Bridging Visa A: Granted Automatically on an Onshore Lodgement

The Bridging Visa A (BVA, visa subclass 010) is the bridging visa most migrants will encounter. Many people in Australia will hold a BVA at least once during their visa journey.

The BVA is granted automatically

When you lodge a new visa application in Australia (onshore) while holding a valid visa, the Department grants the BVA automatically — you do not need to do anything further and there is no fee.

The BVA appears in your VEVO record shortly after the visa application is received (the lodgement date).

The BVA does not “activate” immediately

An important point: the BVA is granted but does not take effect until your current visa expires.

For example: you hold a 482 visa expiring on 30 June. You lodge a renewal on 1 May. The BVA is granted on 1 May but only “activates” on 1 July when the old 482 visa expires.

During that waiting period, you are still living on the 482 visa.

Work rights on a BVA

A BVA usually inherits work rights from the previous visa:

• If the previous visa had work rights → the BVA usually has them too
• If the previous visa had no work rights → the BVA usually has none

For someone on a 482 visa (with work rights for a sponsoring employer), the later BVA usually continues to allow work — but the specific conditions need to be checked through VEVO, as they can differ case by case.

A key condition: no travel

A BVA does not allow you to leave and return to Australia. If you leave Australia while holding a BVA (after the original visa has expired and the BVA has activated):

• The BVA ends as soon as you depart
• You cannot return to Australia on that BVA
• The visa application being processed continues, but you must remain overseas

If you need to leave Australia, apply for a Bridging Visa B before departing.

BVA when a 482 expires while waiting on a 186

This is a common situation: you are on a 482 visa, you lodge a 186 visa application, and the 482 visa expires while you wait on the 186.

The process:

1. Lodge the 186 visa application → the BVA is granted automatically
2. The 482 visa expires → the BVA activates
3. Continue working for the sponsoring employer (in many cases)
4. Wait for the outcome of the 186 visa

See Bridging visas while waiting on a 186 visa for details of this specific situation.

Check the BVA through VEVO

Check accurate BVA details at: vevoonline.homeaffairs.gov.au

• The date the BVA activates
• Work conditions
• Travel conditions

Do not rely on memory — check VEVO whenever you need to confirm your visa status.