Australia Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
The Student Guardian visa allows an eligible parent, custodian or nominated adult relative to stay temporarily in Australia to provide accommodation, care and welfare support to a student visa holder.
This visa is for student welfare, not employment. A Student Guardian generally cannot work in Australia and must live with the nominated student, provide ongoing support and comply with all conditions shown in the visa grant letter and VEVO.
What is the Student Guardian Visa?
Subclass 590 is a temporary visa for a person caring for a Student visa holder who is under 18, or an older student who needs support because of exceptional circumstances. The guardian's visa duration is usually linked to the student's visa period and age.
A guardian can care for more than one student but must remain able to provide accommodation, general welfare and practical support. The application may be made in or outside Australia, subject to onshore visa restrictions.
Key eligibility requirements
Who can act as a student guardian?
The guardian may be the student's parent, a person with legal custody, or an eligible relative aged 21 or older who is nominated in writing by a parent or custodian. Eligible relatives can include a step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, partner, child or their step-equivalent where the legal definition is satisfied.
The proposed guardian must be able to meet character and other visa requirements and genuinely take responsibility for the student's accommodation, support and general welfare throughout the relevant period.
How the Subclass 590 process works
Confirm the welfare arrangement
Identify the student, guardian relationship, required care period and whether Subclass 590 is the correct welfare option.
Coordinate the student and guardian applications
Where possible, prepare the Student visa and Student Guardian visa applications together with consistent welfare dates and information.
Prepare financial and insurance evidence
Demonstrate genuine access to funds for travel, living costs, course and schooling costs where applicable, and arrange adequate health cover.
Gather relationship and welfare documents
Provide identity, custody, nomination, relationship, consent and accommodation evidence relevant to the guardian arrangement.
Lodge and monitor the application
Apply through ImmiAccount, complete health or character steps and respond promptly to Department requests.
Financial capacity
The guardian must show genuine access to enough money to support themselves, the student and any accompanying family members. Evidence may need to cover travel, living expenses, the student's course fees and schooling expenses for accompanying school-aged children. Actual costs can exceed the minimum visa benchmarks.
Health insurance and temporary stay
The guardian and accompanying family members must maintain adequate health insurance for the required stay. The applicant must also be a genuine temporary entrant who intends to remain only for the permitted guardian purpose and substantially comply with previous visa conditions.
Children accompanying the guardian
Applications involving family members under six are restricted unless compelling and compassionate circumstances or specified government-relations considerations apply. Children aged six or older travelling with the guardian generally need their own Student visa. Adequate welfare arrangements must also be shown for relevant non-migrating children remaining overseas.
Student Guardian Visa Conditions
- Live with the student and provide accommodation, support and welfare.
- Do not work in Australia where condition 8101 applies.
- Maintain adequate health insurance throughout the stay.
- Study only within the limits attached to the visa.
- Do not leave Australia without the student unless alternative welfare arrangements are approved.
- Continue to satisfy the guardian criteria while holding the visa.
- Check all conditions in the grant letter and VEVO.
Study and travel rights
A guardian may generally study ELICOS for less than 20 hours per week or undertake other study or training for no more than three months. The visa permits travel while valid, but the guardian must not leave Australia without the student unless appropriate alternative welfare arrangements have been made and accepted where required.
Documents commonly required
Documents may include passports, birth and relationship certificates, custody or consent evidence, written guardian nomination, Form 157N where relevant, student CoE and visa details, proof of funds, health insurance, accommodation plans, police certificates, health examinations and welfare arrangements for accompanying or non-migrating children.
How Echoes Global Education can assist
Our education and migration team can coordinate student and guardian timelines, review the relationship and welfare arrangement, prepare financial and insurance checklists, assist with supporting documents and guide the Subclass 590 application through lodgement and decision.