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Studying in Australia

Student Guardian Visa Checklist

International students studying in Australia on a student visa may require a guardian if they are under 18 years of age. There may also be exceptional circumstances where a student over 18 years of age may need a guardian for religious or cultural reasons. The Student Guardian visa is for foreign nationals applying to stay in Australia as the guardian of a student who is studying in Australia.

The information below is designed to assist applicants for Student Guardian visas who will be accompanying Taiwan passport holders studying in Australia.  

ELIGIBILITY
To apply for a Student Guardian visa you must:

• be a parent, person who has legal custody, or a relative* of the student for whom you will be guardian
• be at least 21 years of age
• be able to provide accommodation, general welfare and other support to the student.

*To be considered as a relative of the student, you must be related to the student as one of the following:

• partner
• parent or step-parent
• brother or step-brother
• sister or step-sister
• grandparent or step-grandparent
• grandchild or step-grandchild
• aunt or step-aunt
• uncle or step-uncle
• niece or step-niece
• nephew or step-nephew.

If you are granted this visa, you can:

• live in Australia for the same length of time as the student for whom you are guardian, or until the student turns 18 years of age
• bring children with you to Australia, but only if they are under six years of age and meet specific eligibility requirements
• study in Australia for up to three months

Note: You cannot bring other family members to Australia and you cannot apply for permission to work. If you intend to study for more than 3 months, you must apply for a student visa.

For more detailed information on the eligibility requirements for a Student Guardian visa, you should visit the ‘Student Guardians’ page on the website of the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). See: Student Guardians.

VISA CONDITIONS
You must:
• not engage in work
• not engage in study or training for more than three months
• maintain Overseas Visitor Health Cover for yourself and any dependent children living with you in Australia
• must comply with the visa's 'no further stay' condition. This means that you cannot apply for any other visa while you remain in Australia, unless it is one of the following: 
* a further student guardian visa 
* a visa to engage Australia's obligations under the 1951 UN convention relating to the status of refugees.

• continue to meet the requirements for a student guardian visa.
• live with the student for whom you are the guardian and provide appropriate accommodation, general welfare and other support
• must not leave Australia without the student for whom you are the guardian, unless you provide the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship with evidence that:
* there are compassionate or compelling circumstances for you to leave the country 
* you have made alternative arrangements for the student's accommodation, general welfare and support until your return.

Note: If the student is less than 18 years of age, these alternative arrangements must be approved by the education provider.

HOW TO APPLY?

Please see "Contact Us".
 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (for Student Guardian visa applicants seeking to accompany a student who is a Taiwan passport holder)
(1) Taiwan Passport holders: Valid passport for each person included in the application if lodged in person. If lodged by mail provide a certified copy of passport.If you are not a Taiwan passport holders, and do not hold an ETA eligible passport, you should provide a valid passport with application

(2) Completed and signed application form (Form 157G).

(3) Completed and signed application form (Form 157N). This nomination form must be completed by the student’s parent or legal guardian on behalf of the nominating student. 

(4) Completed and signed application form (Form 80).

(5) One recent passport sized photo.

(6) Visa application charge. Payment of the visa application charge must be in New Taiwan dollars. Australian Visa Services does not accept payment in Australian Dollars. For the current amount and payment methods see Fees.

(7) Original copy of your full household register. This must have been obtained within the 3 months immediately prior to the Student Guardian visa application. If this household register does not demonstrate your relationship to the student, you should also provide a Statutory Declaration or Notarised Statement explaining your relationship to the student.

(8) Evidence that you have paid for Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) for you and for any child included in your application for for the entire period of stay. For more information on OVHC see Overseas Visitor Health Cover.

(9) If you are required to undergo a medical examination you will be sent a letter requesting you to go to our panel doctor. You must take this letter with you to the doctor as the HAP ID contained in the letter is needed for your medical examination. For more information please refer to Form 1163i- Health Requirement for temporary entry to Australia.

(10) Police clearance from the countries in which you have lived for 12 months or more (cumulatively) in the past 10 years after the age of 16. You should follow the instructions for obtaining police checks on the DIAC website at Character and Penal Clearance Requirements. You are not required to lodge police clearances with your application if you are the parent or step-parent of the student and you are applying for a stay of less than 12 months.

* Note: You should apply for a 'National Police Check' from the Australian  Federal Police (AFP) prior to lodging a visa application. Please note that this Police Check must be issued by the AFP. We cannot accept Police Checks issued by any other state government or police services, even if these indicate that AFP records have been checked.

Depending on your circumstances, you may also be requested to provide other documents to assist in the assessment of your application. Your case officer will advise you if any of these documents are required.

AVERAGE PROCESSING TIME
Ten working days.

Page Last Updated: 8 November 2011