Subclass 590

Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)

Stay in Australia as the parent, custodian or qualifying relative of an international student under 18 — or older where exceptional needs apply.

Who Subclass 590 is for

Parents, legal custodians, or eligible relatives aged 21 or over (and of good character) who wish to provide care for an international student.
Primarily intended where the student is under 18 — but available for older students where compelling welfare reasons exist (e.g. illness, disability).
Available both onshore (limited circumstances) and offshore.

Eligibility requirements

Be a parent, legal custodian or a qualifying relative of the student (sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, step-relations, in-laws as defined in the Migration Regulations).
Be at least 21 years of age at the time of application.
Be of good character — police clearances, character declarations.
Have a genuine intention to remain only for the duration of guardianship.
Have sufficient financial capacity for living costs, return travel and any costs related to the student's stay.
Have a welfare arrangement letter or evidence accepted by the education provider.
Meet health requirements — medical examinations may be required.
Have adequate health insurance equivalent to OSHC for the full visa period.

Financial capacity

Funds must cover the entire stay — living costs for yourself, return travel, and any costs associated with the student's stay that are not already met.
Indicative annual living costs published by the Department change periodically — confirm the latest figures at lodgement.
Source of funds matters — bank statements, fixed deposits, sponsor evidence and clear ownership are scrutinised.
Acceptable evidence is similar to the Student Visa: regular bank statements, income evidence, business statements, sale of property documentation.

Visa conditions

Condition 8101 — no work in Australia.
Condition 8201 — study for no more than 3 months in total during the visa period.
Condition 8501 — maintain adequate health insurance for the entire visa stay.
Condition 8537 — visa ceases 7 days after the student turns 18 or upon a change to welfare arrangements (whichever is earlier), unless a separate guardianship is established.
Cannot bring family members other than dependent children under 6 (and only with strong compassionate and compelling reasons).

Documents typically required

Valid passport, recent passport photo and identity documents.
Relationship evidence — birth certificate, family registry, marriage certificate, custody documents where applicable.
Education provider's welfare arrangement letter or evidence of approval.
Student's CoE and evidence of enrolment.
Financial documents — bank statements, fixed deposits, income evidence, sponsor declarations.
Health insurance evidence equivalent to OSHC.
Statement explaining the reason for guardianship and intention to depart on its conclusion.
Translated copies of foreign-language documents.

Indicative processing

Processing time is heavily influenced by the strength of the welfare arrangement, financial evidence and any character / health issues raised.
Offshore applications are most common; onshore applications have additional substantive-visa requirements.
Always check the latest Department of Home Affairs published processing times before lodging.

How StudyNet supports Subclass 590 applications

Eligibility assessment — relationship to student, age, financial capacity and intention review.
Coordination with the student's education provider for welfare arrangement letters.
Drafting of statement of purpose and supporting personal statements.
Source-of-funds strategy and document checklist tailored to your country and profile.
Refusal-risk review before lodgement, particularly for previously refused or borderline cases.
Post-grant support — extension planning, condition compliance, and transition planning if the student's circumstances change.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information and refers to the Department of Home Affairs visa categories. It does not replace personalised migration advice. Please book a consultation for case-specific guidance.