Bridging Visa to Permanent Residency Pathway: Detailed Guide

Many people in Australia spend time on a bridging visa while a partner, skilled or employer sponsored visa application is being decided. A bridging visa to permanent residency question comes often, but a bridging visa is not a visa category that leads to PR on its own. It is a temporary status that keeps a person lawful in Australia while their substantive visa application, or a review of it, is finalized.

This guide explains how bridging visas work, what rights come with each type, and how a bridging visa connects to the visa that leads to permanent residency.

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What Is a Bridging Visa, and Why Is It Not a PR Pathway?

A bridging visa is a temporary visa granted under Part 050 of Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994. It is designed to prevent a person from becoming unlawful while a separate immigration matter, most often a substantive visa application or a review of one, is being processed. Australia bridging visa to permanent residency questions usually really mean what happens to my bridging visa while I wait, and what visa should I be applying for.

Because a bridging visa itself is not a permanent visa and does not carry PR criteria, it cannot be the basis of a PR grant. PR eligibility is assessed under the substantive visa application connected to the bridging visa, such as a Partner, Skilled or Employer Nomination Scheme visa.

Bridging Visa A (BVA): The Most Common Type

A Bridging Visa A is generally granted automatically when a person applies for a new substantive visa while holding a valid visa. It activates once the earlier visa ceases, and it generally continues until a decision is made on the new application. Work rights under a BVA usually mirror the work rights of the visa held immediately beforehand, though permission to work can also be requested separately where a compelling need to work can be shown.

Bridging Visa A and Partner Visa Applications

A common bridging visa and partner visa scenario involves someone on a Student, Temporary Graduate or Working Holiday visa who lodges a Partner visa (Subclass 820/801) application before their current visa expires. The BVA activates once the earlier visa ends and generally continues while the Partner visa application is assessed.

Bridging Visa A and 186 Visa Applications

Similarly, a bridging visa and 186 visa combination is common for Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa holders whose employer nominates them for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186) before their 482 visa expires. The BVA generally allows them to remain lawfully in Australia, and to keep working for their sponsor, while the 186 application is processed.

Bridging Visa B (BVB): Travel While Waiting

A Bridging Visa B is available to a BVA holder who needs to travel outside Australia while their substantive visa application is pending. It generally carries the same work rights as the associated BVA and allows travel within a set of travel period specified on the visa grant. It is generally the only bridging visa that allows international travel while an application remains pending, so anyone with pending travel plans needs to apply for it before leaving Australia.

Bridging Visa C (BVC): Applying Without a Substantive Visa

A Bridging Visa C generally applies where a person lodges a valid application for a substantive visa while not holding one, for example after a previous visa has already ceased. Work rights are not automatic. A BVC holder may apply for permission to work by demonstrating a compelling need to work, generally on financial hardship grounds. A BVC does not permit travel.

Bridging Visa D and E: Short-Term and Last-Resort Options

A Bridging Visa D is a short-term visa, generally granted for around five working days, to give a person time to make a valid substantive visa application. It generally does not carry work rights.

A Bridging Visa E applies to a person who is an unlawful non-citizen, is deciding to depart Australia, is resolving their immigration status, or is in immigration detention. It generally does not carry work rights by default, though permission may be requested using a similar test to the BVA and BVC. A BVE ceases if the person leaves Australia, is granted a substantive visa, or has their visa cancelled. For more on how long each bridging visa generally lasts, read our detailed guide.

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Bridging Visa After Visa Refusal

If a substantive visa application connected to a BVA or BVC is refused, the bridging visa does not cease immediately. It generally continues for a set window, commonly 35 calendar days after the refusal decision, or 28 calendar days after a judicial review body upholds a refusal. Within that window, the person can lodge an Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) application, generally within 28 days of the refusal, though shorter periods apply in some circumstances, including character-related decisions. A validly lodged ART application generally keeps the bridging visa in effect while the review is finalised.

If the ART affirms the refusal, the bridging visa generally ceases a set number of days, often 35, after the person is notified. If the ART sets aside the decision or remits it for reconsideration, the bridging visa generally continues while the matter is reconsidered. Section 48 of the Migration Act 1958 can also limit further onshore applications after a refusal, so the available options depend heavily on individual circumstances.

How Long Does a Bridging Visa Last?

There is no single fixed period. A bridging visa generally lasts until the event it is tied to occurs, such as a decision on the substantive visa application, a decision on a review, the person leaving Australia, or the grant of a new substantive visa. A BVD is the exception, generally lasting only a few working days. Because bridging visa periods depend on individual application types and decision dates, always confirm your own dates through VEVO or your visa grant notice.

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Can I apply for a PR on a bridging visa?

Not directly. A bridging visa itself does not lead to PR. What matters is the substantive visa application connected to it, such as a partner, skilled or employer sponsored visa, since that application is assessed against its own PR criteria.

Can I work on a bridging visa?

It depends on the type. A BVA generally carries the same work rights as the visa held immediately before it. A BVC or BVE generally has no work rights by default, though permission can be requested by showing a compelling need to work.

What happens to my bridging visa after a visa refusal?

It generally continues for a set window, often 35 days, giving time to lodge an ART application or make other arrangements. Lodging a valid ART application within the deadline generally keeps the bridging visa in effect while the review is decided.

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Bridging visa rules turn on small details: which subclass you hold, what triggered it, and what deadlines apply if your application is refused. Australian Migration Lawyers can review your bridging visa position, advise on work and travel rights, and help you plan the substantive application that actually leads to permanent residency. Book a consultation with our migration lawyers, available seven days a week.