Bridging visas
A bridging visa keeps you lawful in Australia while a substantive matter is decided. Which one you hold — and what it lets you do — depends on how and when it was granted. This guide explains the four you are most likely to encounter.
Mind the gap
Status is everything. Even a short gap between visas can have lasting consequences — affecting work rights, travel and later applications. If you are unsure what you currently hold, get advice before you act.
Check my statusKnow your bridge
Bridging visa A
Granted automatically when you apply for a new substantive visa while you still hold a valid one. It usually carries the same work rights as your current visa and comes into effect when that visa ceases — keeping you lawful while you wait.
Bridging visa B
The only bridging visa that lets you travel and return to Australia. If you are on a BVA and need to leave temporarily, you must apply for and be granted a BVB before you depart. A BVB carries an application charge ($575 as at 3 July 2026).
Bridging visa C
Granted where you apply for a substantive visa after you have already become unlawful — for example, after a previous visa expired. A BVC usually has no work rights unless you can demonstrate financial hardship, and does not permit travel.
Bridging visa E
For people who are unlawful and resolving their status — while arranging to depart or with a pending application, review or intervention. Highly restrictive, and can engage the section 48 bar. See our dedicated Bridging Visa E page.
Fees current as at 3 July 2026 (FY2026-27); the charge at lodgement date applies — confirm at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. The Bridging Visa A carries no application charge; the Bridging Visa E is nil (free).
Why the bridge matters
Bridging visas are not an afterthought — they are the thread that keeps your presence in Australia lawful. Managing them well protects your work rights, your ability to travel and your future applications.
A lapse in status can have consequences that outlast the gap itself: lost work permission, an inability to travel, and effects on residency and citizenship timelines that rely on holding a visa continuously. The wrong bridging visa — or the wrong sequence of applications — can also engage bars that close off onshore options.
If your matter involves a refusal, cancellation or detention, the bridging visa question sits alongside urgent review deadlines. See our cancellations and ART appeals pages.
Before you move
- • Confirm exactly which visa you currently hold and its conditions before you apply for anything new.
- • If you plan to travel, check whether you need a BVB granted before you leave — a BVA alone will not let you return.
- • If you are already unlawful, get advice before lodging — the section 48 bar and BVE conditions can be decisive.
- • Keep evidence of continuous lawful status; gaps can affect later residency and citizenship applications.
Bridging visa FAQs
What is a bridging visa?
A bridging visa is a temporary visa that keeps you lawfully in Australia while a substantive matter is being resolved — for example, while a new visa application is processed, a review is on foot, or you are arranging to depart. It bridges the gap between visas so you do not become unlawful.
Which bridging visa lets me travel overseas?
Only the Bridging Visa B (BVB) lets you leave Australia and return while your substantive application is being decided. If you hold a Bridging Visa A and need to travel, you must apply for and be granted a BVB before you depart — leaving on a BVA alone means you cannot return on it. The BVB carries an application charge ($575 as at 3 July 2026; confirm at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).
Can I work on a bridging visa?
It depends on the type and how it was granted. A Bridging Visa A usually carries the same work rights as the visa you applied for. Bridging Visa C and Bridging Visa E often have no work rights unless you can demonstrate financial hardship. Always check the conditions on your specific grant before working.
What happens if my substantive visa is refused?
In many onshore cases an associated bridging visa keeps you lawful while you seek merits review at the ART. Cancellation and character matters work differently and can involve much shorter deadlines. If your visa has already ceased, a Bridging Visa E may be the tool to resolve your status — get advice quickly.
Does a gap in status really matter?
Yes. Becoming unlawful, even briefly, can affect work rights, the ability to travel, and later applications — and can engage bars such as section 48 that limit what you can apply for onshore. Managing your bridging visas carefully to maintain continuous lawful status is one of the most important things you can do while a matter is on foot.
Unsure which visa you hold?
Bring your grant letters and application history to a consultation, and we will confirm your status, your rights and the safest next step — before you lodge anything.