Student Guardian (Subclass 590) or Student Guardian Class TU Subclass 590: Tips on visa application
If you have any under 18 children studying in Australia, you may accompany them on a Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa to look after them while they are they studying.
The following persons who are over 21 can apply for Student Guardian visa:
- child’s parent; or
- child’s custodian; or
- child’s relative.
As a student guardian, you must have enough money to support yourself and the child. If you are the child’s relative, the child’s parents or custodian must nominate you in writing to be the child’s guardian.
A child’s relative can be:
- parent or step-parent
- grandparent or step equivalent
- sibling or step equivalent
- aunt, uncle or step equivalent
- niece, nephew or step equivalent
- partner
- child or step-child
Generally, as the child’s guardian you may not be able to bring a child who is under 6 with you unless there are compelling and compassionate reasons.
If you have other children who are under 18 and not accompanying you, you must make adequate arrangements for them in your home country. In addition, they must be living with your partner or custodian or a relative who is over 21.
Only 1 parent can apply for Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa. In addition, you are required to provide a GTE statement outlining why you will only be staying in Australia temporarily and to look after the child-student. If you have previously been to Australia, you must have complied substantially with the visa conditions.
Show money
The Department of Immigration (Department of Home Affairs) has a discretion to ask you to demonstrate you have adequate funds to meet living costs and expenses for your child (and any other accompanying children).
Generally, you will need to demonstrate you have genuine access to $20,290 for your annual living expenses, $3,040 for each child annual living expenses and 12 months tuition fees or $8,000 for each child attending school in Australia. These amounts are usually adjusted annually according to CPI fluctuations (click here to learn more).
If you are on a Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa, you are not allowed to work, but you are allowed to study a course or attend a training course that is less than 3 months. You may also study an English language intensive course for overseas students or ELICOS for less than 20 hours per week.
Your Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa will cease once your child turned 18, but if your visa ceased before your child turned 18, you will have to reapply for another Student Guardian visa. Usually this visa is valid for 5 years or until the child turned 18.
While you are holding a Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa, you cannot travel overseas without your child, unless you make alternative welfare arrangements for your child.
If your child holds a NZ passport, you may not be able to apply for a Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visa because your child does not need to apply for a Student visa (click here to learn more about Student Visa Subclass 500) to study in Australia.
If you have accompanying child who is under 6, his or her visa will cease when they turned 6. Once they turned 6, they must apply for their own Student visa (Subclass 500) to allow them to remain in Australia (and to attend school).
If you are granted this visa, you may be subjected visa condition 8503 or No Further Stay (click here to learn how to remove this condition).
If you are in Australia when you apply for this visa, you may be granted a bridging visa to allow you to stay in the country until your application is finalised (click here to learn more about bridging visa).
Australian migration law is complex and difficult to understand, contact our immigration lawyer for a consultation (fee applies) to help you increase your chances of getting an Australia student guardian visa subclass 590 (click here to find out how an immigration lawyer or registered migration agent can help you) or click here to learn more about preventing student visa refusal. You may also refer to our FAQs for answers regarding visa application or visa cancellation by clicking here.
041 222 4020 or WeChat: AUDvisa
This article is not intended to be or taken as migration legal advice. The author of this article disclaims any liability for any action or omission on the information provided or not provided in this article. You should always consult an immigration lawyer or a registered migration agent to form an informed opinion on your immigration matter.
