Document Checklist for Australia 590 Student Guardian Visa 2026

A complete Subclass 590 application rests on a short set of fixed documents — passport identity pages, a completed Form 157N (Student guardianship arrangements), a written Genuine Temporary Entrant statement, evidence of funds, health insurance cover and character documents — with a second tier of papers triggered only by your family situation, such as children under 6, a non-migrating child, or a parent who is not travelling with you. The checklist below follows the Department of Home Affairs' Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) page, as of the August 2026 version of the official page, and the Subclass 590 provisions of the Migration Regulations 1994.

What does every applicant have to lodge, regardless of circumstances?

Four categories are unavoidable: proof of identity, the guardianship form, proof that your stay is temporary, and proof that you can pay for it. Health insurance and character evidence come next, and the department may ask for health examinations or biometrics later.

Which identity documents count?

You must provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates; a national identity card if you have one; and proof of any change of name if applicable. Acceptable change-of-name documents include a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, and documents showing other names you have been known by.

The consequences of failing at this step are severe: the department states that if you cannot prove your identity, it will refuse the application, it might not grant you another visa for 10 years, and it might not grant any family members listed on your application a visa for 10 years.

Why does Form 157N decide whether your application exists?

The department's instruction is blunt: provide a completed Form 157N, and your application will not be valid if you do not provide it. Invalidity is not the same as refusal on the merits — an invalid application is not assessed at all, which is why the form belongs in your first upload rather than in a later batch of documents.

What goes into the Genuine Temporary Entrant statement?

You write a personal statement addressing the Genuine Temporary Entry requirement. If you are not comfortable writing it in English, you can write your statement in your own language and submit a translated copy with your application. Useful content includes evidence of immediate family members in your home country, your visa or residence status there and your right to return, your previous immigration history, proof of property or other significant assets, and a letter from your employer confirming your leave. The department says it considers your overall situation when deciding whether you are a genuine temporary entrant.

How much money do you need to show, and what proves it?

You must have enough money to support yourself, the student visa holder(s) and any children coming with you, covering travel, course fees, living costs and school fees.

Cost item	Amount to allow
Living costs, 12 months, for you	AUD 29,710
Living costs, 12 months, per accompanying child	AUD 4,449
Schooling, per child under 6, per year	at least AUD 13,502
Travel, as a guide	AUD 2,000 per person
Course fees for the student visa holder(s)	12 months of fees, or pro rata if the course is shorter

For a stay shorter than 12 months, work out pro rata costs by dividing the annual cost by 365 and multiplying by the number of days you intend to stay. School costs vary between states, territories and schools, and you are responsible for finding out what they will be.

Acceptable evidence includes money deposits held within a financial institution, loans from a financial institution and/or government, and scholarship or financial support. If someone else provides the funds, you need evidence of your relationship with them and their identity documents; only certain people are acceptable as financial supporters, and if you rely on deposits you should explain their source. The alternative route is annual income: a spouse or de facto partner who is not travelling to Australia must have an annual income of AUD 102,500 or more in the 12 months immediately before you apply, evidenced by official government documents such as tax assessments less than 12 months old. Bank statements and direct evidence from an employer are not accepted as evidence of annual income.

Which documents only apply in certain situations?

Do you need a police certificate, and from where?

If you are a relative of the student visa holder, you must provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16. Only complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police are accepted — not standard disclosure certificates, and not certificates issued by Australian state or territory police.

You are also required to provide an overseas police certificate from every country where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16, including your home country.

What if you are bringing a child under 6?

For any dependant under 6, provide a statement demonstrating compelling and compassionate circumstances, or written support from the government of your home country, or a letter of support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For every dependant under 6 who is applying with you, you also need copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children, plus adoption papers if applicable.

The eligibility page adds two timing rules worth planning around: this applies even if the under-6 family member is not travelling with you, and if such a child is granted a visa it will only be valid until their 6th birthday, after which they must apply for their own Student visa. Children aged 6 or older can travel with you but must apply for their own Student visa.

What covers a child who is staying behind?

You must make adequate arrangements for the accommodation, support and welfare of any non-migrating children of your family who are not coming with you, are under 18, and do not hold a Student visa. Arrangements are considered adequate for children aged 6 to 18 if they will live with another parent or custodian, or with a relative at least 21 years old. Evidence includes the welfare arrangements and a letter from the appointed guardian accepting responsibility, detailing their consent that the child will be wholly or substantially reliant on their financial support, with the child residing in the guardian's household. Include a copy of the guardian's current passport bio-data page or a valid driver's licence showing the signature field.

Whose consent do you need for an applicant under 18?

Consent is required from anyone who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and is not coming to Australia with the child. They complete either Form 1229 (Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years) or a statutory declaration giving consent. If you have sole responsibility for the student, provide evidence instead — a court order, custody documentation, a death certificate of the other parent, or evidence that the laws of your home country allow the child to migrate. In either case, include an identity document showing the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver's licence, and adoption papers or other court documents if applicable.

Are health insurance, translations and vaccinations part of the checklist?

You need evidence of adequate health insurance for you and your family members for the first 12 months of your stay, which can be an Overseas Visitors Health Cover premium or another Australian or home-country product providing a similar level of cover; benefits, membership costs and eligibility vary between insurers. Any document in a language other than English must be translated into English, and you provide copies of both the translation and the original. If you apply from outside Australia and are travelling from, or spent time in, a country considered at risk of polio, you need a polio vaccination certificate, with the list of countries of risk published on the department's public health page.

What happens after you lodge?

The department tells you if health examinations or biometrics are required rather than asking you to arrange them upfront. If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as possible in ImmiAccount, because the department may also request further information. If you discover a mistake, notify the department using Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers); not disclosing a mistake can lead to refusal. If someone helps with your application, Form 956A appoints an authorised recipient for correspondence and Form 956 appoints a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person — only those categories may lawfully give immigration assistance.

Amounts, forms and thresholds in this area are revised between published versions, and this checklist is general reference material rather than advice on any individual case; confirm the current figures and forms against the department's latest published guidance before you rely on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Form 157N really mandatory, or can I upload it later?

The department states that your application will not be valid if you do not provide the completed Form 157N. An invalid application is not assessed on its merits, so treat the form as part of the lodgement itself rather than as a follow-up document.

Do I need an Australian police certificate if I have never lived in Australia?

The Australian police certificate requirement is expressed for relatives of the student visa holder who have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since turning 16. The overseas police certificate requirement is separate and covers every country where you spent 12 months or more in that same period, including your home country.

Can my spouse's income replace bank savings?

Yes, if your spouse or de facto partner is not travelling to Australia and had an annual income of AUD 102,500 or more in the 12 months immediately before you apply. The evidence must be official government documents such as tax assessments less than 12 months old; bank statements and employer letters are not accepted for this purpose.

Do documents in another language need to be translated?

Yes. Any document in a language other than English must be translated into English, and you provide copies of both the translated document and the original. This applies across the identity, relationship and supporting evidence you upload.

What extra evidence is needed if my younger child is 4?

You need a statement demonstrating compelling and compassionate circumstances, or written support from your home country's government, or a letter of support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Birth certificates or the family book showing both parents' names are also required for each child under 6, and any grant would run only until that child's 6th birthday.

When do I organise the health examination?

The department tells you if health examinations are needed after you apply, so you do not front-load them. Health insurance evidence, by contrast, is part of the documents you gather before applying, covering the first 12 months of your stay.