Last updated: 30 March 2026

Bridging Visa B: Travel Rights While Waiting for a Decision

If you are in Australia on a Bridging Visa A and you need to travel overseas, the Bridging Visa B (BVB) is what allows you to leave and return without losing your lawful status or jeopardising your pending visa application. Without it, any departure from Australia causes your BVA to cease immediately.

The BVB is a narrow but important visa. It does not grant new work rights or change your conditions in any substantive way — its sole function is to permit international travel during the period your substantive visa application is being assessed. This page explains how it works, how to apply, what it costs, what the travel window means in practice, and what happens when you return.

What Is the Bridging Visa B?

The Bridging Visa B is a temporary visa that allows BVA holders to travel outside Australia and return while a substantive visa application is still pending with the Department of Home Affairs. It is the only bridging visa that includes travel permission.

The key distinction from the BVA is straightforward: a BVA ceases the moment you leave Australia. A BVB permits you to travel and re-enter within a specified period without your pending application being affected.

The BVB does not replace your BVA. When you return to Australia within your BVB travel window, your pending substantive application continues as normal and your bridging visa status is restored. You are, in effect, on the same migration track you were on before you left.

What the BVB does not do:

• It does not grant additional work rights beyond what your BVA already allows
• It does not extend the duration of your substantive visa application
• It does not give you any new status or rights in Australia beyond travel permission
• It does not count as a substantive visa for any purpose

For an overview of all bridging visa types in Australia, including how BVA, BVB, BVC, BVD, and BVE compare, see our full bridging visa guide.

Who Needs a BVB?

Anyone who holds a BVA and needs to travel outside Australia before their pending substantive visa application is decided needs a BVB. This includes:

• Workers on a subclass 482 TSS visa who have lodged a 186 PR application and need to travel during processing
• Graduates on a Bridging Visa A after their 485 expired while waiting for a 189, 190, or 491 decision
• Applicants at any stage of the skilled migration pathway who hold a pending onshore application and have unavoidable travel — family circumstances, work travel, or overseas trips — before the decision

The BVB is not needed if you still hold an active substantive visa with travel rights. It is only relevant once you are on a BVA and your substantive visa has either expired or is about to expire.

If your substantive visa is still valid when you want to travel, you can typically travel on that visa without needing a BVB. Once the substantive visa expires and you transition to the BVA, you need a BVB before any international travel.

How to Apply for the BVB

Unlike the BVA, the BVB is not granted automatically. You must lodge a separate application through ImmiAccount.

Step 1: Log in to ImmiAccount

Access ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Use the same account linked to your pending substantive visa application.

Step 2: Locate the BVB application

Within ImmiAccount, navigate to the visa application section and select the Bridging Visa B application (Form 1006 or through the guided online process, depending on the current system interface).

Step 3: Provide details of your pending application

You will need your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) for your pending substantive visa application and confirmation of your current BVA status. The BVB is only available where a BVA linked to a pending substantive application is currently in effect.

Step 4: State your travel reason and requested travel period

Provide the purpose of your travel and the dates you need. The reason does not need to be exceptional — visits to family, work travel, and personal matters are all accepted. Be specific about the dates and build in extra margin in case your return is delayed.

Step 5: Pay the $165 application charge

The BVB application charge of $165 is paid at lodgement through ImmiAccount. The charge is non-refundable even if the BVB is not granted or your plans change.

Step 6: Wait for the BVB to be granted — do not travel yet

BVB processing is not instant. Allow at least several business days, and potentially longer during high-demand periods. Do not book non-refundable flights until the BVB is granted and the travel window is confirmed.

Step 7: Confirm your grant notice

When the BVB is granted, a notice is issued through ImmiAccount. Review it carefully. The travel window — the dates within which you must depart and return — is specified in this notice. Keep it accessible when you travel.

Cost of the Bridging Visa B

The BVB application charge is $165 (AUD).

This is a flat charge per application. It applies separately from any fees paid for your substantive visa and is non-refundable. If you travel multiple times during a long processing period and need multiple BVBs, each application incurs the $165 charge.

For context, the $165 cost of the BVB is considerably lower than the consequences of departing Australia without one. If you leave on a BVA without a BVB, the BVA ceases immediately — and depending on your visa type, the pending substantive application may be compromised as well.

There is no fee waiver available for the BVB application charge in standard circumstances.

Travel Permission and the Travel Window

When your BVB is granted, it specifies a travel permission period — specific dates within which your departure and return must occur. This is not a rolling permission and does not reset automatically.

Single trip vs multiple trips

You can request either single-trip or multiple-trip permission when you apply:

• Single trip: permits one return journey within the approved window
• Multiple trips: permits more than one journey within the approved window

If you request single-trip permission and need to travel again before your application is decided, you will need a new BVB application with a new $165 charge. If there is any chance you will need multiple trips, request multiple-trip permission in your first application.

Requesting a suitable window

The travel window is granted based on the dates you request and the reason you provide. Request a window that is slightly wider than your actual travel plans to protect against delays. If your trip is three weeks, requesting a five-week window provides buffer.

What the travel window does not extend:

The BVB travel window applies only to your travel permission. It does not change the expiry of your BVA, the status of your pending application, or any other aspect of your visa position. Your substantive application continues to be processed during your travel.

Re-Entry Rules

Returning to Australia within your BVB travel window restores your BVA status. Your pending substantive visa application continues, and you are back in the same lawful position you were in before departure.

Returning within the window

As long as you return before the BVB travel window closes, re-entry is straightforward. At the border, your visa status is confirmed through the Department’s systems. Keep your BVB grant notice accessible during travel.

Returning outside the window

If you return after the BVB travel window has expired, you are re-entering without a current authorisation under your bridging visa arrangements. This is a serious situation that may affect your ability to re-enter and the status of your pending application. If there is any risk of returning late, contact the Department of Home Affairs or the nearest Australian mission before the window closes.

If your BVB expires while you are overseas

Do not simply board a return flight and hope for the best. Contact the Department of Home Affairs immediately through its overseas contact channels or the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate. The situation may be resolvable, but it requires proactive contact before re-entry.

Validity Period of the BVB

The BVB is valid for the travel period specified in the grant notice. Once you return to Australia within the approved window, the BVB’s travel permission is fulfilled and you revert to your BVA status.

The BVA itself remains valid until your substantive visa application is decided. If your substantive application is still pending and you need to travel again after returning from the first BVB trip, you apply for a new BVB with a new application and fee.

Illustrative timeline:

BVB and Your Work Rights

The BVB does not alter your work rights. Your work conditions are governed by your BVA, which reflects the conditions of the substantive visa you held before the BVA activated.

When you return to Australia from a BVB trip, your work rights resume exactly as they were before you left. For details on how work rights are determined under a BVA and how to verify them through VEVO, see our guide on Bridging Visa A conditions and work rights.

Practical Checklist Before You Travel

Work through this checklist before booking any international travel while on a BVA:

• Confirm you are on a BVA, not a substantive visa with its own travel rights
• Apply for the BVB through ImmiAccount well before your intended travel date (at least 2–3 weeks)
• Do not book non-refundable flights until the BVB is granted
• Review the grant notice and confirm the approved travel window dates
• Ensure your return date falls within the window — add buffer days if delays are possible
• If multiple trips are needed, request multiple-trip permission in the initial BVB application
• Keep the BVB grant notice accessible during travel
• Check your visa status through VEVO after returning to confirm it is correctly reflected

The BVB is a manageable process with predictable steps. The risk is almost entirely a timing risk — applying too late, travelling before the grant, or returning after the window. All of these are avoidable.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Bridging Visa B

How much does a Bridging Visa B cost?

The Bridging Visa B application charge is $165. This is separate from any fees paid for your substantive visa application. The charge applies each time you apply for a BVB, so if you need to travel multiple times during a long processing period, each BVB application carries this cost. The fee is non-refundable even if the BVB is not used or your travel plans change.

Can you apply for the BVB after you have already left Australia?

No. The BVB must be applied for and granted before you depart Australia. Once you have left the country on a BVA without a BVB, your BVA ceases immediately at departure. You cannot apply for a BVB from offshore, and you cannot re-enter on the BVA that has already ceased. Always apply for and receive the BVB before booking any travel. If you have already departed without one, contact the Department of Home Affairs or the nearest Australian mission immediately for advice on your options.

How long is the BVB travel period?

The travel period on a BVB is specified in the visa grant notice — it is not a fixed length. You request a travel period when you apply, and the Department grants a window it considers reasonable for the stated purpose. Most BVBs are granted for single or multiple trips within a period of a few weeks to a few months. You must return to Australia within the approved travel window. Request a window slightly wider than your actual travel plans to allow for unexpected delays.