How bridging visas appear and work in ImmiAccount

When a BVA is automatically granted

A Bridging Visa A (BVA, subclass 010) is typically granted automatically at the time of lodgement when you submit a valid visa application in ImmiAccount while you hold a substantive visa or another eligible bridging visa in Australia. You do not need to fill out a separate application for the BVA — the system generates it as part of the lodgement process.

After lodgement, the BVA appears in your ImmiAccount under your visa applications. It will initially show as a separate entry linked to the substantive visa application you just lodged. The BVA does not come into effect immediately if your current substantive visa is still valid; it activates only when your substantive visa ceases. This means you may see the BVA listed with a status indicating it has been granted but is not yet "in effect."

Not every application triggers an automatic BVA. If you lodge an application while unlawful, or if the application is lodged outside Australia, no BVA is generated. The specific eligibility criteria depend on the visa subclass and your immigration status at the time of lodgement.

How BVB travel applications work

A Bridging Visa B (BVB, subclass 020) allows you to travel outside Australia and return while your substantive visa application is being processed. Unlike the BVA, a BVB is not granted automatically — you must apply for it separately, using Form 1006 — *Application for a Bridging visa B* — or through ImmiAccount if you applied for your substantive visa there. To be granted a BVB you must already hold a BVA or BVB, have substantial reasons for wishing to leave and re-enter Australia, and your return must not be contrary to the public interest.

Home Affairs says to apply no more than 3 months, and not less than 2 weeks, before the date you want to travel. The BVB application charge is $575, with a $195 concession fee in some circumstances; Home Affairs publishes no processing time for this visa.

The BVB application is lodged and processed through ImmiAccount. Once granted, it appears as a separate visa record in your account. The BVB has a specified travel period — if you do not return to Australia before the BVB expires, you will not be able to re-enter on it, and your BVA may have ceased.

Where bridging visas appear in your dashboard

All bridging visas associated with your applications are visible in the ImmiAccount dashboard. They appear in the same list as your substantive visa applications but are labelled with the bridging visa subclass (e.g., "Bridging Visa A - 010" or "Bridging Visa B - 020").

Each bridging visa entry shows:

• Status — such as "Granted," "In effect," or "Ceased."
• Grant date — the date the bridging visa was granted.
• Conditions — any conditions attached to the bridging visa, such as work restrictions or "No further stay" conditions.
• Associated application — a link back to the substantive visa application that triggered the bridging visa.

If you hold multiple bridging visas (for example, a BVA from a previous application and a new BVA from a more recent application), all will appear in your dashboard. Only the most recently granted bridging visa in effect applies.

Checking bridging visa conditions

Bridging visa conditions determine what you are permitted to do while on the visa — including whether you can work, whether there are study limitations, and whether a "No further stay" condition applies. You can view these conditions in ImmiAccount by selecting the bridging visa entry and reviewing its details.

The conditions are also recorded on the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system, which employers and service providers may check independently. If you are unsure about a particular condition code (e.g., condition 8101, 8201, or 8303), the Department's website lists all condition numbers and their meanings.

Do not assume that the conditions on your bridging visa are the same as the conditions on your previous substantive visa. Bridging visas often carry different or more restrictive conditions.

Bridging Visa C and how it differs

A Bridging Visa C (BVC, subclass 030) is granted in specific circumstances — generally when an applicant lodges a subsequent visa application while already on a BVA or BVB. A BVC does not allow the holder to depart and return to Australia (unlike a BVB) and may carry different conditions than a BVA.

In ImmiAccount, a BVC appears in the same way as a BVA or BVB — as a separate visa record in your application list. Its conditions and status are viewable in the same detail screen. The key practical difference visible in the portal is the subclass number (030) and any conditions listed.

Form 1005 and when it applies

Form 1005 — *Application for a Bridging visa A, B or C* — is a general bridging visa form, separate from the BVB travel form (Form 1006) covered above. Home Affairs says to use Form 1005 where: your substantive visa application was lodged electronically while you were outside Australia and you are now in Australia; a previous bridging visa has ceased — for example, because you departed and later returned to Australia while your substantive visa application is still undetermined; you want a new bridging visa with different conditions to the one you currently hold, such as work rights; or you are seeking judicial review.

Where you're eligible to lodge it through ImmiAccount rather than as a PDF upload, the form is presented as an online form. It asks for:

• Personal details of the applicant and any family members included
• Current visa details
• Details of the substantive visa application being processed
• Evidence relevant to your circumstance, such as a compelling need to work
• A residential address in Australia — a PO box is not accepted, and leaving this blank makes the application invalid

Complete the form within ImmiAccount where eligible, or upload the completed form through the Department's online forms page, pay any application charge that applies, and submit. The application then appears in your dashboard with its own status tracking.