Bridging Visa B for up to 5 years – what is happening with family visas?

We’re starting to see Bridging Visa B (BVB) travel permissions being granted for up to five years in family visa cases.

Not long ago, BVB travel was issued for a few weeks. Then it shifted to 12 months. And now we see grants up to 5 years.

That is not a small administrative adjustment, this seems to be structural.

We all know family visas are no longer measured in months. They are measured in years. Many applicants remain onshore for extended periods while applications move slowly through the system.

So the question becomes:

– Is this simply administrative efficiency?
– Or is it recognition that long-term bridging status is becoming the norm?

A five-year travel facility suggests the Department is aligning bridging conditions with processing reality.

And when policy settings start adapting to delay rather than resolving it, it usually signals something deeper.

Are we being quietly prepared for:

• Further restructuring of family visa processing?
• Changes to eligibility or priority settings?

What are you seeing in your practice?

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