If you are waiting for a visa decision in Australia, chances are you are on a bridging visa right now — or about to be. But bridging visas are not one-size-fits-all. There are seven distinct types, each with different triggers, work rights, and travel conditions. Understanding which one applies to your situation could be the difference between keeping your lawful status and becoming unlawful by mistake.
In this guide I will walk through every bridging visa type — from the common Bridging Visa A to the rarely-discussed Bridging Visa R — and explain what each one means in practical terms.
What Is a Bridging Visa?
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A bridging visa is a temporary visa granted under section 73 of the Migration Act 1958 to maintain your lawful status in Australia while you resolve your immigration situation. It does not lead anywhere on its own — it simply keeps you legal while something else is being decided.
Bridging visas are not substantive visas. They exist outside the main visa framework and are governed by Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994, with each subclass having its own grant criteria and conditions.
The Seven Types of Australian Bridging Visa
Bridging Visa A (BVA) — Subclass 010
The BVA is the most common bridging visa. It is automatically considered when you lodge a valid onshore application for a new substantive visa while still holding a valid substantive visa. In most cases, it is granted at the same time your new application is lodged — you may not even notice it until you check VEVO.
Work rights: Your work conditions mirror those of your previous substantive visa until that visa ceases. Once it lapses, the conditions on your BVA apply — these may include unrestricted work, restricted work under Condition 8105 (commonly imposed on student-linked bridging visas limiting work to 48 hours per fortnight), or no work at all under Condition 8101. If your BVA carries Condition 8101, you can apply to have this varied on grounds of financial hardship using Form 1005.
Travel rights: None. If you leave Australia on a BVA, the visa ceases immediately. Before departing, you must obtain a Bridging Visa B.
Bridging Visa B (BVB) — Subclass 020
The BVB is the only bridging visa that allows you to depart and return to Australia. It is designed for BVA (and sometimes BVC) holders who have a genuine need to travel while their substantive visa application is pending — a family emergency, business travel, or similar circumstance.
The critical rule: you must apply for and be granted the BVB before you leave Australia. There is no retrospective BVB. Departing on your BVA without obtaining a BVB first will cease your BVA permanently, and your underlying application may also cease.
Work rights: Identical to your BVA — no change to work entitlements.
Travel rights: Yes — the BVB specifies a travel window, typically up to three months per trip, assessed case by case. When you return to Australia, the BVB generally ceases and your BVA resumes. The current application fee is AUD $160.
Bridging Visa C (BVC) — Subclass 030
The BVC applies when you lodge a valid onshore substantive visa application after your previous substantive visa has already expired — meaning you were technically unlawful at the time of lodgement. It also applies when you lodge a second substantive application while already holding a BVC.
The Condition 8503 trap: If your prior visa carried Condition 8503 (No Further Stay), you generally cannot lodge a further onshore application and therefore cannot receive a BVC, unless the Department has waived that condition.
Work rights: Not automatic. The BVC typically carries Condition 8101 (no work). To obtain work rights, you need to apply separately and demonstrate compelling financial hardship — expect a processing time of two to four weeks, and have bank statements, rental or mortgage evidence, and a letter from a prospective employer ready.
Travel rights: None. Departing Australia ceases both the BVC and the underlying substantive visa application.
Bridging Visa D (BVD) — Subclasses 040 and 041
The BVD is an emergency visa. There are two subclasses:
- Subclass 040: Granted to unlawful non-citizens — or those whose visa will expire within three working days — who need a short window to lodge a substantive visa application. It lasts five working days only.
- Subclass 041 (Bridging Non-Applicant): Applies where a person has received a Notice of Intention to Consider Cancellation (NOICC) or faces similar enforcement action and needs temporary status not linked to a new application lodgement.
Work rights: None. Condition 8101 applies to both subclasses. Subclass 041 also carries Condition 8401, requiring the holder to report to the Department as directed.
Travel rights: None. Departure causes immediate cessation.
Bridging Visa E (BVE) — Subclasses 050 and 051
The BVE covers a broader range of complex situations than any other bridging visa:
- Subclass 050: For unlawful non-citizens taking active steps to resolve their status — such as appealing to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), seeking ministerial intervention, or making departure arrangements. Also granted to persons released from immigration detention under section 195A of the Migration Act 1958.
- Subclass 051: Specifically for onshore Protection visa (Subclass 866) applicants awaiting a decision.
Work rights: Variable and case-specific. Reporting conditions under Condition 8401 are common. Some BVE holders have unrestricted work rights; others are restricted under Condition 8116 or prohibited under Condition 8101. Always verify conditions on VEVO before advising on employment.
A notable update from October 2025: the Migration (Specification of Class of Persons) Instrument 2025 (LIN 25/091) confirmed that BVE holders granted under section 195A — those released from immigration detention — are explicitly exempt from Conditions 8101 and 8116. Their right to work while resolving their immigration status is now legislatively confirmed.
Travel rights: None. Departure causes the BVE to cease.
Bridging Visa F (BVF) — Subclass 060
The BVF is rare and applies exclusively to suspected victims of human trafficking or slavery who have been identified by Commonwealth, State, or Territory police as cooperating with an investigation. It is not applied for by the individual — a police referral triggers the grant process.
The BVF lasts up to 45 days and can be renewed for a further 45 days. No work rights are granted under any circumstances, and strict reporting conditions apply.
Bridging Visa R (BVR) — Subclass 070
Also rare, the BVR applies to individuals held in immigration detention whose removal from Australia is not reasonably practicable — for example, because no travel documents are available or there is no accepting country. It allows release from detention into the community while removal is arranged.
Work rights are generally restricted or absent. Strict residence and reporting conditions typically apply, and the person remains subject to removal proceedings.
Bridging Visa Types at a Glance
- BVA (010): Applied onshore before visa expired — work mirrors prior visa — no travel
- BVB (020): Travel permit for BVA holders — work mirrors BVA — travel allowed within specified window
- BVC (030): Applied after visa expired (unlawful) — no work unless hardship approved — no travel
- BVD (040/041): Emergency 5-day visa — no work — no travel
- BVE (050/051): Appeals, intervention, protection applicants — work assessed case by case — no travel
- BVF (060): Trafficking victims — no work — no travel
- BVR (070): Detainees pending removal — no or restricted work — no travel
The Most Important Rule About Bridging Visas and Travel
Only the Bridging Visa B allows you to leave and re-enter Australia. For every other bridging visa type, departing Australia causes the visa to cease immediately — and in most cases, your underlying substantive visa application ceases too.
This is one of the most common and costly mistakes I see. A client on a BVA travels for a family emergency without obtaining a BVB first, and their partner visa application is terminated. The application fee is lost, the processing time resets, and years of relationship evidence are rendered unusable for that application. The BVB must be in place before you leave Australian territory — there is no remedy available after the fact.
What About the 2026 Arrival Control Laws?
The Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 13 March 2026, introduced new ministerial powers to temporarily cease the visas of certain temporary visa holders outside Australia. The first determination affected Iranian Subclass 600 (visitor) holders.
Importantly, persons holding bridging visas linked to a Protection visa application are explicitly exempt from these arrival control determinations. If you are advising clients with pending protection applications who are outside Australia, this exemption is relevant to their re-entry rights.
Key Practical Points for Bridging Visa Holders
- Always check your actual bridging visa conditions on VEVO — do not assume. Work conditions vary significantly depending on how the visa was granted.
- Apply for a BVB before any international travel. Lodge the BVB application well in advance — processing is generally fast but not instantaneous.
- If your BVC or BVA carries Condition 8101 and you need to work, lodge a work rights variation with supporting documentation. Allow two to four weeks for processing.
- If you have received a visa refusal, check whether section 48 of the Migration Act bars you from making further onshore applications. This affects many clients who are unaware of it.
- Working when Condition 8101 applies is a criminal offence under section 76 of the Migration Act 1958 and can result in immediate visa cancellation and a bar from further applications.
Need Help With Your Bridging Visa Situation?
Bridging visas sit at the intersection of procedural law and practical timing — getting them right matters. Whether you need a BVB before an emergency trip, want to understand your work rights, or are dealing with a more complex BVE situation involving an ART appeal or ministerial intervention, VisaTasker can help you navigate it correctly.
Contact Awais, registered migration agent MARN 2318017, for a consultation on your specific circumstances.
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- Australia’s Points-Based Skilled Migration: How the 189 and 190 Visas Work
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Reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services
MARA Registered Migration Agent · MARN 2318017
This article is written and reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services, a MARA-registered migration agency based in Australia. As registered agents, we are bound by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct and required to provide accurate, up-to-date advice based on Australian migration legislation. Information is reviewed against the latest Department of Home Affairs policy.
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