Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)

The Student Guardian visa allows you to come to Australia to provide care and support for a student who is under 18 years of age (or over 18 in exceptional circumstances). You can care for more than one student.

With this visa, you can

· come to Australia to provide care and support for a student visa holder who is under 18 years of age (or over 18 in exceptional circumstances)

· care for more than one student

· study an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) for less than 20 hours per week, or any other study or training for no more than 3 months

Note: You cannot work on this visa.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this visa, applicants must

· be the student's parent, custodian, or relative and over 21 years old.*

· be able to financially support yourself and the student under your care.

· provide accommodation, welfare, and other support.

· pass health and character requirements.

*Except in exceptional circumstances, the student must be related to the applicant as a spouse, child, adopted child, father or mother, sibling, stepchild (i.e. the child of wife and former husband or child of husband and former wife), stepfather or stepmother, half-sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, great-grandchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first cousin once removed.

When necessary, provide personal information

· must act as guardians, and live with the student who has nominated them, cover living expenses, and provide appropriate housing and comprehensive financial support if student is under 18 years.

· Individuals holding a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) must act as guardians and live with the student who has nominated them as a guardian. If the student is under 18, appropriate accommodation, welfare, and comprehensive support must be provided.

· must take the nominated student with you if you need to leave Australia unless you are forced to leave the country due to exceptional circumstances (e.g. medical emergency, natural disaster, etc.). If this is the case, guardians must:

o Make suitable arrangements for the student’s care and accommodation in your (their?) absence (and have these arrangements approved by the school if the student is under 18 years)

· Guardians must arrange accommodation and other expenses for students in their guardianship(?) before leaving Australia. If the student is under 18, arrangements must be approved by the school.

 Note: Both parents cannot apply for the 590 visa at the same time (only one can apply).