Bridging Visa A on a 190 Application in 2026: Staying Lawful While You Wait
How a Bridging visa A works with an onshore subclass 190 application: when it starts, why your current visa must run out first, and what breaks it.
Lodge a valid Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) application while you are in Australia and you are granted a Bridging visa A (BVA) at the same time — but it stays dormant until the substantive visa you already hold expires. If that visa is still running, you are still on it, not on the BVA. That is what the Department of Home Affairs sets out on its Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) official page, current as at July 2026. What follows is general information about how that mechanism works, not advice about your own circumstances; the bridging visa situation that applies to you depends on your visa history, so treat the official page as the reference and consider getting help from a registered migration agent or legal practitioner if your case is not straightforward.
Am I given a bridging visa just because I applied for the 190 onshore?
Yes, on the Department's own wording: "When you applied for this visa, you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA)." If a bridging visa is granted, you receive notification of the grant.
The flip side is a validity rule. To apply in Australia you must already hold one of:
- a substantive visa
- a Bridging visa A (subclass 010)
- a Bridging visa B (subclass 020)
- a Bridging visa C (subclass 030)
Without one of those, the application is not valid — and an invalid application does not put a bridging visa behind you. There is also a timing constraint upstream: once you are invited to apply you have 60 calendar days to lodge, and the Department states it cannot extend that period.
When does the BVA actually start?
Only when the visa you hold runs out first. The official position is that if your current visa expires before the Department decides your 190, the BVA comes into effect and you can stay in Australia on it while the new application is processed.
| Your situation | What holds you in Australia lawfully |
|---|---|
| Current visa still valid | That visa, on its own conditions |
| Current visa expires before the 190 decision | The BVA comes into effect |
| Current visa is cancelled at your request | Nothing — you are unlawful and the BVA ceases |
| 190 granted | The permanent visa, from its start date |
The through-line is simpler than the jargon suggests: you must hold a valid visa at all times while the application is being processed. The BVA is the safety net that catches you at the moment the old one ends, not a visa you switch to early by choice.
Why shouldn't I ask to have my current visa cancelled?
Because that is the one move that turns a safe wait into an unlawful one. The Department's instruction is explicit: do not ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled. If it is cancelled, you will be staying in Australia unlawfully and your BVA ceases.
The trap is easy to see in a hypothetical: suppose an applicant is on a student or temporary graduate visa with months left, wants the "190 waiting" status to begin, and asks for the old visa to be cancelled. Instead of moving onto a bridging visa, they end up with no visa at all and no bridging visa to fall back on — the opposite of the intended result.
Do I need to do anything while the BVA is in effect?
The bridging visa itself does not need action from you, but the 190 application behind it does. The Department does not give status updates within the standard processing time, so ImmiAccount is where you check whether anything is being asked of you. Things worth keeping on top of:
- Documents you did not attach at lodgement — upload them as soon as you can. The Department may request more information but is not obliged to and can decide the application without asking.
- Health exams and biometrics — you will be told if these are needed.
- Mistakes in the application — tell the Department as soon as possible using Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers).
- Changes in your situation — new phone number, email, address or passport; a change in marital or de facto status; the birth of a child; or a decision to withdraw.
- Adding family — members of the family unit can be added after lodgement but before the decision, using Form 1436, paid and attached through ImmiAccount. They must meet health and character requirements.
What if I need to travel while waiting?
If you are in Australia, you do not have to notify the Department that you intend to travel overseas while the application is processed, because a decision can be made while you are outside Australia. The risk sits entirely on the return leg: if you leave, make sure your visa allows you to come back, which you check through VEVO.
A decision cannot, however, be made while you are in immigration clearance. If you applied from outside Australia, do not arrange travel to Australia, leave your job or sell your home until the Department advises you in writing that the visa has been granted.
What happens when the decision comes?
You will be told in writing either way. If the visa is granted, you receive your visa grant number, the date the visa starts, and any visa conditions that apply — keep a copy of the decision. You become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted.
If the application is refused, you will be told why and whether you have a right to seek review of the decision. The application charge is not refunded on refusal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I automatically get a Bridging visa A when I apply for a 190 onshore?
The Department's page states that when you applied for this visa you were granted a Bridging visa A, and you will receive notification of the grant. The precondition is that you were in Australia and held a substantive visa or a subclass 010, 020 or 030 bridging visa, otherwise the application is not valid.
When does my BVA start if I still have months left on my current visa?
It does not start until your current visa expires before a decision is made on your 190. Until then you remain on your existing visa and its conditions, and the BVA waits in the background as the visa that keeps you lawful once the old one ends.
Can I ask the Department to cancel my current visa so my BVA kicks in?
No — the Department specifically says not to ask for the visa you currently hold to be cancelled. If it is cancelled you will be in Australia unlawfully and your BVA will cease, leaving you with no visa at all.
Do I have to tell the Department if I travel overseas while my 190 is processing?
No, not if you are in Australia, because a decision can be made while you are outside the country. What you must do is make sure your visa lets you return, which you can check through VEVO before you go.
Can the Department decide my 190 application while I am outside Australia?
Yes, you can be in or outside Australia when the decision is made, but not in immigration clearance. The decision is given to you in writing, and if granted you are told the visa grant number, start date and any conditions.
How do I find out how long my 190 will take?
The Department publishes a visa processing time guide tool for recently decided applications, but it is a guide only and not specific to your application. Processing is case by case and varies with how complete your application is, how quickly you respond to requests, external checks such as health and character, and how many places are available in the migration program.