Australia’s new student visa rules block family reunions for many international students

By Jiali Hong- “Student journalists at the University of Melbourne”

Rules that took effect on 2 October prevent most student visa holders from adding partners or dependent children after their visas have been granted.

International students in Australia can no longer bring a partner or dependent child to the country through a subsequent Student visa application, under new rules that took effect on 2 October. The Department of Home Affairs says current Student visa (subclass 500) holders cannot add family members after their visas have been granted. According to the department’s guidance, “There are no exemptions to this rule.” The changes are particularly relevant to Australia’s Nepali community, one of the largest groups of international students in the country.

Who is affected by the new rules?

The changes apply to Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) applications lodged on or after 2 October 2026. Most new Student visa applicants can no longer include their partners or dependent children in their applications unless they qualify for an exemption. The restriction also applies to people applying for a further Student visa.

For people who already hold a Student visa, the department says family members cannot be added after the visa has been granted. This means a student who did not include their partner or child in their original visa arrangements cannot subsequently bring them to Australia through the student visa subsequent entrant process. The department lists limited exemptions for certain applicants, including PhD students, students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Department of Defence, foreign government scholarship recipients, and eligible students from Pacific countries and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries.

Nepal is not an ASEAN member and is not covered by the Pacific-country exemption. There are limited provisions for students who already have family members included on their current visas. In certain circumstances, they may be able to include those same family members in a further Student visa application, including when they need up to another 12 months to complete their main course or when their education provider has defaulted. These provisions do not create an exemption allowing students to add new family members after their visa has been granted.

Restrictions on applying for a Student visa from within Australia

The reforms also restrict which temporary visa holders can apply for a Student or Student Guardian visa while in Australia. Most affected temporary visa holders must now lodge their applications outside Australia and remain outside the country when their visas are granted.

Current Student visa holders who want to apply for another Student visa while in Australia are also subject to new restrictions, although the department lists limited exemptions for particular circumstances, including some students continuing with the same education provider and those progressing to eligible higher-level courses. The changes do not automatically cancel existing Student visas. However, applicants need to check which rules apply to their visa category and circumstances before lodging a new application.

Government says changes will strengthen the student visa system

The measures form part of a broader package of changes to Australia’s international education system, announced on 17 September. Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill described the package as “a sweeping package of reforms”.

Mr Hill said extending the minimum period students must stay with their education provider from six months to 12 months was “an interim measure” that would deliver “immediate action” on onshore student transfers, ahead of a new student transfer stream scheduled to begin on 1 July 2027.

Under the arrangements announced for that stream, transfers will be limited to courses at the same or a higher qualification level, and higher education students will no longer be able to transfer onshore to vocational education and training courses. The Department of Home Affairs says Australia continues to welcome international students, while requiring applicants to meet the relevant visa criteria. The new rules change who can apply for certain visas from within Australia and whether family members can be included in Student visa applications, rather than restricting who may study in the country.

Why the changes matter to the Nepali community

The Department of Education recorded 71,177 Nepali students commencing or continuing study in Australia in 2025. The figure counts individual students rather than enrolments, meaning a person studying multiple courses is not counted multiple times in that total.

For students who have moved to Australia while their spouses or children remain in Nepal, the new rules could make family reunification through the Student visa system more difficult.The distinction between existing and new arrangements is important. Students who already had family members included on their current visas may qualify for limited provisions when applying for another Student visa. Those who want to add a partner or child after their visa has been granted cannot use the subsequent entrant process under the new rules.

Where to find official information

The Department of Home Affairs provides guidance on the new requirements, including exemptions and rules for family members. People seeking advice about their individual circumstances can consult a registered migration agent listed on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) register, or an appropriately qualified Australian legal practitioner.

source:

• Department of Home Affairs,
• Department of Education,
• OMARA