware of disruptions to visa medical services, both in Australia and outside Australia, due to COVID-19.
In Australia
Bupa Visa Medical Services and other Visa Medical Services clinics continue to operate. However, visa medical services have reduced due to requirements of Department of Health in relation to COVID-19.
The measures include social distancing. This is to be implemented for all existing bookings from 19 March onwards. The measures may reduce appointment availability in many centres.
We will cancel some bookings and issue refunds. We will contact all people with cancelled appointments and reschedule into available appointments before opening the booking system to new appointments.
These measures are temporary. They will be reviewed regularly on the advice of the Department of Health.
The measures are intended to ensure the health and safety of visa applicants attending clinics, as well as clinic staff, in line with Australian Government recommendations.
Outside Australia
There are disruptions to overseas services. Some clinics have temporarily suspended or reduced operations for the next few months.
A large number of panel clinics are implementing additional risk management controls according to their national management responses to COVID-19 and their respective government’s advice.
Permanent visa holders
Permanent residents of Australia may return to Australia. They will be required to undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities (for example, a hotel), in their port of arrival. This includes people offshore who have been granted a permanent visa but have not yet arrived on that visa.
If you are seeking migration advice and any kind of assistance, contact EMC- Education and Migration Centre. We are working round the clock to assist who is in need.
You can reach us on the following below number:
- 0478-278-410
- 03-86395861
- 1300 896 519
Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
