BVA (Subclass 010)
Onshore applicants who hold a substantive visa when lodging. The default bridging visa in Australia. BVA guide.
Pillar Guide · BVA · BVB · BVC · BVD · BVE
A bridging visa keeps you lawful while the Department decides.
Your substantive visa is ending. You lodged a new application. A letter arrives titled 'Bridging Visa A Grant Notice'. You read it twice and still are not sure what you are allowed to do on Monday morning. This guide walks through every bridging visa type and the traps that catch people out.
The five bridging visa types
Five bridging visas. Each with different rights.
Australia has five main bridging visa types. The one you are granted depends on your status at the moment of lodgement, not the visa you are applying for.
BVB (Subclass 020)
BVA holders who need to travel overseas and return while the main application is decided. BVB guide.
BVC (Subclass 030)
Onshore applicants who lodge without a substantive visa in force. No work or travel by default. BVC guide.
BVD (Subclass 040/041)
Short-term 5-day bridging, usually granted at the border or in immigration clearance.
BVE (Subclass 050/051)
For unlawful non-citizens, removal pending, ministerial intervention, or judicial review. BVE guide.
The phrase 'in effect' matters
A bridging visa can exist without being active.
This single concept trips up more applicants than any other. Understanding when your bridging visa comes into effect is the foundation for everything else.
Grant date vs activation dateIf your student visa is valid until 15 March and you are granted a BVA, your BVA stays dormant until 15 March. On 16 March it comes in effect and its conditions begin to apply.
Work rights track the effective dateWork rights, travel rights, and any no further stay conditions only operate once the bridging visa is in effect, not from the grant date.
Not a pathway to PRTime spent on a bridging visa does not count toward permanent residence, citizenship, or most visa eligibility requirements.
Cannot sponsor a partnerYou cannot sponsor a partner for a 309/820 partner visa while holding a bridging visa as the primary visa holder. See partner visa overview.
Work rights by bridging visa
Work rights are not uniform.
BVA rights inherit from the previous substantive visa. BVC and BVE require a Form 1005 hardship application. Breach of condition 8101 (no work) is serious.
BVA work rights
Inherited from the previous substantive visa. If that visa allowed unlimited work, the BVA usually does too. If it carried condition 8105, the 48-hour cap flows through.
BVC work rights via Form 1005
BVCs carry condition 8101 by default. Form 1005 hardship evidence is required. Typically 4 to 8 weeks to decide.
Breach consequences
Breaching 8101 triggers cancellation, a 3-year re-entry ban, and PIC 4020 scrutiny on future applications.
BVB applications often take 2 to 4 weeks.
Leaving a buffer of at least six weeks before your planned travel date is the safest approach. Never book flights first. Never assume you can pop back in on a visitor visa. The Department's system detects the withdrawn application on arrival and may cancel your incoming visa.
Common questions
The questions we hear most.
For any bridging visa matter, book with Sourabh Aggarwal.
Can I study on a bridging visa?
Usually yes, but not in Commonwealth-supported places and not with the student visa's full access to services. Full-fee study is generally available. Some BVE grants prohibit study.
Does my Medicare work on a bridging visa?
If your bridging visa is connected to an eligible substantive visa application (partner, parent, permanent skilled) and you meet the reciprocal health agreement criteria, yes. Temporary to temporary usually does not trigger Medicare.
Can my employer sponsor me while I am on a bridging visa?
Yes, an employer can lodge a nomination and a new visa application while you are on a BVA or BVC. However, some employer-sponsored pathways have requirements that cannot be met from a bridging visa.
What happens to my superannuation if I leave?
If you depart Australia permanently without PR, you can claim your superannuation through the DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment) process. Tax on DASP is typically 35 to 65 percent depending on components.
Some information on this page has been sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and has been interpreted and approved by Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal (MARN 1462159). Last reviewed: May 2026.