A Bridging Visa B (BVB, Subclass 020) is the only bridging visa that allows the holder to leave Australia and return while their substantive visa application is being processed. All other bridging visa subclasses — the BVA, BVC, BVD, and BVE — cease when the holder departs Australia, meaning a person who leaves without a BVB effectively abandons their bridging status and cannot re-enter on that visa. The BVB adds a travel facility to the holder's bridging status for a specific, limited period — the holder must return before the travel period expires. The BVB must be applied for and granted before departure; there is no mechanism to obtain a BVB from overseas. This page explains the BVB's travel facility, how it differs from the BVA, how to apply, and the five bridging visa subclasses.

For current BVB conditions, the application process, and urgent BVB lodgement, refer to the DHA Bridging Visa B page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 020 — the Bridging Visa B criteria, conditions, and travel facility
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 010 — the Bridging Visa A; ceases on departure from Australia
• Migration Act 1958, s 76 — a bridging visa must be in effect for the holder to remain lawfully in Australia while their substantive visa application is processed
• DHA: Bridging Visa B (Subclass 020) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/bvb
• DHA: Travel on a bridging visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-bridging-visa

The five bridging visa subclasses — overview

Australia has five bridging visa subclasses, each serving a different purpose:

• Bridging Visa A (BVA, Subclass 010): Allows the holder to remain lawfully in Australia while a substantive visa application is being processed. The BVA ceases on departure — if the holder leaves Australia, the BVA is no longer valid. The BVA is the standard bridging visa granted to applicants who apply for a further visa while holding a current substantive visa
• Bridging Visa B (BVB, Subclass 020): Same as the BVA, but with an added travel facility — the holder can leave and return to Australia within a specified travel period. The BVB must be separately applied for and granted; it is not automatically available to BVA holders
• Bridging Visa C (BVC, Subclass 030): Covers certain applicants who applied for a visa after their substantive visa had already expired — the BVC typically has more restrictive conditions and does not include work rights unless separately granted
• Bridging Visa D (BVD, Subclass 040/041): A very short-term bridging visa issued to allow an applicant to lodge a further visa application or attend a DHA interview — typically valid for only a few days
• Bridging Visa E (BVE, Subclass 050/051): Granted to unlawful non-citizens to allow them to either make arrangements to depart Australia or to resolve their immigration status — the BVE often has strict conditions including no work rights

Why the BVB is critical for international travel

The practical importance of the BVB arises because many visa applicants need to travel during the often lengthy processing period for their substantive visa application. Common scenarios include:

• A person applying for a partner visa (onshore) who needs to travel overseas to visit family
• A skilled visa applicant holding a BVA who receives a job offer in their home country and needs to travel briefly
• A person on a BVA awaiting the outcome of a review at the ART who needs to attend a family event overseas

In each case, if the person departs Australia on a BVA without first obtaining a BVB, the BVA ceases on departure. They cannot re-enter Australia on the BVA, because it has ceased. They would need to obtain a new substantive visa (such as a tourist visa) from overseas to return — and the underlying visa application would continue to be processed, but the applicant would not be in Australia. For partner visa applicants applying in the onshore pathway, leaving Australia on a BVA without a BVB can create significant complications.

Applying for a BVB

A BVB must be applied for and granted while the applicant is in Australia and before departure. The application process:

1. Complete Form 1006 (Application for a Bridging Visa B) — available from DHA
2. Specify the travel period requested — the dates and duration of the intended travel
3. Provide the reason for travel and evidence of the substantive visa application being processed
4. Submit through the online portal or by paper, depending on the application pathway

DHA also provides an urgent BVB pathway for applicants who have imminent travel plans and need a BVB quickly. The online urgent BVB application can be submitted where travel is within a short timeframe. For current processing times and the urgent application form, refer to the DHA BVB page.

Travel period — limited duration

A BVB does not grant unlimited travel rights. The visa is granted with a specific travel period — the dates during which the holder can depart and return. Key points:

• The holder must return to Australia before the travel period expires — if they remain overseas past the travel period end date, the BVB may cease or the return entry may be refused
• Multiple trips during the travel period may or may not be permitted depending on the BVB grant — some BVBs allow a single departure and return; others allow multiple
• If the holder's substantive visa is decided (granted or refused) while they are overseas, the BVB situation changes — they need to be aware of the decision and have appropriate visa status for re-entry

Work rights on a BVB

The BVB does not independently confer or remove work rights — it inherits the work conditions of the underlying BVA. If the applicant held work rights on their BVA (because their substantive visa application included work rights), those same conditions carry to the BVB. If the BVA was granted without work rights, the BVB will also have no work rights. The work conditions are specified in the BVB grant letter.

BVB and onshore partner visa applicants

Onshore partner visa applicants (applying for the Subclass 820/801 pathway) are particularly affected by the BVA/BVB distinction. Because the 820 is an onshore pathway, the applicant typically needs to remain in Australia. Travelling overseas on a BVA (without a BVB) causes the BVA to cease — the person re-enters on a different visa (if they obtain one) and may need to reapply for bridging status. Partner visa applicants who need to travel should apply for a BVB well before their planned departure date.

The most common and costly bridging visa error in practice is departing Australia on a BVA without a BVB. Because BVAs are automatically granted when a person lodges a substantive visa application, many applicants are not aware that their BVA ceases on departure — or assume it works like a multiple-entry visa and allows re-entry. This error disproportionately affects applicants for onshore visas (partner visas, protection visas, certain skilled visa pathways) where the onshore status is a criterion for the visa being applied for. Departing on a BVA can disrupt the underlying application and require the applicant to obtain a separate visa to return. The BVB's travel period is a grant condition, not a feature that can be extended retroactively — applicants who discover they need to travel must apply before departure, not after. For urgent BVB applications, DHA provides an online fast-track form for imminent travel. For current BVB conditions, processing times, and the Form 1006, refer to the DHA Bridging Visa B page.