Onshore visa
Statutory definition
Under Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994, the grant criteria for an onshore visa subclass specify that the applicant must be in Australia (in the migration zone) at the time of grant. A person outside Australia at the time of decision cannot be granted such a visa.
Explanation
Onshore visas — such as the Subclass 820 (partner temporary) and most bridging visas — are designed for applicants who are already in Australia and maintain their status while a further application is processed. The key question is always the applicant's location at the time of grant, not at the time of application. Where a subclass can be applied for onshore but is granted only onshore, the applicant must not depart Australia before the visa is granted, or the grant condition will not be satisfied.