The Bridging Visa E (BVE) — comprising Subclass 050 and Subclass 051 — is a bridging visa granted to persons who are in Australia without a substantive visa and who need lawful status while they make arrangements to depart, finalise their immigration matter, or wait for a decision. The BVE is typically the last resort bridging visa, granted to unlawful non-citizens, persons whose substantive visa has been refused, or persons waiting for a protection visa decision after another pathway has been exhausted. Unlike the Bridging Visa A and B, the BVE does not automatically include work rights; work rights on a BVE require demonstration of financial hardship. BVE holders must sign a Code of Behaviour undertaking compliance with Australian law. The BVE ceases if the holder departs Australia — there is no travel facility. This page explains the two subclasses, conditions, work rights, and the Code of Behaviour.

For current BVE conditions and the application form, refer to the DHA Bridging Visa E page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 050 — Bridging Visa E (general); criteria and conditions for grant to persons resolving immigration status or making departure arrangements
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 051 — Bridging Visa E (protection applicants); specific BVE for persons with a pending protection visa application
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8, Condition 8512 — Code of Behaviour condition applicable to BVE Subclass 050 holders
• Migration Act 1958, s 76–77 — bridging visa framework; DHA may grant bridging visas to allow persons to remain lawfully pending resolution of status
• DHA: Bridging Visa E (Subclass 050 and 051) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/bve

Who receives a BVE

The BVE is granted to persons who are in Australia without a substantive visa and who do not qualify for a BVA or BVC. Common situations include:

• Unlawful non-citizens who have overstayed their visa or whose visa has been cancelled — a BVE gives them lawful status while they make arrangements to depart or to resolve their status
• Persons who have exhausted other visa options (such as a substantive visa refusal) and are in the process of departing Australia
• Persons awaiting a protection visa decision (Subclass 051) after entering Australia and applying for protection — the 051 is the bridging visa used specifically in the protection visa processing context when the applicant does not hold another visa
• Persons who have had their visa cancelled and who need bridging status while they challenge the cancellation or prepare to depart
• Persons released from immigration detention into the community — a BVE may be granted to allow community-based residence pending a decision

Subclass 050 vs Subclass 051

The two subclasses serve different purposes:

• Subclass 050 (general BVE): granted to persons who are unlawful non-citizens or whose status needs to be resolved — for example, a person whose tourist visa was cancelled or who overstayed and is now making arrangements to leave. The 050 can be applied for using Form 1008 and is the standard BVE for most non-protection situations
• Subclass 051 (protection-specific BVE): granted to persons who have applied for a protection visa (Subclass 866 or Subclass 785/790) and who do not hold another substantive visa while their application is being processed. The 051 is typically granted by DHA as part of processing the protection application — the applicant does not separately apply for it in most cases

Work rights on a BVE — not automatic

Unlike the BVA, the BVE does not automatically include work rights. The standard BVE is granted without permission to work. Work rights can be added to a BVE where the holder can demonstrate financial hardship — the person cannot support themselves without working. The request for work rights on a BVE is made to DHA; it is not automatic and must be separately assessed. Where work rights are granted, they are specified in the BVE conditions. Where work rights are not granted, working on a BVE constitutes a breach of visa conditions.

The absence of automatic work rights distinguishes the BVE from other bridging visa subclasses (BVA and BVB) where work rights generally carry from the underlying substantive visa application.

Code of Behaviour — condition 8512

Holders of the Bridging Visa E Subclass 050 must sign a Code of Behaviour (Form 1443 for adults, Form 1444i for minors). The Code is an undertaking by the BVE holder not to engage in conduct that would:

• Endanger the health, safety, or good order of the Australian community
• Prejudice Australia's security or social cohesion
• Involve intimidation, harassment, or threatening behaviour
• Constitute a serious crime under Australian law

Breach of the Code of Behaviour is a ground for visa cancellation. The Code condition (condition 8512) is imposed as a standard condition on BVE Subclass 050. The rationale for the Code is that BVE holders are often persons whose immigration history involves non-compliance or legal complications, and the Code provides DHA with a clearer cancellation trigger if the person's conduct in the community is problematic.

Travel — the BVE ceases on departure

Like the BVA, the BVE ceases if the holder departs Australia. The BVE does not include a travel facility. A BVE holder who leaves Australia cannot re-enter on the BVE — they would need a separate substantive visa (such as a tourist visa, if eligible) to return. Persons on a BVE who have unfinished immigration matters (such as a pending protection visa application) and who depart Australia effectively abandon their BVE and may complicate their underlying immigration case.

Duration and renewal

The BVE is typically granted for a limited period — matching the expected time needed to resolve the person's immigration matter or make departure arrangements. DHA can grant BVEs for short periods (weeks or months) with the expectation that the person will depart or have their matter resolved. Further BVEs can be granted where the person's matter is genuinely unresolved and they cannot yet depart — for example, because they are awaiting a decision on a protection application or review. The BVE holder must not depart Australia while waiting for their matter to be resolved if they want to maintain their lawful status.

The BVE sits at the end of the bridging visa continuum — it is the visa for persons at the most precarious end of the Australian immigration spectrum. Persons on a BVE Subclass 050 are typically in a difficult position: their visa options are limited, they may not have work rights, they are bound by the Code of Behaviour, and they face removal if their matter is not resolved. The Code of Behaviour has been controversial — critics have noted that it places restrictions on lawful conduct and provides DHA with broad cancellation grounds. Breach of the Code (including serious criminal conduct) leads to visa cancellation and triggers immigration detention proceedings. The distinction between the 050 and 051 matters practically because protection visa applicants on a 051 are in a different legal position — they have a specific visa pathway pending, whereas 050 holders are generally at the departure or status-resolution stage. For current BVE application forms (Form 1008), the Code of Behaviour forms (1443/1444i), and conditions, refer to the DHA Bridging Visa E page.