Bridging visa B (subclass 020)

Who is eligible?

• You have held a substantive visa and now hold a Bridging visa A or B.
• You have a valid substantive visa application that is not finally decided, or it was refused and you applied for judicial review in time and it is not finished.
• Any review application was made within the time limit.
• You have substantial reasons to leave and return while your application is being considered, and you attach supporting documents.
• You meet the character requirement and are in Australia when the BVB is decided. There is no age limit.

How much does it cost?

A$575, with concessions in limited circumstances. From 1 July 2026 a lower charge applies to eligible citizens of Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, recognised from the passport used in the application. Any difference is refunded if the lower charge is not applied when you lodge.

When and how do you apply?

Apply no more than 3 months and no less than 2 weeks before you want to travel. Too early and it is hard to tell whether your visa will be ready for decision. Too late and you might not be granted the BVB before you leave, and then you might not hold a visa that allows you to return. You must be granted the BVB before you depart. Usually you need a valid passport. If you applied for your substantive visa in ImmiAccount, apply for the BVB in ImmiAccount. If you applied for merits or judicial review, you apply on paper.

What is the travel period?

The BVB travel facility can be single or multiple travel and is valid until a date set in your grant. If the facility has ended or will not cover your journey, you must apply for and be granted a new BVB before you leave. If you are outside Australia when the travel period ends, the BVB ceases and you cannot return on it.

Work rights

You might be allowed to work if the substantive visa you held, or the one you applied for, lets you work. Your grant letter lists the conditions. If both visas have work restrictions, you cannot work on a BVB. You cannot change conditions on a BVB. To change them you must apply for a Bridging visa A and show financial hardship.

How long does it last?

Until the same outcomes as a BVA. It ends 35 calendar days after a refusal or Tribunal decision (28 days after a judicial review outcome) for a BVB granted on or after 19 November 2016, and it ends when you are granted the substantive visa or the BVB or your substantive visa is cancelled. It cannot be extended.

Can your family be included?

Yes, if they are members of your family unit in the substantive application, on one application and one charge. Each must meet the requirements individually, and only family members with substantial reasons to travel should be included.