Australia Student Visa with Spouse or Dependants from Nepal: Complete Guide

Can You Get an Australia Dependent Visa From Nepal?

Most students from Nepal can no longer take a spouse or children on a Student visa, because of a rule that started on 2 October 2026.

This is a big change, and much advice online is now out of date. The Home Affairs family members page says applicants can’t include a partner or dependent child unless an exemption applies. This is the main thing to know before you plan to study in Australia from Nepal as a married student.

There is no separate dependent visa. A family member could only ever come as part of a Student visa (subclass 500) application. So the rule decides everything. You can read the wider changes on our Australia student visa rules post and the official changes page.

Your own plan to study is not affected. Married students can still apply on their own, as long as they meet the student visa requirements.

Who Can Still Bring a Spouse or Children on a Student Visa?

Only 4 groups can include family now: PhD students, DFAT or Defence sponsored students, some foreign government scholarship holders, and eligible Pacific or ASEAN nationals.

The Student visa page explains each one. Nepal is not a Pacific or ASEAN country, so that fourth group doesn’t help a Nepali passport holder.

The PhD route is the most realistic one for many families. See our PhD in Australia guide. Australia Awards Scholarships are run by DFAT, so ask the scholarship office how the family rule applies to you. Our Australia scholarships page lists the options.

Can Your Spouse Join You Later as a Subsequent Entrant?

No, family members can no longer apply later as subsequent entrants, and Home Affairs says there are no exemptions to this.

Many Nepali couples used to plan this way. One person went first, then the partner applied once the student had settled.

That route has closed, even if you marry after your visa is granted. The official “Can I include family” decision tree shows the steps.

So don’t leave your spouse behind on the plan that you will “call them later”. If family life matters to your decision, think about it now, before you pay a deposit or lodge your visa.

Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are still assessed under the earlier rules, including those that listed family. Also, if your family is already on your current Student visa, they may stay on your next application in 2 cases. These are when you need up to 12 more months to finish your main course, or when your provider has defaulted.

What Are Your Options if You Are Not Exempt?

You can go alone, your spouse can apply as a student in their own right, or you can look at another country or a PhD route.

Don’t lodge an application for your family if you don’t meet an exemption. Home Affairs says it won’t accept it, and an invalid decision can’t go to merits review. It wastes time and money, so check first.

• Go alone: your spouse stays in Nepal while you study. Plan for the length of the course and the cost of visits home.
• Both study: your spouse applies for their own Student visa as a main applicant. Each of you must meet every requirement, including the financial documents and the Genuine Student requirement.
• Choose differently: compare the rules in our country comparison and the Canada dependent visa guide.

Each spouse’s course must make sense on its own. Picking a course only so that a partner can come along is the kind of plan a Genuine Student check can question.

Who Counts as a Dependant for an Exempt Student?

Only your partner, and your or your partner’s unmarried child under 18, can be included.

Parents, brothers, sisters and other relatives can’t be included. An older child who still relies on you doesn’t qualify either. If your child turns 18 before your visa is finalised, Home Affairs can’t grant them a Student visa as your child, so they need their own visa.

All family members must apply at the same time and from the same location as you. For a partner, you give a marriage certificate or other proof that your marriage is valid in Australia. A de facto partner gives proof of a relationship of at least 12 months, or a registered relationship. For each child under 18, give a birth certificate or family book showing the parents’ names.

If one parent is not coming, you may need consent on Form 1229, or proof of sole custody. Family members must also meet the health and character rules, so a police report from Nepal may be needed. Our relationship certificate guide helps with Nepali papers.

How Much Money Does an Exempt Family Need to Show?

Add AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for a child to your own AUD 29,710 in living costs, plus travel and school costs.

These are the minimum visa figures. The Rs amounts are rounded, and you can check today’s value on our AUD to Rs forex converter.

So a student and partner show AUD 40,104 in living costs, about Rs 36 lakh, before course fees and travel. The other route is annual income: your parents or partner must have earned at least AUD 102,500 in the last 12 months if family comes.

A PhD student whose child has a fee waiver at a government school may not need to show the schooling cost. Real costs can be far higher than the visa figures, so read our cost of living in Australia guide. Each family member also pays a charge on top of the Australia student visa fee.

Can a Dependant Work or Study in Australia?

A partner can work once the student’s course has started, usually up to 48 hours a fortnight, and more for some postgraduate courses.

Nobody on the visa can work before the student starts the course. After that, the limit depends on the course:

When the course is not in session, students can work unlimited hours, but family members still have limited work rights. A master’s course gives no exemption for new applicants, so the master’s rows mainly help families already on a visa. See working hours in Australia for the student’s side.

Check a partner’s study limit too, since it is written into the visa conditions. A partner who wants a full course should apply as a student instead. Home Affairs also says you should not rely on work to support your family in Australia.

What About OSHC and School for Your Children?

Everyone on the visa needs health cover for the whole stay, and you must pay for school-age children’s schooling.

The Home Affairs health insurance page sets out the rule. Your cover must start on the day your family arrives, not the day the course starts. Choose a family policy, as our OSHC in Australia page explains.

School costs vary by state, territory and school, and the AUD 13,502 is only the visa figure. You must find the real cost yourself. A child born in Australia automatically holds the same visa as the parent.

How Can Goreto Help Married Students?

A Goreto counselor can check whether an exemption applies to you and plan your study around the new rule.

Married students often need this talk before they choose a course. We can go through your options, including two student applications, a PhD route or another country. We also check that both partners’ papers agree. The official Australia visa success rate page is also useful before you decide.

You can visit us with your spouse. Talk to a counselor at one of our 5 branches, in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara.