Staying lawful while your 407 application is decided in Australia 2026
What happens to your lawful status while a subclass 407 application is decided onshore, and why cancelling your visa removes your bridging visa.
If you lodged your Training visa (subclass 407) application while you were in Australia, you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA) at the same time — but it only does its job if you leave your current visa alone. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs Training visa (subclass 407) official page, as at August 2026, the instruction is direct: do not cancel your current visa. Cancel it and you will be staying in Australia unlawfully, and you will not be eligible for a Bridging visa A. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice about your circumstances; for your own situation, rely on the official page as currently published or on advice from a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.
What keeps you lawful while the Department decides your 407?
The official page says you must stay lawful by holding a valid visa while your application is processed. For onshore applicants, that continuity is meant to work like this: the BVA sits behind your current visa and starts only if your current visa expires before the Department decides your 407. Until then, your existing visa is what keeps you lawful; after that, the BVA holds your place while the new application is decided.
Nothing in that arrangement is triggered by you taking action. There is no separate application to make and no bridging visa to request — the official page describes the BVA as something you were granted when you applied in Australia.
Why is cancelling your current visa the single worst move during this wait?
Because the BVA is a bridge from a visa you still hold. The official page lists two consequences for cancelling your current visa:
- you will be staying in Australia unlawfully
- you will not be eligible for a Bridging visa A
Read together, those are the same failure from two directions: the visa you cancelled was your lawful status, and the bridging visa that would have covered the gap is no longer available to you. The period between the cancellation and the decision on your 407 is then a period of unlawful stay, which is a legal status problem rather than a paperwork problem — and it is one you created by an act you did not need to take.
A common way people get here is assuming that "the new application is in, so I can let the old visa go." The official page does not support that assumption. The rule it states is the opposite: keep the current visa alive and let the BVA start on its own when the expiry date arrives.
Assume an applicant whose subclass 500 visa runs to March and who cancels it in January after lodging a 407 because they believe the bridging visa has replaced it. On the official page's terms, that applicant is now unlawful, and no BVA will be granted — even though the 407 application itself is still on foot and may later be decided in their favour.
Can you travel overseas while the 407 is being decided?
You can, but the travel risk sits entirely on the return trip. The official page makes three points that have to be read together:
- You do not have to tell the Department you want to travel outside Australia while your application is processed, because you can be outside Australia when the decision is made.
- You cannot travel on the BVA. There is no right of return on this visa, and it cancels on departure.
- If you leave, make sure you have a valid visa to return — the page points to the Bridging visa B (BVB, subclass 020) for this.
The earlier step on the same page adds a fourth, practical point: do not arrange travel until the Department tells you in writing that you have the visa. Leaving on a BVA does not pause or cancel your 407 application, but it does end the bridging visa, so the question is never "can I get out?" — it is "what lets me get back in?"
What happens if the 407 is refused?
The Department tells you in writing. The official page says a refusal notice will explain why the application was refused and whether you have a right to a review of the decision. It also states that the application charge is not refunded if the application is refused.
The same page does not describe a bridging visa that continues after a refusal, which is exactly why the safest reading of the "stay lawful" instruction is that your status depends on the visa you actually hold at each point in time, not on the application you have lodged.
What else must you keep on top of while you wait?
A few obligations continue during processing, and each one is about the accuracy of the application the Department is assessing:
- New passport. Get one before applying if you plan to. If you get a new passport after you have submitted your application, you must tell the Department of the change in writing, which you can do in ImmiAccount.
- Mistakes. If you made a mistake on your application, let the Department know as soon as you can using Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers.
- Changes in circumstances. Withdrawing your application, changes to your phone number, address or passport, changes to your relationship status, and the birth of a child all need to be notified.
- Status updates. You can see whether the Department has asked for more information in ImmiAccount. If your application is within standard processing times, the page asks that you not call, as no further progress updates are given.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I automatically get a bridging visa when I apply for a 407 onshore?
Yes, if you were in Australia when you applied. The official page states you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA) at that point. It does not begin immediately — it starts if your current visa expires before the Department decides your 407 application.
When does my Bridging visa A actually start?
It starts when your current visa expires before a decision is made on your 407. Until that expiry date, your existing visa is what keeps you lawful in Australia, and the BVA is waiting behind it.
What happens if I cancel my current visa while the 407 is being decided?
You become unlawful, and you lose eligibility for a Bridging visa A. The official page states both consequences explicitly, which means cancelling your own visa removes both the status you had and the bridging visa that would have replaced it.
Can I leave Australia and come back while my 407 is processing?
You can leave — the Department does not need to be told, and a decision can be made while you are outside Australia. But the BVA cancels on departure and carries no right of return, so you need a valid visa such as a Bridging visa B (subclass 020) to come back.
Will the Department still decide my application if I am overseas?
Yes. The official page says you can be outside Australia when the decision is made, and you do not have to notify the Department that you intend to travel. What you do need is a valid visa to return.
Do I get a refund if my 407 application is refused?
No. The official page states the Department will not refund the application charge if the application is refused. The refusal notice will state the reasons and whether you have a right to a review of the decision.