Bridging visas – When can I leave Australia?

Overseas travel while holding a bridging visa

Bridging visas can be quite confusing, and so too is understanding when you can and cannot travel on a bridging visa. In this article, we outline how bridging visas operate, to help you understand when you can and cannot travel.

A bridging visa is automatically granted to a person who makes an application for a visa while in Australia. The purpose of a bridging visa is to "bridge" the gap between your current visa expiring and a decision on the lodged application.

While a bridging visa is granted at the time an application is lodged, it does not become active until your current visa expires and in many cases, the bridging visa never becomes active.