After you lodge 887 in 2026: lawful stay, BVA activation and what not to do

Lodging a Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887) application does not leave you without status while you wait. According to the Department of Home Affairs page for the Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887), you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA) when you applied; if your current visa expires before a decision is made on the 887, the BVA comes into effect and lets you stay in Australia while the new application is processed. The same page carries one blunt warning: do not ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled. This article describes the published procedure in general terms and is not advice on any individual case — where your circumstances are unusual or time-critical, the official page and a qualified professional should govern your next step.

Does lodging 887 give you a bridging visa automatically?

Yes. The official page states that you were granted a BVA when you applied for this visa, and that you will receive notification of the visa grant if you are granted a bridging visa.

That design matters because of when you are allowed to apply. All applicants must be in Australia and hold an eligible visa at the time a subclass 887 application is made, unless COVID-19 concessions apply. Outside those concessions, you lodge while you are in Australia holding an eligible visa, and the BVA sits behind it as the fallback for the gap between that visa ending and the 887 being decided.

When does the BVA actually start working?

It starts working only when your current visa expires before the department decides your application. Until then, your current visa is what keeps you lawful.

Point in time	What is in effect	Your status in Australia
After lodgement, current visa still valid	Your current eligible visa	Lawful on the visa you already hold
Current visa expires, 887 still undecided	Bridging visa A	Lawful on the BVA
You ask to have your current visa cancelled, and it is cancelled	Nothing	Unlawful; the BVA ceases

Why is cancelling your current visa the one thing not to do?

Because the BVA is a bridge, not a replacement. It is built to pick up where your current visa ends. If you ask to have the visa you currently hold cancelled and it is cancelled, the official page sets out two consequences: you will be staying in Australia unlawfully, and your BVA will cease.

There is no step in the published 887 process that requires you to give up the visa you hold first. The requirement runs the other way — hold the eligible visa, comply with its conditions, and let the BVA take over only if that visa expires before the decision. Cancelling removes the anchor the BVA depends on, and turns a lawful wait into an unlawful one.

Can you travel outside Australia while the 887 is being processed?

Yes, with one condition. You don't have to tell the department that you want to travel while your application is processed, because a decision can be made while you are outside Australia. But the official page tells applicants that if they leave Australia, they must make sure they have a valid visa to return, and points to VEVO for checking whether they can return on their current visa.

That is the practical trap for anyone mid-processing: the question is not whether you may depart, but whether you hold something that lets you come back. Once a subclass 887 is granted, it carries a travel component that expires five years after the date of grant, after which a Resident Return visa is needed to re-enter as a permanent resident.

What should you expect while the application is assessed?

Will you get progress updates?

No. The official page states that the department does not give updates on applications under assessment. What you can do is check ImmiAccount to see whether more information is needed from you. The department will tell you if health examinations are required, and might ask for biometrics (fingerprints and photo).

What if your documents are incomplete or something is wrong?

If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as you can in ImmiAccount. The department might also ask for more information, but it is not obliged to, and it may make a decision without asking for further documents. If you made a mistake on the application, the official page requires you to tell the department as soon as possible, using Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers, attached in ImmiAccount.

You also need to report certain changes after applying: changes to your phone number, email, address or passport; changes to your marital or de facto status; the birth of a child; and if you want to withdraw the application — removing it from ImmiAccount does not withdraw it.

Do you have to pay anything else?

Only if asked. If a second instalment applies, pay it when the department sends the invoice. The second instalment charge is AUD 4,890 and applies to members of the family unit aged 18 or older who have not paid the second instalment in respect of their eligible visa and do not have functional English. The official page states the department asks for it only if it is going to grant the visa, and asks that you pay it only when requested.

What happens at the decision?

You can be inside or outside Australia when the decision is made, and you will be told in writing. If the visa is granted, you will be told your visa grant number, the date the visa starts, and any visa conditions. If it is refused, you will be told why and whether you have a right to a review of the decision; the application charge is not refunded if the application is refused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I automatically get a bridging visa when I lodge subclass 887?

Yes. The official page states you were granted a Bridging visa A when you applied, and that you will be notified of the grant of a bridging visa. You do not need to make a separate application for it.

My current visa expires soon and my 887 is still undecided — am I unlawful?

No, provided you have not cancelled anything. If your current visa expires before the decision, the BVA comes into effect and you can stay in Australia on it while the application is processed.

What happens if I ask the department to cancel the visa I hold now?

The official page warns against it. If your visa is cancelled, you will be staying in Australia unlawfully and your BVA will cease — you lose both the visa you held and the bridging visa that depended on it.

Can I go overseas while my 887 is being processed?

Yes. You do not have to notify the department of travel, and a decision can be made while you are outside Australia. The condition is that you have a valid visa to return; the official page directs applicants to VEVO to check whether they can return on their current visa.

I made a mistake on my application — what should I do?

Tell the department as soon as possible. The official page requires you to complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers and attach it in ImmiAccount.

Can I add my partner or child to my 887 application after lodging it?

No, not after submission. The only exception on the official page is a child born after you submit the application but before the decision, and you must tell the department as soon as possible in that case.

Will I get my money back if the 887 is refused?

No. The official page states the application charge is not refunded if the application is refused. You will, however, be told the reasons for refusal and whether you have a right to a review.