Overstaying Australian Visa 2023

Updated June 2023

Overstaying Australian visa is a nightmare for every Australian visa holder. Most Australian visa holders do not realize that they have overstayed their visa. And when it happens, they do not know what the right thing to do is.

Should they notify the Department? Or should they keep it to themselves?

ONE derland Consulting is here to explain the right things to do when you accidentally overstay your Australian visa.

What does overstaying Australian visa mean?

Are you currently staying temporarily in Australia? What visa do you hold now?

Temporary Australian visas have an expiration date. It is very important for you to be aware of your visa’s expiry date because you must leave Australia before your visa expires or else you will be in trouble.

If you are still in Australia while your visa has expired, it means you have overstayed your Australian visa.

If you are in this situation now, you must be aware of the consequences of overstaying an Australian visa, and what you should do if you accidentally overstayed your Australian visa.

You should never underestimate an overstaying visa case as it is a violation of the law. It is best if you process your overstay visa case as soon as possible because the longer you overstay your visa, the worse the situation gets.

What you need to do if you overstayed your Australian visa

If you accidentally overstay your Australian visa, the first thing that you must do is inform the Department. Many visa holders are afraid to notify the Department regarding their overstayed visa case because they think the Department will detain them. In actuality, the Department will not arrest you when you inform them of your case.

Once you inform the Department, you will be referred to a Bridging Visa E application. By holding a Bridging Visa E, you can stay in Australia legally while preparing for your departure or arranging another Australian visa application.

Impact of overstaying Australian Visa

Generally, if you are caught overstaying your Australian visa, you will face detention, deportation, or re-entry bans. You will encounter different impacts if you have overstayed your Australian visa for less or more than 28 days. Here are the consequences:

Less than 28 days

If you overstay your Australian visa less than 28 days and you have an Australian partner, you may be able to apply for an Australian partner visa to remain there legally. But, you need to provide the evidence to support your eligibility for an Australian partner visa. It is better to seek legal advice from a registered migration agent to help you.

And if you are willing to sort your visa status, you can consider applying for a bridging visa. With the bridging visa, you can stay legally in Australia and arrange your departure to your home country or prepare for another Australian visa application.

More than 28 days

If you overstay your Australian visa for more than 28 days, the situation will be worse for you. It will lead you to an exclusion period once you apply for another Australian visa. It means your future visa application will not be granted for a minimum of three years. The situation is applicable even if you left Australia voluntarily.

You also need to pay any debts that you own to the Australian Government for detaining and removing you from the country. If you do not pay it, your future Australian visa application will not be granted.

Even though you have overstayed your Australian visa, you still have a chance to apply for an Australian visa with a Schedule 3 Criteria. Never heard about Schedule 3 Criteria? We will explain it to you.

What is Schedule 3 Criteria?

Schedule 3 Criteria will allow visa holders who have overstayed their Australian visa to apply for another Australian visa on compassionate or compelling grounds in Australia. There are additional requirements with the Schedule 3 Criteria, you have to meet before applying for an Australian visa. You must meet the extra requirements below when you make a visa application within 28 days after your substantive visa has ceased.

You do not hold a substantive visa because of any situations beyond your control;
You have compelling reasons to support your visa application;
You have complied any conditions of your previous visa;
You have an intention to compile any conditions of your future visa once it is granted;
You will be granted a visa if you had applied for a visa on the last day you held a substantive visa;
Your previous visa is not subject to 8503 – No Further Stay condition.

If you can not meet all the requirements above, you can apply for a Schedule 3 Waiver, but you must have a strong case with supporting letters and evidence. If this all sounds too complicated for you, it is best to seek assistance from a registered migration agent to find the best solutions to handle your case.

So, what visa options are left for me?

You still have some visa options even though you have overstayed your Australian visa. However, the options left are limited. It would help if you also had compelling reasons to support your visa application. So, what are the options?

If you are outside Australia
- If you have left Australia after overstaying your Australian visa, you can apply for Australian permanent visas. These permanent visas include permanent partner visas and permanent working visas.
If you are in Australia
- If you are in Australia after overstaying your Australian visa, you can only apply for a partner visa onshore. With the partner visa application, you must provide compelling reasons to support your application.

Sounds complicated to you?

We do understand that an overstayed visa case sounds complicated to you. ONE derland Consulting will delightedly help you to find the best solutions for your case. Also, it is better to have a registered migration agent as they will give you the most valid information and be able to provide visa pathways for you if available.

Even during the COVID-19 Pandemic, applying for a visa to Australia is indeed very complicated. With our visa specialists at ONE derland Consulting, we will help you assess your visa options. We have a 98% success rate and one of the most recommended migration agents in Australia. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews.

We specialise in complex visa cases. As registered Australian migration agents with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

Take the first leap and get in touch with us. Our migration agents and our team are professional, honest, and our team members can speak various languages such as Mandarin/ Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic, Japanese, Polish, German and Russian. Contact us through email at [email protected] or via phone on 1300 827 159. Alternatively, you may book your consultation online, and it is 100% refundable if you become our client.

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We have helped several Australian temporary visa holders who mistakenly overstay their visa.

Do not worry about your case. Let ONE derland Consulting, the expert of complex visa cases handle your overstay case.

“Massive thanks to all the team specially Indah and Jamie. My visa conditions was very complicated but they did a great job. Definitely one of the best.”

Maria Helen De Guzman

Bridging Visa E

Indah Melindasari, B.Com

Lead Migration Agent – MARN 0961 448

1300 827 159

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