Bridging visas Australia allow many people to remain lawful while an immigration matter is unresolved.
But a bridging visa is not simply an extension of your previous visa.
Different bridging visas have different rules for work, travel and when they come into effect.
A mistake with travel or visa expiry can leave you unable to return to Australia or even become unlawful.
This Millennium Migration guide explains the main bridging visas and the rules to check in 2026.
Use this bridging visas Australia guide alongside your own grant notice. It explains common situations; your visa conditions and individual circumstances determine what you can do.
Sam Lotfollahi · MARN 0901704 ↗
Founder, Millennium Migration · Australian Registered Migration Agent · 10 min read · ★ Google reviews
Published 10 October 2026 · Updated 10 October 2026 · Sources checked 10 October 2026
Principal at Millennium Migration · Melbourne and Adelaide · Seventeen years of migration practice.
The short version
| Visa | Typical purpose | Travel? | Work? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridging Visa A (BVA) — subclass 010 | Remain lawful after a substantive visa ends while another application is processed | No return right | Depends on conditions |
| Bridging Visa B (BVB) — subclass 020 | Remain lawful and travel during an approved travel period | Yes, within approved period | Depends on conditions |
| Bridging Visa C (BVC) — subclass 030 | Often used where a valid onshore application was made without holding a substantive visa | No | Depends on conditions |
| Bridging Visa E (BVE) — subclasses 050 and 051 | Resolve unlawful status, immigration matters or certain protection matters | No | Depends on conditions |
Bridging visas Australia: what is a bridging visa?
A bridging visa is a temporary visa used to keep a person lawful while another immigration process continues.
This may involve a substantive visa application, review proceedings or arrangements to resolve immigration status.
A substantive visa is generally any visa other than a bridging, criminal justice or enforcement visa.
Important: lodging an Expression of Interest does not give you a bridging visa.
A SkillSelect EOI is not a visa application and does not protect you when your current visa expires.
Bridging visas Australia: when does a BVA start?
A Bridging Visa A generally allows you to stay after your current substantive visa ceases.
It is commonly associated with a valid substantive visa application lodged while you hold another substantive visa.
Nearly all bridging visas are applied for automatically as part of a substantive visa application, but a separate application is needed in some cases. Check your grant notice; an application is not a guarantee of grant.
Your BVA normally does not replace your current substantive visa immediately.
You continue following your current visa conditions until that visa ceases and the BVA comes into effect.
Do not cancel your current visa to activate a BVA.
Home Affairs warns that cancellation can also cancel the bridging visa and leave you unlawful.
Can you work on a Bridging Visa A?
Work rights are not automatic simply because you hold a BVA.
Your grant notice and Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) record show whether you can work and whether restrictions apply.
If your BVA prevents or restricts work, you may sometimes apply for another BVA with different conditions.
Home Affairs says financial hardship will usually need to be demonstrated.
Special restrictions apply in some protection visa and judicial review situations.
Can you travel on a Bridging Visa A?
A BVA does not provide a right to leave Australia and return.
If an in-effect BVA holder departs Australia, the BVA ceases.
If you need to travel and return while your substantive application is processing, check BVB eligibility and obtain a grant before leaving. Applying alone does not give you travel rights.
Common myth: leaving on a BVA does not automatically mean every pending visa application is cancelled.
But losing the BVA can leave you without a visa allowing return, so travel must be planned carefully.
Bridging visas Australia: BVB travel rules
A Bridging Visa B is the main bridging visa that permits departure and return during an approved travel period.
You must hold a BVA or BVB and be in Australia when you apply and when the BVB is granted. Other eligibility requirements also apply.
The travel facility can allow single or multiple travel and is valid only until the date specified.
If you are outside Australia when the approved travel period ends, your BVB ceases. For bridging visas Australia travel planning, check the return deadline before booking.
If the travel period is not long enough, a new BVB should be granted before departure.
The standard BVB application charge is AUD $575, checked on 10 October 2026. Limited concessions apply, including for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste passport holders from 1 July 2026. Recheck the official charge before paying.
Bridging visas Australia: BVC without a substantive visa
A BVC may be relevant where a valid onshore application is lodged without holding a substantive visa.
Like a BVA, it can allow you to remain lawfully while the substantive application is processed.
A BVC does not provide travel rights.
If an in-effect BVC holder leaves Australia, the BVC ceases.
Home Affairs also states that a BVC holder cannot be granted a BVB for travel and return.
Work rights on a BVC
An initial BVC may have a no-work condition, although exceptions apply to certain skilled visa applications.
For bridging visas Australia work checks, identify the subclass and the actual conditions first. The label “bridging visa” alone does not establish permission to work.
If work is not permitted, you may be able to seek another BVC by demonstrating financial hardship.
Bridging visas Australia: BVE and lawful status
A BVE can help a person remain lawful while they resolve an immigration matter or arrange departure.
For subclass 050, you must be unlawful, hold a BVE subclass 050 or hold a Bridging Visa D subclass 041 when you apply. Subclass 051 applies to certain eligible protection visa applicants.
A BVE cannot generally be applied for in advance simply because a substantive visa is about to expire.
If your visa has already expired, Home Affairs says you should depart or apply for a BVE immediately.
Remaining in Australia without a valid visa can lead to detention and removal.
If your visa has expired, resolving your status quickly is important. Seek prompt help from a registered migration agent, an Australian legal practitioner or the Home Affairs Status Resolution Service.
Can you work on a Bridging Visa E?
Your BVE grant letter will state whether work is permitted.
If it does not allow work, limited pathways may exist to seek work rights based on financial hardship.
Different rules apply to protection, judicial review and ministerial intervention cases.
This bridging visas Australia overview cannot determine your BVE work rights from the visa name alone. Have the conditions and the reason for the grant checked before starting work.
Travel rules are one of the biggest bridging visa traps
| Bridging visa | What happens if you leave Australia? |
|---|---|
| BVA | Ceases on departure when in effect; it does not let you return |
| BVB | You can leave and return within the approved travel period |
| BVC | Ceases on departure when in effect; no BVB travel facility is available to BVC holders |
| BVE | Ends if you leave Australia; return requires another visa |
Bridging visas Australia: check your active visa
No.
If your substantive visa is still valid, you generally continue holding and complying with that visa first.
The bridging visa usually comes into effect when the substantive visa ceases.
Check VEVO rather than assuming which visa is currently in effect.
What happens after a visa refusal?
Your bridging visa position can depend on whether you have valid review rights and act within the required timeframe.
Bridging visas may continue or be available during eligible merits or judicial review proceedings.
However, review deadlines and bridging visa rules are separate and should be checked immediately after refusal.
Judicial review may require a new bridging visa application. Do not assume that starting court proceedings automatically extends your stay. For bridging visas Australia review matters, check the decision letter, grant notice and applicable deadlines together.
Five mistakes to avoid with bridging visas Australia
- Assuming every bridging visa includes unrestricted work rights.
- Leaving Australia on a BVA or BVC without checking travel consequences.
- Thinking a bridging visa starts immediately when your current visa is still valid.
- Cancelling a substantive visa to try to activate the bridging visa.
- Ignoring visa expiry and becoming unlawful before seeking advice.
Frequently asked questions about bridging visas Australia
Work and travel
Does a Bridging Visa A let me work?
Not automatically. Work rights depend on the conditions shown in your grant notice and VEVO.
Can I travel overseas on a Bridging Visa A?
A BVA does not permit return to Australia. If eligible, you need a BVB granted before travelling and must return within its approved travel period.
How much does a Bridging Visa B cost in 2026?
The standard application charge is AUD $575, checked on 10 October 2026. Limited concessions can apply, so check the Home Affairs BVB page before paying.
Can a Bridging Visa C holder get a Bridging Visa B?
No. Home Affairs states that BVC holders cannot be granted a BVB for travel and return.
Visa expiry and lawful stay
What should I do if my Australian visa has expired?
You should resolve your status immediately. Home Affairs says you should leave or apply for a BVE if eligible.
Can I work on a Bridging Visa E?
Only if your visa conditions permit it. In some cases, financial hardship may support a request for work rights.
Applications and status checks
Does lodging an EOI give me a bridging visa?
No. An Expression of Interest is not a visa application and does not provide a bridging visa.
How do I check which bridging visa is active?
Check VEVO for your current visa, work rights, expiry information and applicable conditions. Read your grant notice too, and seek advice if the records or dates are unclear.
Need help with bridging visas Australia?
Work rights, travel and review deadlines can depend on the exact visa and conditions currently in effect.
Millennium Migration can review your visa status and explain your options and next steps.
Free visa assessment Book a consultationRelated reading
- ART Backlog and Waiting Times 2026
- Australian Migration Changes 2026
- Australian Visa Options
- Free Australian Visa Assessment
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs — Bridging Visa A subclass 010 . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Bridging Visa B subclass 020 . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Bridging Visa C subclass 030 . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Bridging Visa E subclasses 050 and 051 . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Your visa is expiring or has expired . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Changing visas and staying lawful . Verified 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Bridging Visa E subclass 050. Checked 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Check visa details and conditions. Checked 10 October 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs — Status Resolution Service. Checked 10 October 2026.
General information only, not migration advice. Bridging visa rights depend on your individual visa conditions. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
Sources checked on 10 October 2026. Rules and charges can change; recheck official information before applying or travelling.
Sam Lotfollahi, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 0901704, leads Millennium Migration.