A bridging visa is what keeps you lawful in Australia while a substantive visa application is being decided. There are four you are likely to meet — A, B, C and E — and picking the wrong one, or assuming the wrong one lets you travel, is how people accidentally overstay. This guide explains why each exists, who it is for, whether you can work on it, and the rule that catches most people out. Verified 14 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
| What a bridging visa does | Keeps you lawful while a substantive visa application is being decided |
|---|---|
| Bridging visa A (010) | Free. Onshore. Work rights possible. No travel facility |
| Bridging visa B (020) | AUD575.00. Adds a travel facility — apply before you leave |
| Bridging visa C (030) | Free. For applicants whose last substantive visa expired before they applied |
| Bridging visa E (050/051) | Free. For unlawful status, departure arrangements or a Protection visa application |
| How to apply | Online via ImmiAccount or the online webform (since 1 August 2022) |
| Last verified | 14 October 2026 |
Why bridging visas exist
Australia has a strict rule: once your current visa expires, you become unlawful unless you are holding another visa. But some visa applications take months to decide — far longer than the visa you are already holding. Without a bridging visa, you would fall into unlawful status the day your existing visa ran out, even though you did nothing wrong and lodged a valid application in time.
A bridging visa closes that gap. It does not give you a new visa to live on permanently; it holds your status steady so you stay lawful until your substantive application is finally determined — decided, and any review or appeal exhausted. Which bridging visa you get depends on your situation at the moment you applied, so read the section that matches yours.
Bridging visa A (BVA, subclass 010)
This is the default bridging visa. You get it when you are in Australia and you apply, in Australia, for a substantive visa that can be granted while you are here — before your current visa expires. Most people who apply for an onshore partner visa, a further student visa or a skilled visa from inside Australia end up on a BVA.
- Cost: Free.
- Where: You must be in Australia when you apply, and in Australia when it is granted.
- Work rights: You can work if you meet the requirements for work set out in your visa conditions.
- Travel: There is no travel facility. This is the trap — more on it below.
The BVA generally stays in effect until your substantive visa application is finally determined. It is not a replacement visa and it does not extend the stay you were originally granted.
Bridging visa B (BVB, subclass 020)
The BVB is the one you apply for when you need to leave and come back. It is a BVA with a travel facility attached — a defined travel period during which you can depart Australia and return while your substantive application is still being decided.
- Cost: AUD575.00, except in limited circumstances.
- Where: You must be in Australia when you apply, and in Australia when it is granted.
- You must already hold a BVA or a BVB, and have applied in Australia for a substantive visa that can be granted while you are in Australia.
- Work rights: You can work if your BVB permits.
- Travel: You can leave and return within the defined travel period. Outside that period, the travel facility does not cover you.
The critical timing rule: you apply for a BVB before you leave Australia. You cannot apply for it from overseas, and you cannot fix a departure you have already made by applying on your way back.
Bridging visa C (BVC, subclass 030)
The BVC exists for a specific and unforgiving situation: you applied for a new substantive visa after your previous substantive visa had already expired. Because you were not holding a substantive visa when you applied, you do not qualify for a BVA — the BVC is what keeps you lawful instead.
- Cost: Free.
- Where: You must be in Australia when you apply, and in Australia when it is granted.
- Work rights: You can work if you meet the requirements for work.
- Stay: Until your substantive visa application is finally determined, or where granted alongside judicial review, until those proceedings are completed.
If you are choosing between a BVA and a BVC, the deciding question is simply this: was your last substantive visa still valid on the day you lodged? If yes, you are on the BVA track. If it had already expired, you are on the BVC track — and you should lodge as soon as you can, because time spent unlawful before you apply can affect later applications.
Bridging visa E (BVE, subclass 050 and 051)
The BVE is the last-resort bridging visa. It lets you stay lawfully in Australia while you make arrangements to leave, finalise an immigration matter, or wait for an immigration decision. It is used to rectify an immigration status — generally if you are currently unlawful, or you already hold a BVE (050) or a Bridging visa D (041).
- Cost: There is no fee for a BVE application.
- Subclass 050 is the general status-rectification BVE.
- Subclass 051 is used in limited situations for eligible non-citizens whose Protection visa application is being processed.
- Where: You must be in Australia when the application is decided, and the same applies to anyone included in your application.
Because the BVE usually carries tight conditions, work rights are not automatic — check the conditions on your grant. If you are already unlawful, the priority is to get advice and act quickly rather than wait.
The four bridging visas side by side
| Visa | Cost | Typical situation | Travel facility |
|---|---|---|---|
| BVA (010) | Free | Applied onshore before your current visa expired | No |
| BVB (020) | AUD575.00 | Need to leave and return while a decision is pending | Yes, within the defined period |
| BVC (030) | Free | Applied after your last substantive visa had expired | No |
| BVE (050/051) | Free | Unlawful, arranging departure, or a Protection visa matter | No |
The travel trap: BVA has no travel facility
This is the single most expensive misunderstanding in the whole system. A bridging visa A lets you stay, and often lets you work, but it does not let you come back. If you hold a BVA and leave Australia, you cannot re-enter on it — the visa simply does not carry a travel facility.
If you need to travel while your application is being decided, you must apply for a Bridging visa B before you go. The BVB grants you a defined travel period, and as long as you return inside that window you keep your bridging status. Leave without one and you may be unable to return until your substantive visa is decided — or you may need to apply from offshore, which changes the whole picture. Book the BVB early; do not leave it until the week of your flight.
Step-by-step: how to apply
- Work out your situation. Were you holding a valid substantive visa when you lodged? Did you apply onshore? Do you need to travel? Those three answers tell you whether you are on the A, B or C track.
- Lodge online. Since 1 August 2022, BVA, BVB and BVC applications must be made online through ImmiAccount or the Department’s online webform. In-person and paper applications are no longer available.
- Apply before your current visa expires if you can — that is what keeps you on the BVA path rather than the BVC path.
- If you need to travel, apply for a BVB first, while you are still in Australia, and note the travel period you are granted.
- If you are already unlawful, apply for a BVE as soon as possible and get advice on your options — see the official sources below or a MARA-registered agent.
- Keep your details current. Bridging visas are tied to your circumstances, so update your address and contact details in ImmiAccount.
One timing note: the Department publishes no processing time for bridging visas at all. You generally cannot “wait” for a bridging visa the way you wait for a substantive decision, so plan around your substantive application’s timeline instead — our guide to Australian visa processing times explains how to read that.
Common mistakes
- Leaving Australia on a BVA. There is no travel facility. You cannot re-enter on it.
- Applying for a BVB from overseas. You must be in Australia when you apply and when it is granted.
- Assuming all bridging visas let you work. Work rights depend on your conditions — check your grant.
- Letting your visa expire before you lodge. That pushes you from a free BVA onto the BVC track, and can complicate later applications.
- Treating a bridging visa as a new visa. It only holds your status while a substantive application is decided; it is not a fresh stay in its own right.
- Forgetting the cost side. The BVB is not free — see our breakdown of Australian visa fees for where it sits.
FAQ
What is the difference between a bridging visa A and B?
A BVA keeps you lawful in Australia while your substantive application is decided, and has no travel facility. A BVB is a BVA with a travel facility attached, letting you leave and return within a defined travel period. If you need to travel, you apply for the BVB before you leave.
Can I work on a bridging visa?
Often yes, but it depends on the conditions attached to your specific bridging visa. A BVA, BVB and BVC can all allow work if you meet the requirements; a BVE usually carries tighter conditions. Check the conditions on your grant, not a general rule.
What happens if I leave Australia on a bridging visa A?
You cannot return on it. The BVA has no travel facility, so leaving effectively ends your ability to re-enter until your substantive visa is decided or you obtain another visa from offshore. Apply for a BVB before you go if you know you need to travel.
Why am I on a bridging visa C instead of A?
Because you applied for your new substantive visa after your previous substantive visa had already expired. A BVA requires that you held a substantive visa when you applied; if it had lapsed, the BVC is the bridging visa that keeps you lawful.
Is a bridging visa free?
BVA, BVC and BVE applications are free. A BVB costs AUD575.00, except in limited circumstances, because it adds a travel facility.
How long does a bridging visa last?
Generally until your substantive visa application is finally determined — decided and any review completed. It is not a fixed-length visa and the Department publishes no processing time for it.
Official sources
- Bridging visa A (subclass 010) — Department of Home Affairs
- Bridging visa B (subclass 020) — Department of Home Affairs
- Bridging visa C (subclass 030) — Department of Home Affairs
- Bridging visa E (subclasses 050 and 051) — Department of Home Affairs
- Bridging A, B, C visa application online — Department of Home Affairs
AU0061 publishes general information, not personal migration advice. Visa rules and fees change, and eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. Always confirm the current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA-registered migration agent before you act on anything in this guide.