Australian Embassy
Vietnam
Embassy address: 8 Dao Tan Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi - Telephone: 3831 7755 - Fax: 3831 7711

CONSENT AND WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS FOR STUDENTS UNDER 18

PARENTAL CONSENT FOR APPLICANTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 TO TRAVEL

For applicants under 18 years of age wishing to travel to Australia, an original travel consent letter signed by any parents not travelling with the child is required.  The consent must have signatures of non-travelling parents verified by the local Vietnamese authorities.

For those applicants, whose parents have divorced, submit:

For those applicants, whose parents have gone missing (or been declared as missing), submit original Court Order proving missing status.

For those applicants, who have only one parent living, submit certified copy of the Death Certificate of the other parent.

For further information on consent, see: Public Interest Criterion 4017-Consent for an applicant under the age of 18

WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS

In order for applicants under the age of 18 to be granted a student visa they must demonstrate that they have adequate welfare arrangements in place for the length of the student visa or until they turn 18.

Public Interest Criteria (PIC) 4012A requires that the student reside with one of the following:

Education providers who approve welfare for students under the age of 18 are required to nominate the specific dates for which they are willing to do so on the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter.

Students under the age of 18 who are undertaking a package of courses with different providers will need to obtain separate CAAW letters from each provider.

In some circumstances we envisage that students will need to liaise closely with their providers to encourage them to bridge any gaps between courses where welfare is not provided.  Unless continous welfare arrangements are in place (i.e. Provider X's arrangements cease on 15/06/08 and provider Y's begin on 16/06/08) the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will only grant the visa end date based on the date that the first welfare arrangements cease.

A fact sheet for education providers on the changes to the Migration Regulations for students under the age of 18 is also available at http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/Changes-to-migration-regulations-students-under-18.pdf

Last updated 08 October 2008