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The Bridging Visa A Australia can save you a lot of stress if your current visa is ticking towards its expiry date while a new application waits with the Department of Home Affairs. This single visa acts as a safety net, keeping applicants lawfully in the country while their case works through the system. But there is an uncertainty about its working and study rights as well as the validity of this bridging visa Australia.
This blog provides a clear breakdown of what a Bridging Visa A covers, how it compares with other bridging visa types, its validity and how you can identify your visa type.
A Bridging Visa A (BVA) is a short-term visa that permits a person to stay legally in Australia after the expiry of their current substantive visa in order to assess an onshore application for a new substantive visa.
In practice, a BVA simply ensures three things:
It is important to note that a BVA is issued automatically when a valid onshore application for a new substantive visa is made before the expiry of the existing visa. A BVA is applicable in various cases, such as:
Read More: A Comprehensive Guide for Bridging Visa B
There are five main categories of bridging visas provided in Australia: namely, from A to E. Each bridging visa category caters to a unique function that is specific to the conditions of the visa holder. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of each bridging visa based on their purpose, work, and travel rights:
| Bridging Visa Type | Purpose | Work Rights | Travel Rights |
| Bridging Visa A (BVA) | This visa is granted when you apply for a new visa while still in an Australian region on a valid visa | Depends on your previous visa or the type of new visa applied for | No overseas travel |
| Bridging Visa B (BVB) | Allows travel and return to Australia while a new visa application is pending | Same as the linked BVA | Yes, travel is allowed within an approved window |
| Bridging Visa C (BVC) | For applicants who apply after their previous visa has expired, or who lodge a second application while the first is undecided | Usually no work, unless applied for separately | No overseas travel |
| Bridging Visa D (BVD) | A short-term status for people in limited, specific situations | Minimal rights | No overseas travel |
| Bridging Visa E (BVE) | For people who are unlawful, or who previously held a BVC or BVD | Very limited rights | No overseas travel |
Your Bridging Visa A work rights depend on your previous visa, your new application, and whether you have requested a variation.
You are likely to retain work rights if:
Work may be restricted if:
No, a Bridging Visa A does not allow travelling abroad. In case you depart from Australia when you hold BVA, BVC, or BVE, you will not be able to enter the country again, and will have to wait abroad until the decision regarding your new visa is made. For travel purposes, you should collect a separate Bridging Visa B, which provides:
A Bridging Visa A has no fixed expiry date. It simply continues until your new visa application is finally decided. That decision might arrive as a grant, a refusal, or a request for further information.
You can determine the specific bridging visa that you have from either your visa grant letter or your VEVO record, and both of these should be updated on a regular basis.
Here’s what you need to check while reviewing your Bridging Visa type:
Bridging Visa A is intended as a temporary and legal step in between. But the decisions you make during your time with it, in terms of employment rights and travel, can shape your entire migration outcome. If you are unsure how the Bridging Visa A rules apply to your situation, then contact a migration expert today.
A registered immigration consultant, such as Migration Agent Adelaide, can assist you in understanding the terms of your visa and provide clarification for future actions. They can also help you lodge a new application for both a temporary and a permanent Australian residency visa.
Whether an individual can work full-time or not will depend on the terms and conditions related to the Bridging A visa. Verify the conditions attached to it by referring to your VEVO record.
A bridging visa is a temporary visa for eligible individuals that allows them to stay in Australia lawfully until their immigration situation or visa application gets sorted out.
Your ability to study depends on the Bridging Visa A conditions and the visa you applied for.
Yes, if the visa conditions include Condition 8501. In that case, you will be required to maintain health insurance throughout your stay in Australia.
No, there are only temporary rights available on a Bridging Visa A. Permanent residents receive broader benefits and entitlements.
