Bridging visas A to E: what you're actually on between visas
The visa most people hold without understanding it. Work rights, travel rules, and the difference between waiting lawfully and drifting into trouble.
Reviewed MARN 0317382Jul 2026 published6 min read
A bridging visa keeps you lawful while something else happens: a new application is decided, a review runs, or you arrange departure. The main ones: Bridging Visa A (granted with a valid onshore application, usually same work rights as promised), Bridging Visa B (the only one that allows travel), Bridging Visa C (for applications lodged without holding a visa, no travel), and Bridging Visa E (the last-resort lawful status, restricted). Which letter you hold decides whether you can work, travel and re-enter.
The letters, decoded
| Visa | You get it when… | Travel |
|---|---|---|
| BVA | You lodge a valid onshore application while holding a substantive visa | No — leaving ends it |
| BVB | You hold a BVA/BVC and need to travel; apply before leaving | Yes, within its window |
| BVC | You apply onshore without holding a substantive visa | No |
| BVE | You're unlawful or need short lawful status to depart or resolve matters | No |
The three traps
- Travelling on a BVA: it provides no re-entry. Leave without a BVB and you're offshore with an onshore application, often fatally.
- Timing the activation: a BVA only activates when your current visa ends. Conditions can differ between the two, and the changeover date matters for work rights.
- Drifting on a BVE: it's designed as a short runway, not a lifestyle. Long unlawful periods before it, and overstays generally, can trigger re-entry bans and PIC hurdles on future applications.
Work rights, briefly
A BVA usually mirrors the work conditions of the application it accompanies; partner-visa BVAs typically carry full work rights. BVC and BVE work rights are restricted and sometimes require separate applications demonstrating financial hardship. Never assume; read the grant letter, because employers verifying you through VEVO will.
General information only, current at 18 July 2026. Not immigration assistance or advice for your circumstances. Visacorp Pty Ltd — MARN 0317382 · 1799004 · 0104178.
Common questions
Can I work on a bridging visa?
Depends on the letter and the application behind it. Partner-application BVAs usually carry full work rights; BVC and BVE rights are restricted and sometimes need a separate hardship application. Check your grant notice.
Can I travel while on a bridging visa?
Only on a Bridging Visa B, applied for before you leave and used within its travel window. Departing on a BVA simply ends it.
How long can I stay on a bridging visa?
Until the application or review it supports is finished, plus a short buffer. Some people lawfully spend years on a BVA during long queues; the visa is as long as the process it bridges.
Unsure where your situation fits?
Twenty minutes with a registered agent is the fastest way to a straight answer.