Applying for a bridging visa by webform after merits or judicial review in 2026
How to lodge Form 1006 by webform after merits or judicial review, meet validity rules and maintain lawful status in 2026.
If you have applied for merits review or judicial review of a decision about your substantive visa and need to apply for a BVB, you must submit the BVB application using Form 1006 through the Department’s online webform. As at August 2026, the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs’ official Bridging visa B (Subclass 020) page says to pay the visa application charge, enter the payment receipt details and submit Form 1006 through that webform. A BVB must be granted before it can maintain lawful status; lodging the application alone does not grant a visa.
This article provides general information, not personalised legal advice. Because lawful stay can depend on the precise review stage, existing visa conditions and decision dates, readers should check the current official requirements or seek advice from a suitably qualified legal professional.
Do I use the webform even if I started in ImmiAccount?
Yes. If you have applied for merits review or judicial review and need to apply for a BVB, the Department requires the BVB application to be submitted through the webform. The channel used for the original substantive visa application does not remove the review-specific requirement.
| Your position | BVB application channel |
|---|---|
| The substantive visa application is still awaiting a decision and was lodged through ImmiAccount, with no review application | ImmiAccount |
| The substantive visa application was lodged on paper and there is no review application | Form 1006 through the webform |
| You have applied for merits review or judicial review of the substantive visa decision | Form 1006 through the webform |
The Department uses the phrase “apply on paper” in one part of the page, but its detailed Step 3 specifically directs review applicants to complete and submit Form 1006 by webform. It also requires the visa application charge receipt details for the application to be valid.
The rule is triggered by applying for review; it does not mean you should wait until the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) or judicial review process is complete before addressing your immigration status.
What must I do before submitting Form 1006?
The Department’s lodgment instructions require more than selecting the webform. Before submitting, ensure that the following requirements are addressed:
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Be in Australia when lodging. You and everyone included in the BVB application must be in Australia when you lodge it. You must also be in Australia when the BVB decision is made.
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Check the baseline BVB requirements. The Department lists holding a Bridging visa A or B, having applied in Australia for a substantive visa capable of being granted while you are in Australia, and being in Australia as part of the process.
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Pay the visa application charge first. The official page does not provide a processing-time guarantee and requires payment before Form 1006 is submitted.
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Complete Form 1006 in the webform. The webform is called Bridging A, B and C visa application online, but your application must contain the required Form 1006 details.
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Enter the receipt details. The Department expressly says that payment receipt details must be provided on the application form to make a valid BVB application.
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Attach all documents before submission. For a webform application, all supporting documents must be attached before submission. This includes colour copies of the current passport pages showing each applicant’s photograph, personal details, issue date and expiry date. Supporting identity and change-of-name documents should also be included where relevant.
You should also check that your passport remains valid. If you intend to obtain a new passport, the Department advises doing so before applying for the BVB.
Does a pending BVB application keep me in Australia lawfully?
No. A pending application is not a visa grant, and the submission receipt should not be treated as proof of lawful status.
The Department’s guidance is to remain in Australia lawfully by holding a valid visa while the substantive visa application is processed. If you still hold a substantive visa when the BVB is granted, you must continue complying with that visa’s conditions until it ceases. Once it ceases, the conditions attached to the BVB apply instead.
A BVB can allow you to remain in Australia until the substantive visa application is finally determined. If the BVB is granted based on a judicial review application, it can allow you to remain until the relevant judicial review proceedings are completed. However:
- if you intend to return to Australia using the BVB, the BVB must be granted before you leave;
- you must be in Australia when the decision is made;
- the visa has an end date; and
- lodging the BVB form does not extend an expired current visa.
This is why an expired visa or an approaching travel date should not be ignored while a merits or judicial review remains pending.
Do I need a new BVB if I start judicial review after an AAT refusal?
Yes, if the AAT upholds the refusal and you apply for judicial review. The Department states that you must apply for a new BVB to maintain lawful status during the judicial review proceedings.
That new application can only be submitted through the webform. You must use Form 1006, pay the visa application charge and enter the receipt details. A separate BVB application is also required where you have applied for judicial review and wish to travel.
An existing BVB should not be assumed to cover judicial review indefinitely. Under the cessation rules published for a BVB granted on or after 19 November 2016, it ends 35 calendar days after the listed refusal or AAT decision events, and 28 calendar days after a judicial review body upholds the refusal or the related judicial review application is withdrawn. The Department also lists other invalidity and withdrawal events that can affect the end date. Once notified of the outcome, the exact date can be checked in VEVO.
A new application still requires eligibility assessment and a favourable decision; neither applying for review nor lodging Form 1006 guarantees that a BVB will be granted.
Can I leave Australia while the merits or judicial review is pending?
Whether you may leave Australia depends on your current visa conditions. If you intend to return to Australia using a BVB, the BVB must be granted before you leave, and any travel under it must occur during the specified travel period.
The travel facility may permit single or multiple travel, but it remains valid only until a set date. If that date does not provide enough validity to cover your proposed journey, you must obtain another BVB before leaving. If you are outside Australia when the travel period ends, the BVB ceases and you cannot return on it.
For planned travel, the Department advises applying for a BVB no more than three months and no less than two weeks before the intended travel date. Those dates are not an assurance that the visa will be decided within two weeks. Home Affairs does not provide updates on processing times, and all applicants must still be in Australia when the BVB is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I use the BVB webform after an AAT merits review?
Yes. If you have applied for merits review of the substantive visa decision, the Department’s specific instruction is to complete and submit Form 1006 through the BVB webform. You do not need to wait for the AAT’s final decision before using that channel.
What if my substantive visa application was lodged through ImmiAccount?
If you have applied for merits or judicial review and need to apply for a BVB, you must submit the BVB application using Form 1006 through the webform, even if the associated substantive visa application began in ImmiAccount.
Does Form 1006 still need to be used for a webform application?
Yes. Form 1006 remains the relevant BVB application form. You enter its information in the Department’s webform, attach the required documents and submit it there.
What makes the review-related BVB application valid?
You must pay the visa application charge, enter the receipt details and submit Form 1006 while you and everyone included are in Australia. All supporting documents, including the required passport pages, must be attached before submission.
Does a pending BVB application preserve my current visa status?
No. Lodging an application does not grant a visa. You must maintain status under another valid visa until the BVB is granted and takes effect, while continuing to comply with the conditions of your current visa.
Can I travel while waiting for the BVB decision?
Your current visa may permit travel, but Home Affairs warns that you might not hold a visa allowing you to return if you leave before a suitable visa is granted. If you intend to return using a BVB, it must be granted before you leave. Travel under it must remain within its specified travel period, and the BVB ceases if that period ends while you are outside Australia.
Do I need another BVB for judicial review after an AAT refusal?
Yes. If the AAT upholds the refusal and you apply for judicial review, the Department says you must apply for a new BVB. That application can only be submitted by webform using Form 1006 and the payment receipt details.
How early should I apply before travelling?
The Department advises applying no more than three months and no less than two weeks before the intended travel date. It does not provide processing-time updates, so the two-week point should not be treated as a guaranteed decision date.