If your visa has expired you must leave Australia or apply for a Bridging visa E straight away, because being here without a valid visa can lead to immigration detention and removal, and an overstay of more than 28 days can bring a re-entry ban of up to 3 years. Home Affairs sets this out on its pages about a visa that is about to expire and about re-entry bans.
For a Gold Coast enquiry, have your visa grant notice, expiry date and any Home Affairs correspondence ready.
| Current visa position | First action | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry confirmed and no other valid visa | Home Affairs says to depart or apply for a Bridging visa E immediately. | Remaining without a valid visa can lead to detention and removal. |
| Expiry approaching | Home Affairs says applying before expiry will usually result in a Bridging visa A. | A no-further-stay condition means leaving before expiry and applying only after leaving. |
| Unsure whether a bridging visa applies after cancellation or withdrawal | Check current visa details and the relevant correspondence. | Home Affairs says cancellation of the current visa also cancels the bridging visa; withdrawal can end a linked bridging visa and leave the holder unlawful. |
What should you do about a Bridging visa E after expiry?
- Establish the current position. Home Affairs says VEVO for visa holders shows current visa details and conditions, but not previous visas or applications being assessed.
- Depart or apply immediately. Home Affairs says that after expiry, the immediate options are to leave Australia or apply for a Bridging visa E.
- Gather documents for assessment. Have the visa grant notice, expiry date and Home Affairs correspondence ready for an Australian immigration lawyer to assess.
Home Affairs states on its Bridging visa E page that there is no application fee and the grant letter says whether work is allowed. Home Affairs warns that working without permission can lead to cancellation, detention and removal.
What are the consequences of overstaying?
| Consequence | What Home Affairs states |
|---|---|
| Unlawful status | Remaining in Australia without a valid visa means being unlawful. |
| Immigration detention | A person without a valid visa can be detained. |
| Removal | A person without a valid visa can be removed from Australia. |
| Re-entry ban | An overstay of more than 28 days can bring a re-entry ban of up to 3 years. |
No fine amount is stated on the Home Affairs pages read. The 28-day threshold is not permission to stay: Home Affairs says to depart or apply for a Bridging visa E immediately after expiry.
Can a re-entry ban be waived?
Home Affairs says that for a temporary visa, the Department will not remove a re-entry ban. It says a person can ask for the ban to be set aside (waived) by explaining in writing. A request is not a guaranteed outcome.
Bridging visas A, B and C: what each lets you do while you wait
| Bridging visa | Who it is for | Return travel | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Affairs Bridging visa A | Home Affairs describes lawful stay while a substantive visa application is finally decided. | Does not support return travel; ends on departure. | Permission to work usually needs financial hardship. |
| Home Affairs Bridging visa B | Home Affairs requires a BVA or BVB and an onshore substantive visa application. | Departure and return only within a defined travel period. | Conditions cannot be changed. |
| Home Affairs Bridging visa C | Home Affairs describes a valid onshore application without a substantive visa. | Does not support return travel. | First BVC permits work only for ten listed applications, subclasses 132, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 489, 491, 494 and 888; otherwise financial hardship is needed. |
Home Affairs states that cancelling the current visa does not bring a bridging visa into effect, it cancels that bridging visa and makes the holder unlawful, and that a skilled-visa Expression of Interest is not a visa application.
What can you apply for after a refusal or cancellation?
Home Affairs limits the visas a person can apply for in Australia after a refusal or cancellation. That limit is separate from whether the person meets the criteria for a grant. The rule has several branches, so advice from an Australian immigration lawyer is recommended before lodging.
Getting help from the Gold Coast
An Australian immigration lawyer assesses your status and options. See immigration lawyers on the Gold Coast, and when you need an immigration lawyer.
Australian Migration Lawyers receives enquiries from this site and lists an office, by appointment only, at 50 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise, read 19 October 2026.
Home Affairs states that its offices in Australia provide services by appointment only, so a lawyer appointment and Home Affairs access are different things.
For related situations, see student visa cancellation, because a cancelled visa and an expired visa are different.
You are more likely to get the result you want if an Australian immigration lawyer reviews the matter, because the lawyer can work out whether a cancellation or withdrawal has already ended a bridging visa.