485BPOS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 9, 2014

File No. 333-37115

ICA No. 811-08399

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933	x
Post-Effective Amendment No. 71	x
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940	x
Amendment No. 73	x

PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Trust Instrument)

840 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, California 92660

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(Area Code and Telephone Number)

(866) 746-2606

Copy to:
Robert W. Helm, Esq. Brendan C. Fox, Esq. Dechert LLP 1900 K Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006	Brent R. Harris Pacific Investment Management Company LLC 840 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach, California 92660
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:  As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

x	Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)	¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
¨	60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)	¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
¨	75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)	¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

¨  this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements of effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to its Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) of the 1933 Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Washington in the District of Columbia on the 9^th day of April, 2014.

PIMCO VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
By:
	Brent R. Harris*, President
*By:	/s/ Brendan C. Fox
	Brendan C. Fox as attorney-in fact

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Signature	Title	Date
Brent R. Harris*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
William J. Popejoy*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
Vern O. Curtis*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
E. Philip Cannon*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
J. Michael Hagan*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
Douglas M. Hodge*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
Ronald C. Parker*	Trustee	April 9, 2014
Trent W. Walker**	Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)	April 9, 2014
Brent R. Harris*	President (Principal Executive Officer)	April 9, 2014

*, **By:	/s/ BRENDAN C. FOX
	Brendan C. Fox as attorney-in-fact

________

*           Pursuant to powers of attorney filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration Statement File No. 333-37115 on January 11, 2011.

**          Pursuant to power of attorney filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to the Registration Statement File No. 333-37115 on January 27, 2014.

EXHIBIT LIST

EX-101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
EX-101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
EX-101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
EX-101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document
EX-101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

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(PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged))

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged))		Advisor Class
Management Fees		0.75%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%
Other Expenses	[1]	0.02%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	[2]	1.02%

Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Expense Example, No Redemption (PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged)) (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Advisor Class	104	325	563	1,248

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 127% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets in Fixed Income Instruments that are economically tied to foreign (non-U.S.) countries, representing at least three foreign countries, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements. "Fixed Income Instruments" include bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The Portfolio will normally limit its foreign currency exposure (from non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities or currencies) to 20% of its total assets.

Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO") selects the Portfolio's foreign country and currency compositions based on an evaluation of various factors, including, but not limited to, relative interest rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies, trade and current account balances. The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries. The average portfolio duration of this Portfolio normally varies within three years (plus or minus) of the portfolio duration of the securities comprising the JPMorgan GBI Global ex-U.S. Index Hedged in USD, as calculated by PIMCO, which as of March 31, 2014 was [ ] years. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. The Portfolio invests primarily in investment grade debt securities, but may invest up to 10% of its total assets in high yield securities ("junk bonds") rated B or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services ("S&P") or Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality (except that within such limitation, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities rated below B). The Portfolio is non-diversified, which means that it may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described in the Portfolio's prospectus or Statement of Additional Information. The Portfolio may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. The Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls). The "total return" sought by the Portfolio consists of income earned on the Portfolio's investments, plus capital appreciation, if any, which generally arises from decreases in interest rates, foreign currency appreciation, or improving credit fundamentals for a particular sector or security. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in preferred stocks.

Principal Risks

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risk of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk, and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

The performance information below shows summary performance information for the Portfolio in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The Portfolio's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods presented. Absent such fee waivers and/or expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance shown does not reflect any charges or expenses imposed by an insurance company and if it did, performance shown would be lower. The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

The JPMorgan GBI Global ex-U.S. Index Hedged in USD is an unmanaged market index representative of the total return performance in U.S. dollars of major non-U.S. bond markets.

Performance for the Portfolio is updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

Calendar Year Total Returns—Administrative Class*⁽¹⁾

*For the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest quarterly return was 7.08% in the 3rd quarter of 2009, and the lowest quarterly return was -3.09% in the 2nd quarter of 2013.

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/13)

Average Annual Total Returns (PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged))	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Administrative Class Return	0.50%	8.33%	5.52%
JPMorgan GBI Global ex-US Index Hedged in USD (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)	1.39%	3.35%	4.36%

(1) Since the Portfolio's Advisor Class has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares, which are offered in a separate prospectus. Although the Advisor Class and Administrative Class would have substantially similar annual returns (because they represent interests in the same portfolio of securities), Advisor Class and Administrative Class performance would differ to the extent that the Advisor Class has higher expenses.

[1] "Other Expenses" reflect interest expense and is based on the amount incurred during the Portfolio's most recent fiscal year as a result of entering into certain investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements. Interest expense is required to be treated as a Portfolio expense for accounting purposes and is not payable to PIMCO. The amount of interest expense (if any) will vary based on the Portfolio's use of such investments as an investment strategy.

[2] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses excluding interest expense is 1.00% for Advisor Class shares.

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(PIMCO All Asset All Authority Portfolio)

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks maximum real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management.

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (PIMCO All Asset All Authority Portfolio)		Institutional Class
Management Fees		0.45%
Other Expenses	[1][2][3]	0.70%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses	[4]	1.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	[5]	2.16%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement	[6][7]	(0.13%)
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[8]	2.03%

Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Expense Example (PIMCO All Asset All Authority Portfolio) (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years
Institutional Class	206	637

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. The Portfolio has not yet commenced operations. Thus, no portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances substantially all of its assets in Institutional Class or, as applicable, Class M shares of any funds of the PIMCO Funds and PIMCO Equity Series, affiliated open-end investment companies, except funds of funds, and shares of any actively-managed funds of the PIMCO ETF Trust, an affiliated investment company (collectively, "Underlying PIMCO Funds"). The Portfolio invests its assets in shares of the Underlying PIMCO Funds and does not invest directly in stocks or bonds of other issuers. Research Affiliates, LLC, the Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser, determines how the Portfolio allocates and reallocates its assets among the Underlying PIMCO Funds. In doing so, the asset allocation sub-adviser seeks concurrent exposure to a broad spectrum of asset classes.

The Portfolio may invest in any or all of the Underlying PIMCO Funds, but will not normally invest in every Underlying PIMCO Fund at any particular time. The Portfolio's investment in any particular Underlying PIMCO Fund normally will not exceed 50% of its total assets. The Portfolio's investments in the Short Strategy Underlying PIMCO Funds, which seek to gain a negative exposure to an asset class such as equities or commodities, normally will not exceed 20% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the Domestic Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds normally will not exceed 50% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the International Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds normally will not exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds (less any investment in the PIMCO StocksPLUS® AR Short Strategy Fund) normally will not exceed 66 2/3% of its total assets. In addition, the Portfolio's combined investments in Inflation-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds, which seek to gain exposure to an asset class such as U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities ("TIPS"), commodities, or real estate, (less any exposure to the PIMCO CommoditiesPLUS® Short Strategy Fund) normally will not exceed 75% of its total assets.

The Portfolio's assets are not allocated according to a predetermined blend of shares of the Underlying PIMCO Funds. Instead, when making allocation decisions among the Underlying PIMCO Funds, the Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser considers various quantitative and qualitative data relating to the U.S. and foreign economies and securities markets. Such data includes projected growth trends in the U.S. and foreign economies, forecasts for interest rates and the relationship between short- and long-term interest rates (yield curve), current and projected trends in inflation, relative valuation levels in the equity and fixed income markets and various segments within those markets, the outlook and projected growth of various industrial sectors, information relating to business cycles, borrowing needs and the cost of capital, political trends data relating to trade balances and labor information. The Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser has the flexibility to reallocate the Portfolio's assets among any or all of the asset class exposures represented by the Underlying PIMCO Funds based on its ongoing analyses of the equity, fixed income and commodity markets. While these analyses are performed daily, material shifts in asset class exposures typically take place over longer periods of time. The Portfolio is non-diversified which means that it may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Portfolio may use leverage by borrowing for investment purposes. The Portfolio will borrow only from banks, and only when the value of the Portfolio's assets, minus its liabilities other than borrowings, equals or exceeds 300% of the Portfolio's total borrowings, including the proposed borrowing. If at any time this 300% coverage requirement is not met, the Portfolio will, within three business days, decrease its borrowings to the extent required. Borrowing requires the payment of interest and other loan costs. To make such payments, the Portfolio may be forced to sell portfolio securities when it is not otherwise advantageous to do so. At times when the Portfolio's borrowings are substantial, the interest expense to the Portfolio may result in the Portfolio having little or no investment income. The use of leverage by borrowing creates the potential for greater gains to shareholders of the Portfolio during favorable market conditions and the risk of magnified losses during adverse market conditions. In addition, the Underlying PIMCO Funds may engage in certain transactions that give rise to a form of leverage.

The Portfolio is a "fund of funds," which is a term used to describe mutual funds that pursue their investment objective by investing in other mutual funds. In addition to investing in the Underlying PIMCO Funds, at the discretion of Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO") and without shareholder approval, the Portfolio may invest in additional Underlying PIMCO Funds created in the future.

Principal Risks

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Allocation Risk: the risk that a Portfolio could lose money as a result of less than optimal or poor asset allocation decisions as to how its assets are allocated or reallocated

Underlying PIMCO Fund Risk: the risk that a Portfolio's performance is closely related to the risks associated with the securities and other investments held by the Underlying PIMCO Funds and that the ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective will depend upon the ability of the Underlying PIMCO Funds to achieve their investment objectives

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

The principal risks of investing in the Underlying PIMCO Funds, and consequently the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return, are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Market Trading Risk: the risk that an active secondary trading market for shares of an Underlying PIMCO Fund that is an exchange-traded fund does not continue once developed, that such Underlying PIMCO Fund may not continue to meet a listing exchange's trading or listing requirements, or that such Underlying PIMCO Fund's shares trade at prices other than the Fund's net asset value

Limited Issuance Risk: the risk that Build America Bonds will not be actively traded, that an Underlying PIMCO Fund may experience difficulty in locating suitable Build America Bonds for purchase, that the non-extension of the program will negatively affect the value of existing Build America Bonds and that Build America Bonds may experience greater illiquidity as compared to other municipal obligations

Municipal Project-Specific Risk: the risk that an Underlying PIMCO Fund may be more sensitive to adverse economic, business or political developments if it invests a substantial portion of its assets in the bonds of specific projects (such as those relating to education, health care, housing, transportation, and utilities), industrial development bonds, or in bonds from issuers in a single state

Municipal Bond Risk: the risk that by investing in debt securities whose interest is, in the opinion of bond counsel for the issuer at the time of issuance, exempt from federal income tax ("Municipal Bonds"), an Underlying PIMCO Fund may be affected significantly by the economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of issuers of Municipal Bonds to pay interest or repay principal

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Distressed Company Risk: the risk that securities of distressed companies may be subject to greater levels of credit, issuer and liquidity risk than a portfolio that does not invest in such securities. Securities of distressed companies include both debt and equity securities. Debt securities of distressed companies are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers' continuing ability to make principal and interest payments

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risks of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. An underlying PIMCO Fund's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Commodity Risk: the risk that investing in commodity-linked derivative instruments may subject the Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk, and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Real Estate Risk: the risk that a Portfolio's investments in Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs") or real estate-linked derivative instruments will subject the Portfolio to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes and operating expenses. A Portfolio's investments in REITs or real estate-linked derivative instruments subject it to management and tax risks. In addition, privately traded REITs subject a Portfolio to liquidity and valuation risk

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Smaller Company Risk: the risk that the value of securities issued by a smaller company may go up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably as compared to more widely held securities, due to narrow markets and limited resources of smaller companies. A Portfolio's investments in smaller companies subject it to greater levels of credit, market and issuer risk

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Tax Risk: the risk that the tax treatment of swap agreements and other derivative instruments, such as commodity-linked derivative instruments, including commodity index-linked notes, swap agreements, commodity options, futures, and options on futures, may be affected by future regulatory or legislative changes that could affect whether income from such investments is "qualifying income" under Subchapter M of the Code

Subsidiary Risk: the risk that, by investing in certain Underlying PIMCO Funds that invest in a subsidiary (each a "Subsidiary"), the Portfolio is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with a Subsidiary's investments. The Subsidiaries are not registered under the 1940 Act and may not be subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of a Subsidiary will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Value Investing Risk: a value stock may decrease in price or may not increase in price as anticipated by PIMCO if it continues to be undervalued by the market or the factors that the portfolio manager believes will cause the stock price to increase do not occur

Arbitrage Risk: the risk that securities purchased pursuant to an arbitrage strategy intended to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities may not perform as expected

Convertible Securities Risk: as convertible securities share both fixed income and equity characteristics, they are subject to risks to which fixed income and equity investments are subject. These risks include equity risk, interest rate risk and credit risk

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

The Portfolio has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus. Thus, no bar chart or average annual returns table is included for the Portfolio. Once the Portfolio commences operations, performance for the Portfolio will be updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

[1] Estimated interest expense of 0.62% results from the Portfolio's ability to borrow money for investment purposes from a committed line of credit. Such expense is required to be treated as a Portfolio expense for accounting purposes and not payable to PIMCO. Any interest expense amount will vary based on the Portfolio's use of those investments as an investment strategy best suited to seek the objective of the Portfolio.

[2] Estimated organizational expenses of 0.08% is included for the Portfolio's first fiscal year.

[3] Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

[4] Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses include interest expense of 0.01%. Interest expense is based on the amount incurred during an Underlying PIMCO Fund's most recent fiscal year as a result of entering into certain investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements. Interest expense is required to be treated as an expense of the Underlying PIMCO Fund for accounting purposes and is not payable to PIMCO. The amount of interest expense (if any) will vary based on the Underlying PIMCO Fund's use of such investments as an investment strategy.

[5] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses excluding interest expense of the Portfolio and interest expense of the Underlying PIMCO Funds is estimated to be 1.53% for the Institutional Class shares.

[6] PIMCO has contractually agreed, through May 1, 2015, to waive its supervisory and administrative fee, or reimburse the Portfolio, to the extent that organizational expenses and pro rata Board of Trustees' fees exceed 0.0049% of the Portfolio's average net assets attributable to Institutional Class shares (the "Expense Limit"). Under the Expense Limitation Agreement, which renews annually for a full year unless terminated by PIMCO upon at least 30 days' notice prior to the end of the contract term, PIMCO may recoup these waivers and reimbursements in future periods, not exceeding three years, provided organizational expenses and pro rata Board of Trustees' fees, plus such recoupment, do not exceed the Expense Limit.

[7] PIMCO has contractually agreed, through May 1, 2015, for the Portfolio, to reduce its advisory fee to the extent that the Underlying PIMCO Fund Expenses attributable to advisory and supervisory and administrative fees exceed 0.69% of the total assets invested in Underlying PIMCO Funds. PIMCO may recoup these waivers in future periods, not exceeding three years, provided total expenses, including such recoupment, do not exceed the annual expense limit. As the Portfolio has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the expense reduction is estimated based upon the expense allocation of the Portfolio's assets among the Underlying PIMCO Funds.

[8] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement excluding interest expense of the Portfolio and interest expense of the Underlying PIMCO Funds is estimated to be 1.40% for the Institutional Class shares.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Document Type	dei_DocumentType	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate	Dec. 31, 2013
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	PIMCO VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
Central Index Key	dei_EntityCentralIndexKey	0001047304
Amendment Flag	dei_AmendmentFlag	false
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Mar. 28, 2014
Document Effective Date	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate	Mar. 28, 2014
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Mar. 28, 2014

XML

(PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio)

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks maximum long-term return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Class M shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio)	Class M
Management Fees	0.90%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	0.45%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	1.35%

Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Class M shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Expense Example, No Redemption (PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio) (USD $)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Class M	137	428	739	1,624

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 928% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets in a diversified portfolio of Fixed Income Instruments of varying maturities, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. "Fixed Income Instruments" include bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The Portfolio intends to utilize various investment strategies in a broad array of fixed income sectors to achieve its investment objective. The Portfolio will not be constrained by management against an index. The average portfolio duration of this Portfolio will normally vary from (negative) 3 years to positive 8 years based on PIMCO's forecast for interest rates. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates.

The Portfolio may invest in both investment-grade securities and high yield securities ("junk bonds") subject to a maximum of 40% of its total assets in securities rated below Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services ("S&P") or Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. The Portfolio may also invest without limitation in securities denominated in foreign currencies and in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. In addition, the Portfolio may invest up to 50% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries. The Portfolio will normally limit its foreign currency exposure (from non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities or currencies) to 35% of its total assets. The Portfolio may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in preferred stocks.

The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described in the Portfolio's prospectus or Statement of Additional Information. The Portfolio may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. The Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).

Principal Risks

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risk of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

The performance information below shows summary performance information for the Portfolio in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The Portfolio's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods presented. Absent such fee waivers and/or expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance shown does not reflect any charges or expenses imposed by an insurance company and if it did, performance shown would be lower. The bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares. The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

The Portfolio's benchmark index is the 3 Month USD LIBOR Index. LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) is an average interest rate, determined by the British Bankers Association, that banks charge one another for the use of short-term money (3 months) in the U.K. Eurodollar market.

Performance for the Portfolio is updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

Calendar Year Total Returns—Administrative Class*⁽¹⁾

*For the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest quarterly return was 3.10% in the 3rd quarter of 2012, and the lowest quarterly return was -1.36% in the 2nd quarter of 2013.

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/13)

Average Annual Total Returns (PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio)	1 Year	Since Inception (05/02/2011)
Administrative Class Return (1)	(1.12%)	2.00%
3 Month USD LIBOR Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)	0.28%	0.36%

(1) Since the Portfolio's Class M has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares, which are offered in a separate prospectus. Although Class M and Administrative Class would have substantially similar annual returns (because they represent interests in the same portfolio of securities), Class M and Administrative Class performance would differ to the extent that Class M has higher expenses.

XML

Label

Element

Value

(PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged))

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 127% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

127.00%

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets in Fixed Income Instruments that are economically tied to foreign (non-U.S.) countries, representing at least three foreign countries, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements. "Fixed Income Instruments" include bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The Portfolio will normally limit its foreign currency exposure (from non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities or currencies) to 20% of its total assets.

Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO") selects the Portfolio's foreign country and currency compositions based on an evaluation of various factors, including, but not limited to, relative interest rates, exchange rates, monetary and fiscal policies, trade and current account balances. The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries. The average portfolio duration of this Portfolio normally varies within three years (plus or minus) of the portfolio duration of the securities comprising the JPMorgan GBI Global ex-U.S. Index Hedged in USD, as calculated by PIMCO, which as of March 31, 2014 was [ ] years. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. The Portfolio invests primarily in investment grade debt securities, but may invest up to 10% of its total assets in high yield securities ("junk bonds") rated B or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services ("S&P") or Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality (except that within such limitation, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities rated below B). The Portfolio is non-diversified, which means that it may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described in the Portfolio's prospectus or Statement of Additional Information. The Portfolio may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. The Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls). The "total return" sought by the Portfolio consists of income earned on the Portfolio's investments, plus capital appreciation, if any, which generally arises from decreases in interest rates, foreign currency appreciation, or improving credit fundamentals for a particular sector or security. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in preferred stocks.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risk of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk, and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]

rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution

An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance Information

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The performance information below shows summary performance information for the Portfolio in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The Portfolio's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods presented. Absent such fee waivers and/or expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance shown does not reflect any charges or expenses imposed by an insurance company and if it did, performance shown would be lower. The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

The JPMorgan GBI Global ex-U.S. Index Hedged in USD is an unmanaged market index representative of the total return performance in U.S. dollars of major non-U.S. bond markets.

Performance for the Portfolio is updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Calendar Year Total Returns—Administrative Class*⁽¹⁾

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

*For the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest quarterly return was 7.08% in the 3rd quarter of 2009, and the lowest quarterly return was -3.09% in the 2nd quarter of 2013.

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/13)

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

(1) Since the Portfolio's Advisor Class has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares, which are offered in a separate prospectus. Although the Advisor Class and Administrative Class would have substantially similar annual returns (because they represent interests in the same portfolio of securities), Advisor Class and Administrative Class performance would differ to the extent that the Advisor Class has higher expenses.

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://pvit.pimco-funds.com

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone

1-888-87-PIMCO

(PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged)) | JPMorgan GBI Global ex-US Index Hedged in USD (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.39%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

3.35%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

4.36%

(PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged)) | Administrative Class Return

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2004

rr_AnnualReturn2004

5.56%

Annual Return 2005

rr_AnnualReturn2005

5.15%

Annual Return 2006

rr_AnnualReturn2006

2.19%

Annual Return 2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

3.62%

Annual Return 2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

(2.39%)

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

15.60%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

8.49%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

6.76%

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

10.85%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

0.50%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

the highest quarterly return was 7.08% in the 3rd quarter of 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

7.08%

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2009

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

lowest quarterly return was -3.09% in the 2nd quarter of 2013

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(3.09%)

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2013

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.50%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

8.33%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

5.52%

(PIMCO Foreign Bond Portfolio (U.S. Dollar-Hedged)) | Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.75%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.25%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.02%

^[1]

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.02%

^[2]

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

$ 104

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

325

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

563

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

1,248

(PIMCO All Asset All Authority Portfolio)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Objective [Heading]

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Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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The Portfolio seeks maximum real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management.

Expense [Heading]

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Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

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Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

2015-05-01

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

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The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. The Portfolio has not yet commenced operations. Thus, no portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Portfolio.

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances substantially all of its assets in Institutional Class or, as applicable, Class M shares of any funds of the PIMCO Funds and PIMCO Equity Series, affiliated open-end investment companies, except funds of funds, and shares of any actively-managed funds of the PIMCO ETF Trust, an affiliated investment company (collectively, "Underlying PIMCO Funds"). The Portfolio invests its assets in shares of the Underlying PIMCO Funds and does not invest directly in stocks or bonds of other issuers. Research Affiliates, LLC, the Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser, determines how the Portfolio allocates and reallocates its assets among the Underlying PIMCO Funds. In doing so, the asset allocation sub-adviser seeks concurrent exposure to a broad spectrum of asset classes.

The Portfolio may invest in any or all of the Underlying PIMCO Funds, but will not normally invest in every Underlying PIMCO Fund at any particular time. The Portfolio's investment in any particular Underlying PIMCO Fund normally will not exceed 50% of its total assets. The Portfolio's investments in the Short Strategy Underlying PIMCO Funds, which seek to gain a negative exposure to an asset class such as equities or commodities, normally will not exceed 20% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the Domestic Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds normally will not exceed 50% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the International Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds normally will not exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets. The Portfolio's combined investments in the Equity-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds (less any investment in the PIMCO StocksPLUS® AR Short Strategy Fund) normally will not exceed 66 2/3% of its total assets. In addition, the Portfolio's combined investments in Inflation-Related Underlying PIMCO Funds, which seek to gain exposure to an asset class such as U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities ("TIPS"), commodities, or real estate, (less any exposure to the PIMCO CommoditiesPLUS® Short Strategy Fund) normally will not exceed 75% of its total assets.

The Portfolio's assets are not allocated according to a predetermined blend of shares of the Underlying PIMCO Funds. Instead, when making allocation decisions among the Underlying PIMCO Funds, the Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser considers various quantitative and qualitative data relating to the U.S. and foreign economies and securities markets. Such data includes projected growth trends in the U.S. and foreign economies, forecasts for interest rates and the relationship between short- and long-term interest rates (yield curve), current and projected trends in inflation, relative valuation levels in the equity and fixed income markets and various segments within those markets, the outlook and projected growth of various industrial sectors, information relating to business cycles, borrowing needs and the cost of capital, political trends data relating to trade balances and labor information. The Portfolio's asset allocation sub-adviser has the flexibility to reallocate the Portfolio's assets among any or all of the asset class exposures represented by the Underlying PIMCO Funds based on its ongoing analyses of the equity, fixed income and commodity markets. While these analyses are performed daily, material shifts in asset class exposures typically take place over longer periods of time. The Portfolio is non-diversified which means that it may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Portfolio may use leverage by borrowing for investment purposes. The Portfolio will borrow only from banks, and only when the value of the Portfolio's assets, minus its liabilities other than borrowings, equals or exceeds 300% of the Portfolio's total borrowings, including the proposed borrowing. If at any time this 300% coverage requirement is not met, the Portfolio will, within three business days, decrease its borrowings to the extent required. Borrowing requires the payment of interest and other loan costs. To make such payments, the Portfolio may be forced to sell portfolio securities when it is not otherwise advantageous to do so. At times when the Portfolio's borrowings are substantial, the interest expense to the Portfolio may result in the Portfolio having little or no investment income. The use of leverage by borrowing creates the potential for greater gains to shareholders of the Portfolio during favorable market conditions and the risk of magnified losses during adverse market conditions. In addition, the Underlying PIMCO Funds may engage in certain transactions that give rise to a form of leverage.

The Portfolio is a "fund of funds," which is a term used to describe mutual funds that pursue their investment objective by investing in other mutual funds. In addition to investing in the Underlying PIMCO Funds, at the discretion of Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO") and without shareholder approval, the Portfolio may invest in additional Underlying PIMCO Funds created in the future.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Allocation Risk: the risk that a Portfolio could lose money as a result of less than optimal or poor asset allocation decisions as to how its assets are allocated or reallocated

Underlying PIMCO Fund Risk: the risk that a Portfolio's performance is closely related to the risks associated with the securities and other investments held by the Underlying PIMCO Funds and that the ability of a Portfolio to achieve its investment objective will depend upon the ability of the Underlying PIMCO Funds to achieve their investment objectives

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

The principal risks of investing in the Underlying PIMCO Funds, and consequently the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return, are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Market Trading Risk: the risk that an active secondary trading market for shares of an Underlying PIMCO Fund that is an exchange-traded fund does not continue once developed, that such Underlying PIMCO Fund may not continue to meet a listing exchange's trading or listing requirements, or that such Underlying PIMCO Fund's shares trade at prices other than the Fund's net asset value

Limited Issuance Risk: the risk that Build America Bonds will not be actively traded, that an Underlying PIMCO Fund may experience difficulty in locating suitable Build America Bonds for purchase, that the non-extension of the program will negatively affect the value of existing Build America Bonds and that Build America Bonds may experience greater illiquidity as compared to other municipal obligations

Municipal Project-Specific Risk: the risk that an Underlying PIMCO Fund may be more sensitive to adverse economic, business or political developments if it invests a substantial portion of its assets in the bonds of specific projects (such as those relating to education, health care, housing, transportation, and utilities), industrial development bonds, or in bonds from issuers in a single state

Municipal Bond Risk: the risk that by investing in debt securities whose interest is, in the opinion of bond counsel for the issuer at the time of issuance, exempt from federal income tax ("Municipal Bonds"), an Underlying PIMCO Fund may be affected significantly by the economic, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of issuers of Municipal Bonds to pay interest or repay principal

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Distressed Company Risk: the risk that securities of distressed companies may be subject to greater levels of credit, issuer and liquidity risk than a portfolio that does not invest in such securities. Securities of distressed companies include both debt and equity securities. Debt securities of distressed companies are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers' continuing ability to make principal and interest payments

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risks of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. An underlying PIMCO Fund's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Commodity Risk: the risk that investing in commodity-linked derivative instruments may subject the Portfolio to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk, and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Real Estate Risk: the risk that a Portfolio's investments in Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs") or real estate-linked derivative instruments will subject the Portfolio to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes and operating expenses. A Portfolio's investments in REITs or real estate-linked derivative instruments subject it to management and tax risks. In addition, privately traded REITs subject a Portfolio to liquidity and valuation risk

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Smaller Company Risk: the risk that the value of securities issued by a smaller company may go up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably as compared to more widely held securities, due to narrow markets and limited resources of smaller companies. A Portfolio's investments in smaller companies subject it to greater levels of credit, market and issuer risk

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Tax Risk: the risk that the tax treatment of swap agreements and other derivative instruments, such as commodity-linked derivative instruments, including commodity index-linked notes, swap agreements, commodity options, futures, and options on futures, may be affected by future regulatory or legislative changes that could affect whether income from such investments is "qualifying income" under Subchapter M of the Code

Subsidiary Risk: the risk that, by investing in certain Underlying PIMCO Funds that invest in a subsidiary (each a "Subsidiary"), the Portfolio is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with a Subsidiary's investments. The Subsidiaries are not registered under the 1940 Act and may not be subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of a Subsidiary will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Value Investing Risk: a value stock may decrease in price or may not increase in price as anticipated by PIMCO if it continues to be undervalued by the market or the factors that the portfolio manager believes will cause the stock price to increase do not occur

Arbitrage Risk: the risk that securities purchased pursuant to an arbitrage strategy intended to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities may not perform as expected

Convertible Securities Risk: as convertible securities share both fixed income and equity characteristics, they are subject to risks to which fixed income and equity investments are subject. These risks include equity risk, interest rate risk and credit risk

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Issuer Non-Diversification Risk: the risks of focusing investments in a small number of issuers, including being more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Portfolios that are "non-diversified" may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer (such as bonds issued by a particular state) than portfolios that are "diversified"

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]

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An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance Information

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The Portfolio has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus. Thus, no bar chart or average annual returns table is included for the Portfolio. Once the Portfolio commences operations, performance for the Portfolio will be updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://pvit.pimco-funds.com

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone

1-888-87-PIMCO

(PIMCO All Asset All Authority Portfolio) | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.45%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.70%

^[3],[4],[5]

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets

1.01%

^[6]

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.16%

^[7]

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.13%)

^[8],[9]

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

2.03%

^[10]

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

206

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

637

(PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Objective [Heading]

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Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Portfolio seeks maximum long-term return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Expense [Heading]

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Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Class M shares of the Portfolio. Overall fees and expenses of investing in the Portfolio are higher than shown because the table does not reflect variable contract fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment): None

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

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Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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Example. The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Class M shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated, and then redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the Example shows what your costs would be based on these assumptions. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses of any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy, and would be higher if it did.

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

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The Portfolio pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example tables, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 928% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

928.00%

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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The Portfolio invests under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets in a diversified portfolio of Fixed Income Instruments of varying maturities, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements. "Fixed Income Instruments" include bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The Portfolio intends to utilize various investment strategies in a broad array of fixed income sectors to achieve its investment objective. The Portfolio will not be constrained by management against an index. The average portfolio duration of this Portfolio will normally vary from (negative) 3 years to positive 8 years based on PIMCO's forecast for interest rates. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates.

The Portfolio may invest in both investment-grade securities and high yield securities ("junk bonds") subject to a maximum of 40% of its total assets in securities rated below Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services ("S&P") or Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality. The Portfolio may also invest without limitation in securities denominated in foreign currencies and in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. In addition, the Portfolio may invest up to 50% of its total assets in securities and instruments that are economically tied to emerging market countries. The Portfolio will normally limit its foreign currency exposure (from non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities or currencies) to 35% of its total assets. The Portfolio may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in preferred stocks.

The Portfolio may invest, without limitation, in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset-backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described in the Portfolio's prospectus or Statement of Additional Information. The Portfolio may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short sales. The Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).

Risk [Heading]

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Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:

Interest Rate Risk: the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of an increase in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration

Credit Risk: the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations

High Yield Risk: the risk that high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as "junk bonds") are subject to greater levels of credit, call and liquidity risks. High yield securities are considered primarily speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity

Market Risk: the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries

Issuer Risk: the risk that the value of a security may decline for a reason directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services

Liquidity Risk: the risk that a particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell and that the Portfolio may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price or achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity

Derivatives Risk: the risk of investing in derivative instruments (such as futures, swaps and structured securities), including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, mispricing or valuation complexity. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with, and may be more sensitive to market events than, the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested. The Portfolio's use of derivatives may result in losses to the Portfolio, a reduction in the Portfolio's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations

Equity Risk: the risk that the value of equity or equity-related securities may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Equity or equity-related securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk and credit risk

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers

Emerging Markets Risk: the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk

Currency Risk: the risk that foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Portfolio's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies

Leveraging Risk: the risk that certain transactions of the Portfolio, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments, may give rise to leverage, magnifying gains and losses and causing the Portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. This means that leverage entails a heightened risk of loss

Management Risk: the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by PIMCO will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to PIMCO and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Portfolio. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved

Short Sale Risk: the risk of entering into short sales, including the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Portfolio

Please see "Description of Principal Risks" in the Portfolio's prospectus for a more detailed description of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]

rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution

An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance Information

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The performance information below shows summary performance information for the Portfolio in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The Portfolio's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods presented. Absent such fee waivers and/or expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance shown does not reflect any charges or expenses imposed by an insurance company and if it did, performance shown would be lower. The bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares. The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

The Portfolio's benchmark index is the 3 Month USD LIBOR Index. LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) is an average interest rate, determined by the British Bankers Association, that banks charge one another for the use of short-term money (3 months) in the U.K. Eurodollar market.

Performance for the Portfolio is updated daily and monthly and may be obtained as follows: daily updates on the net asset value may be obtained by calling 1-888-87-PIMCO and monthly performance may be obtained at http://pvit.pimco-funds.com.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Calendar Year Total Returns—Administrative Class*⁽¹⁾

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

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*For the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest quarterly return was 3.10% in the 3rd quarter of 2012, and the lowest quarterly return was -1.36% in the 2nd quarter of 2013.

Performance Table Heading

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Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/13)

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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(1) Since the Portfolio's Class M has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the bar chart and the table show performance of the Portfolio's Administrative Class shares, which are offered in a separate prospectus. Although Class M and Administrative Class would have substantially similar annual returns (because they represent interests in the same portfolio of securities), Class M and Administrative Class performance would differ to the extent that Class M has higher expenses.

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

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http://pvit.pimco-funds.com

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

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1-888-87-PIMCO

(PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio) | 3 Month USD LIBOR Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Risk/Return:

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1 Year

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0.28%

Since Inception (05/02/2011)

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0.36%

(PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio) | Administrative Class Return

Risk/Return:

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Annual Return 2012

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7.75%

Annual Return 2013

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(1.12%)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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the highest quarterly return was 3.10% in the 3rd quarter of 2012

Highest Quarterly Return

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3.10%

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

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Sep. 30, 2012

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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the lowest quarterly return was -1.36% in the 2nd quarter of 2013

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(1.36%)

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

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Jun. 30, 2013

1 Year

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(1.12%)

Since Inception (05/02/2011)

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2.00%

(PIMCO Unconstrained Bond Portfolio) | Class M

Risk/Return:

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Management Fees

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0.90%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

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0.45%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

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1.35%

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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137

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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428

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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739

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 1,624

[1] "Other Expenses" reflect interest expense and is based on the amount incurred during the Portfolio's most recent fiscal year as a result of entering into certain investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements. Interest expense is required to be treated as a Portfolio expense for accounting purposes and is not payable to PIMCO. The amount of interest expense (if any) will vary based on the Portfolio's use of such investments as an investment strategy.

[2] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses excluding interest expense is 1.00% for Advisor Class shares.

[3] Estimated interest expense of 0.62% results from the Portfolio's ability to borrow money for investment purposes from a committed line of credit. Such expense is required to be treated as a Portfolio expense for accounting purposes and not payable to PIMCO. Any interest expense amount will vary based on the Portfolio's use of those investments as an investment strategy best suited to seek the objective of the Portfolio.

[4] Estimated organizational expenses of 0.08% is included for the Portfolio's first fiscal year.

[5] Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

[6] Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses include interest expense of 0.01%. Interest expense is based on the amount incurred during an Underlying PIMCO Fund's most recent fiscal year as a result of entering into certain investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements. Interest expense is required to be treated as an expense of the Underlying PIMCO Fund for accounting purposes and is not payable to PIMCO. The amount of interest expense (if any) will vary based on the Underlying PIMCO Fund's use of such investments as an investment strategy.

[7] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses excluding interest expense of the Portfolio and interest expense of the Underlying PIMCO Funds is estimated to be 1.53% for the Institutional Class shares.

[8] PIMCO has contractually agreed, through May 1, 2015, to waive its supervisory and administrative fee, or reimburse the Portfolio, to the extent that organizational expenses and pro rata Board of Trustees' fees exceed 0.0049% of the Portfolio's average net assets attributable to Institutional Class shares (the "Expense Limit"). Under the Expense Limitation Agreement, which renews annually for a full year unless terminated by PIMCO upon at least 30 days' notice prior to the end of the contract term, PIMCO may recoup these waivers and reimbursements in future periods, not exceeding three years, provided organizational expenses and pro rata Board of Trustees' fees, plus such recoupment, do not exceed the Expense Limit.

[9] PIMCO has contractually agreed, through May 1, 2015, for the Portfolio, to reduce its advisory fee to the extent that the Underlying PIMCO Fund Expenses attributable to advisory and supervisory and administrative fees exceed 0.69% of the total assets invested in Underlying PIMCO Funds. PIMCO may recoup these waivers in future periods, not exceeding three years, provided total expenses, including such recoupment, do not exceed the annual expense limit. As the Portfolio has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, the expense reduction is estimated based upon the expense allocation of the Portfolio's assets among the Underlying PIMCO Funds.

[10] Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement excluding interest expense of the Portfolio and interest expense of the Underlying PIMCO Funds is estimated to be 1.40% for the Institutional Class shares.