How to Withdraw a Visa Application in Australia

Migratio Editorial · Last updated 25 September 2026

TL;DR: You can withdraw most visa applications before a decision is made, usually through ImmiAccount or a written request to the Department of Home Affairs. Visa application charges are generally not refunded. If you hold a Bridging Visa A, it will typically cease 35 calendar days after withdrawal — leaving you at risk of becoming unlawful if you take no further action. A withdrawal is not a refusal, so it does not itself trigger the section 48 bar, but the decision to withdraw is significant and hard to reverse. Getting advice from a MARA-registered migration agent before lodging a withdrawal is strongly recommended.

There are situations where withdrawing a lodged visa application is the most sensible course of action — a change in circumstances, a critical error in the application, or the realisation that a different visa type is a better fit. Whatever the reason, withdrawal is a formal step with real consequences that cannot simply be undone. This article explains how the process works, what it costs you, and the key risks — particularly around your bridging visa and the section 48 bar — so you can weigh your options with clear information.

Can you withdraw a visa application?

How to submit a withdrawal request

Will you get your visa application charge back?

What happens to your bridging visa

Withdrawal and the section 48 bar

Reasons why withdrawal might make sense

What withdrawal cannot undo

Getting advice before you withdraw

Frequently asked questions

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