Subclass 190 Bridging Visa 2026: How to Remain Lawful During Processing
How a Bridging visa A keeps you lawful after a Subclass 190 application, when it starts, and the VEVO checks to make before you travel.
Yes: if you apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) while you are in Australia, a Bridging visa A (BVA, subclass 010) is granted when you lodge the application, and it is the visa that keeps you lawful during processing once the substantive visa you currently hold has expired and no decision has been made on the 190. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ official Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) page, you can stay in Australia on the BVA while the new visa application is processed; you must not ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled, because if it is cancelled you will be staying in Australia unlawfully and your BVA will cease. This article is general information only and is not personalised professional advice; for your own circumstances, rely on the latest official information and, if needed, a qualified professional’s opinion.
When is the BVA granted, and when does it come into effect?
To lodge a 190 application in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging visa A (subclass 010), B (subclass 020) or C (subclass 030); if you do not, your application will not be valid. When you apply, the Department grants you a BVA. That grant does not immediately replace the visa you hold. The BVA comes into effect only if your current visa expires before the Department decides the application. While the current visa is still valid, it remains the visa in effect and continues to set your stay and its conditions.
Why must you not ask to cancel the visa you currently hold?
Some applicants assume that cancelling their existing visa will bring the BVA forward. The official guidance is explicit that this is the wrong move: do not ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled. If your visa is cancelled, you will be staying in Australia unlawfully and your BVA will cease. The BVA is intended to bridge the gap created by expiry, not by cancellation, so the intended trigger is the natural end of the current visa while the 190 is still undecided.
What should you check in VEVO before travelling during processing?
If you are in Australia, you do not have to tell the Department that you want to travel outside Australia while the application is processed, and the Department can decide the application while you are outside Australia. The risk is on return: if you leave, you must make sure the visa you hold allows you to return. The official page directs you to check VEVO to see whether you can return on your current visa. Before booking travel, confirm in VEVO which visa is currently in effect and what travel or re-entry conditions apply.
Frequently asked questions
Do I automatically get a bridging visa when I apply for a 190 onshore?
Yes. The Department’s official 190 page says that when you applied for this visa, you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA). The BVA is granted at the time of application, but it only comes into effect if the visa you currently hold expires before a decision is made. While your existing substantive visa is still valid, that visa remains the one in effect.
Does the BVA start as soon as I lodge the 190 application?
No. The BVA is granted when you apply, but it stays in the background. It comes into effect only if your current visa expires before the Department decides the 190 application. Until then, the visa you already hold continues to govern your stay and its conditions.
What visa must I hold to lodge a 190 application in Australia?
You must hold a substantive visa, or a Bridging visa A (subclass 010), B (subclass 020) or C (subclass 030); the official page states that if you apply in Australia without one of these, your application will not be valid. If the visa you hold, or your last substantive visa, was a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494), you must also have held that visa for at least 3 years at the time you apply. This sits alongside the explanation that a BVA is granted when you apply.
Can I travel outside Australia while my 190 application is being processed?
Yes. If you are in Australia, you do not have to tell the Department that you want to travel, and a decision can be made while you are outside Australia. The condition is that you must make sure the visa you hold allows you to return. Check VEVO before you go to see whether you can return on your current visa.
Why shouldn’t I request cancellation of my current visa?
Because cancellation breaks the bridging arrangement. The official page warns that if you ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled, you will be staying in Australia unlawfully and your BVA will cease. The BVA is meant to take over when a visa expires, not when it is cancelled.
How do I check whether I can return to Australia during processing?
Use VEVO, the Department’s online visa check, to see the details and conditions of the visa currently in effect and whether it permits return. The official 190 page directs applicants to VEVO for this purpose.