Replacement Bridging Visa C Under 030.212(2A): When It Applies in 2026
When subclause 030.212(2A) allows a replacement Bridging visa C (Subclass 030), and how it differs from the first BVC you were granted.
A replacement Bridging visa C (BVC) (Subclass 030) is available under subclause 030.212(2A) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 when you do not hold a substantive visa, you have made a valid substantive visa application that has not been finally determined, and you have previously been granted a BVC in relation to that same substantive visa application. That last element — a BVC you already held for the same application — is what separates it from the first BVC you received under subclause 030.212(2), and it is why a replacement BVC is applied for separately rather than arriving with your substantive visa application. This explanation draws on the Department of Home Affairs' "Bridging visa C (BVC) (Subclass 030)" page, current as at August 2026, together with the text of the Regulations.
What does subclause 030.212(2A) actually require?
The clause sets three threshold requirements that must all be met at the time you apply. Read plainly, they are:
- You are not the holder of a substantive visa.
- You have made a valid application for a substantive visa, and that application has not been finally determined.
- You have previously been granted a Bridging visa C in relation to that same substantive visa application.
Two further requirements sit alongside those three. Subclause 030.211 requires that you are not the holder of a Bridging visa E (Class WE) and have not held one since you last held a substantive visa. And the visa can only be granted if you are in Australia both when the replacement BVC application is lodged and when the decision is made — for everyone included in the application.
How is a replacement BVC different from your first BVC?
The practical difference is timing and method, not eligibility in substance. A first BVC under 030.212(2) has to travel with the substantive visa application: it is either made using the same form at the same time, or granted under regulation 2.21B. Almost all bridging visas are applied for automatically as part of applying for a substantive visa. A replacement BVC under (2A) cannot work that way, because your substantive visa application is already in the system — so it is lodged on its own, later.
| First BVC — 030.212(2) | Replacement BVC — 030.212(2A) | |
|---|---|---|
| Prior BVC for the same application | Not required | Required — you must have held one before |
| When you apply | At the same time as the substantive visa application, on the same form (or via regulation 2.21B) | Separately, at any later point while the substantive application is undecided |
| Can grantees be outside Australia? | No — must be in Australia to apply and be granted | No — must be in Australia to apply and be granted |
| Department charge | Free | Free |
When does a replacement BVC become the clause that matters?
The most common trigger is departure and return. A BVC that is in effect ceases immediately when you leave Australia, and it does not support return travel; if you leave without another visa that permits return, you need to be granted a substantive visa before you can come back. Because a ceased BVC cannot be revived, once you are back and the re-entry visa has run its course, the gateway back onto a bridging visa is (2A) — you are relying on having been granted a BVC earlier for the same undecided substantive application.
Suppose an applicant lodges a Partner visa application onshore, receives a BVC, then travels overseas without a Bridging visa B. The BVC ceases on departure. They later return on another visa and that permission expires. At that point they are in Australia without a substantive visa, with a substantive application still undecided, and with a BVC in their history for that same application — which is the fact pattern (2A) is written for.
The Department's official page also identifies two other contexts where a separate BVC application may be necessary: where you are seeking a further BVC without work restrictions, and where you have applied for judicial review. Judicial review has its own pathway within the same subclass — one that requires you to have held a BVC at the time the judicial review was applied for and requires the review to be unfinished — so it is worth being clear which route you are relying on before lodging anything.
Do you have to wait until the visa you returned on has ended?
Yes, in practice. Because (2A) requires that you do not hold a substantive visa, applying while your re-entry permission is still in force means you fail the threshold. Departmental procedural material on this subclass flags this as a timing trap: the application should be lodged once the substantive permission has ceased, and early enough that you do not fall out of lawful status while it is being processed. This timing point comes from procedural guidance rather than the public visa page, so treat the current official guidance as authoritative on it.
How do you apply, and what does it cost?
The method depends on how you lodged the substantive visa application, and the Department expects you to match it:
- Applied for the substantive visa online — apply for the replacement BVC through ImmiAccount.
- Applied for the substantive visa on paper — complete Form 1005 and submit it by webform.
- Applied for review of the substantive visa decision — submit Form 1005 by webform.
Documents follow the same pattern as most onshore applications: colour copies of your current passport pages showing photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates, plus a national identity card if you have one and proof of any change of name. If you are asking for different visa conditions, you also need to provide proof supporting that claim. The Department records no government charge for this visa — it is free.
Family members can be brought onto the separate application where they are included in your substantive visa application; if you applied jointly for the substantive visa, they may already hold a bridging visa, which your visa records will show. Each person's application is assessed on its own merits, and the Department decides which bridging visa each person can be granted.
What conditions come with a replacement BVC?
Most BVCs carry condition 8101 (no work). The exception lies with certain business and skilled subclasses: where the substantive visa applied for is a subclass 132, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 489, 491, 494 or 888 visa, the initial BVC will not carry a work prohibition.
If you have a BVC that does not let you work, you can apply for another BVC that does — but only by demonstrating you are experiencing financial hardship. If the Department assesses your circumstances and you do not meet the requirements for work while remaining eligible for a BVC, the result is a new BVC carrying the same work prevention or restriction condition as your previous one. Whatever is granted, you are notified of the conditions that apply and must follow them; there is also no extending this visa, so staying longer means applying for a new visa.
When will the replacement BVC stop being in effect?
Some events end it instantly: leaving Australia while it is in effect, being granted the substantive visa you applied for, being granted another bridging visa in relation to the same substantive visa application, or cancellation of either your BVC or the substantive visa you held when the BVC was granted.
For a BVC granted on or after 19 November 2016, it ceases 35 calendar days after a refusal decision, a decision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, an invalidity determination, or a withdrawal of the substantive or review application. It ceases 28 calendar days after a judicial review body upholds the refusal or you withdraw a related judicial review application. Earlier BVCs, granted before 19 November 2016, operate on a 28-day basis across a wider set of outcomes.
Dates and visa history decide almost everything here, so this article is general information about how the rules fit together and not personalised legal or migration advice for your circumstances — rely on the Regulations and the Department's current published guidance as the authority, and get advice tailored to your situation before you act on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does leaving Australia cancel a Bridging visa C?
Yes. A BVC that is in effect ceases immediately upon departure, and it cannot be used to return to Australia. Returning requires a separate visa that permits travel, and there is no guarantee any such application will be granted.
Can I get my old Bridging visa C back after travelling?
No. Once it ceases on departure it cannot be revived. Instead, you rely on subclause 030.212(2A) to apply for a replacement BVC, which depends on having previously been granted a BVC for the same undecided substantive visa application.
Can I apply for a replacement BVC while still holding another substantive visa?
No. Subclause 030.212(2A) requires that you do not hold a substantive visa at the time of application. If you returned on another permission, that permission generally needs to have ceased before the requirement is met.
What does a replacement Bridging visa C cost?
The Department records no government charge for the Bridging visa C (Subclass 030), so the visa itself is free. No other fees or amounts are set out on the official visa page.
Will a replacement Bridging visa C let me work?
Usually not. Most BVCs carry condition 8101, and if you ask for work rights but do not demonstrate financial hardship, any new BVC will carry the same work condition as your previous one. No-condition BVCs are tied to specific business and skilled subclasses such as 186, 189, 190, 491 and 494.
Can I include my partner or children in a separate BVC application?
You can include members of the family unit if they are included in your substantive visa application. Each person's application is assessed separately, and the Department decides which bridging visa each person can be granted.
Can I extend a Bridging visa C to stay longer?
No. The official position is that you cannot stay longer by extending this visa. If you wish to remain in Australia you must apply for a new visa.