Bridging visa A (BVA) Subclass 020

A Bridging visa A (BVA) is a temporary visa. It allows you to stay in Australia after your current substantive visa ceases and while your substantive visa application is being processed. It can be granted if you lodge an application in Australia for a substantive visa while you still hold a substantive visa. A BVA does not allow you to return to Australia if you leave.

BVA either does not allow you to work in Australia, or there are work restrictions, but you believe you have a compelling need to work. We might ask you to provide evidence that you are in financial hardship.

BVC allows you to remain lawfully in Australia until a decision is made on your substantive visa application.
You must comply with any conditions on your BVC when it is in effect.

​Bridging visa B (BVB) Subclass 020

A Bridging visa B (BVB) is a temporary visa. It allows you to leave and return to Australia while your application for a substantive visa is being processed. Provided you return to Australia within the specified travel period, a BVB will then allow you to stay in Australia while your substantive visa application is being processed. You can hold a substantive visa and a BVB at the same time.

BVB either does not allow you to work in Australia, or there are work restrictions, but you believe you have a compelling need to work. We might ask you to provide evidence that you are in financial hardship

BVC allows you to remain lawfully in Australia until a decision is made on your substantive visa application.
You must comply with any conditions on your BVC when it is in effect.

​Bridging visa C (BVC) Subclass 030

A Bridging visa C (BVC) is a temporary visa. It allows you to stay in Australia while your application for a substantive visa is being processed. A BVC can be granted if you lodge an application in Australia for a substantive visa but you do not already hold a substantive visa. A BVC does not allow you to return to Australia if you leave.
A BVC does not allow you to return to Australia if you leave.
 

Working in Australia while you hold a BVC

The initial BVC that is granted to you when you apply for your substantive visa will not allow you to work, unless the substantive visa you have applied for is one of the following Skill Select visas:

• Business Talent visa (subclass 132)
• Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)
• Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888)
• Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187)
• Skilled — Independent visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled — Nominated visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled — Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

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If your BVC does not let you work in Australia or has restrictions on working, you can apply for another BVC that lets you work. To be considered for a BVC that lets you work, you will usually have to demonstrate that you are in financial hardship. If you are a skill select visa applicant and you apply for a BVC for judicial review of the decision to refuse your substantive visa application, you can be granted a new BVC that allows you to work.

If you are a Protection visa applicant and you apply for a BVC for judicial review of the decision to refuse your substantive visa application, you can only be granted a new BVC that allows you to work if the last BVC granted to you allowed you to work. If you are not a Protection or skill select visa applicant and you apply for a BVC for judicial review of the decision to refuse your substantive visa application, you can only be granted a new BVC that will not allow you to work, even if your last BVC allowed you to work.

​​Bridging visa D (BVD) Subclass 040 and 041

A Bridging visa D (BVD) is a temporary visa. If your substantive visa has ended, it lets you stay in Australia lawfully for a short time until you are able to make a substantive visa application, make arrangements to leave Australia or are granted a Bridging visa E (BVE). It does not let you work or re-enter Australia if you leave.

BVD (subclass 040) if all of the following apply to you:
• you are in Australia
• you do not hold a visa or you hold a visa that will end in the next three working days after the day you applied for the BVD
• you tried but were unable to apply for a substantive visa – for example, you did not pay the correct charge or you filled out the wrong visa application form – but you will be able to do so within the next five working days (you might then be eligible for a Bridging visa C (BVC)

You can only be granted a BVD (subclass 041) if all of the following apply to you:
• you are in Australia
• you do not hold a visa
• you are either unable or do not want to apply for a substantive visa
• an authorized officer is not available to interview you.

You need a bridging visa to stay in Australia if your substantive visa ends before you are granted another visa or you are making arrangements to leave Australia. If you are in Australia without a visa, you are an unlawful non-citizen. This can cause problems for you, such as:
• you risk being detained and removed from Australia
• you might not be granted another visa for three years after you leave Australia
• you might have a debt to the Australian Government for the cost of your removal

​Bridging visa E (BVE) Subclass 050 and 051

A Bridging visa E (BVE) is a temporary visa. If your substantive visa has ended, it lets you stay in Australia lawfully while you make arrangements to leave, finalize your immigration matter or are waiting for an immigration decision. It does not let you re-enter Australia if you leave.

BVE (subclass 050) if one of the following applies:

•  You are an unlawful non-citizen, the holder of a BVE (subclass 050) or the holder of a BVD (subclass 041) and;

• you are making arrangements to depart Australia.

• you are applying for a substantive visa.

• you are seeking merits or judicial review of a visa decision or citizenship decision.

• you are seeking ministerial intervention.

• You might be granted a BVE (subclass 051) if you meet all of the following.

• You were refused immigration clearance or bypassed immigration clearance and came to our notice within 45 days and;

• you are in immigration detention

• you have applied for a protection visa

• you meet other specific requirements relating to age, health or nomination, or you meet the requirements for a further BVE (subclass 051).

There are two types of BVEs:

• Bridging (General) visa (subclass 050) – generally if you are currently unlawful, the holder of a BVE 050 or the holder of a BVD 041.
• Bridging (Protection Visa Applicant) visa (subclass 051) – used in limited circumstances for eligible non-citizens (as specified by the Regulations) who are not prevented from making a bridging visa application under the Migration Act or Regulations.