Australia maintains strict health and safety policies to protect the Australian population. As part of the public interest criteria, you might be required to take a medical examination when applying for certain visa types to Australia.
All applicants for permanent visa including the primary applicant, spouse and any members of the family unit applying for the visa must be assessed against the health requirement. Also, under certain circumstances, family members who are not applying for the visa (these are called non-migrating family members) sometimes will also be assessed against the health requirement, for example, Carer visa, Remaining Relative visas or dependent children.
Are my family members required to take medical examinations?
Members of the family unit applying with the primary applicant are required to meet the health requirement.
For some visas, the health requirement is a "one fails, all fail" rule which means that if any member of the applicant's family unit (either applying for that visa or not) fails to meet the health requirement and no health waiver is available, no other family member applying for that visa will be able to be granted a visa including the primary applicant.
Which health examinations are required when applying for a Permanent Resident visa?
The applicant is under 2 years of age- a medical examination is required.
The applicant is 2 years old or elder and under 11 years old- a medical examination is required. If the applicant is from a high-risk country for Tuberculosis (TB) or applying for a refugee or humanitarian type visa - TB Screening test will be required as well.
The applicant is 11 years old and under 15 years old – a medical examination and chest x-ray are required.
The applicant is 15 old and up – a medical examination, chest x-ray and HIV test are required.
What does a medical examination contain?
Urine test
Blood test
Check your blood pressure
Eyesight – read letters from a chart
Weight – to define BMI
Height – to determine your BMI
Check your heart
Reflexes Check – check on your legs
Ears and throat
Lumps underarms and belly
Which health examinations are required when applying for a Temporary visa?
If you are applying for a temporary visa to Australia, the health examination you will be required to undergo will depend on some factors including:
· The type of visa you are applying for and the country you are applying from.
· The length of your intended stay in Australia
· The level of tuberculosis risk in your country
· Your planned activities in Australia, for example, an applicant from the age of 15 years or older who intends to work as, or study to be, a doctor, dentist, nurse or ambulance paramedic will be required to take specific medical examinations.
· Any exceptional circumstances which might be applicable
· Any significant medical conditions.
Which countries do not require immigration health examinations for a temporary visa?
The countries below, which are at lower risk in terms of TB,
Do not generally need to complete immigration health examinations for a temporary visa unless particular significance applies:
Albania; American Samoa; Andorra; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Aruba; Australia; Austria; Bahamas; Bahrain; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Bermuda; Bonaire; Bouvet Island; Bulgaria; Canada; Cayman Islands; Chile; Christmas Island; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Cook Islands; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cuba; Curacao; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominica; Egypt; Estonia; Falkland Islands; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; French Polynesia; FYR Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia); Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Heard and McDonald Islands; Hungary; Iceland; Iran; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jordan; Kosovo; Kuwait; Lebanon; Lichtenstein; Luxembourg; Malta; Mauritius; Mexico; Monaco; Montenegro; Montserrat; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Niue; Norfolk Island; Norway; Oman; Palestinian Authority; Pitcairn Island; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Reunion Island; Saint Eustatius & Saba; Saint Helena (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha); Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin (Dutch); Samoa; San Marino; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Seychelles; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Spain; Svalbard & Jan Mayen; Sweden; Switzerland; Tokelau; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom (British citizen); United States of America; Uruguay; Vatican City; Virgin Islands (British); Virgin Islands (US); Wallis and Futuna Islands.
Any Country which is not listed above is considered a higher risk regarding TB and therefore require a health examination to be completed where indicated.
When applying for a temporary visa, if you are planning to stay in Australia for less than 6 months you are usually not required to take a medical examination unless a particular significance applies.
If you are planning to stay for longer than 6 months and you are not from the countries mentioned above, you will be required to take a medical examination and a chest x-ray
What is considered an unusual or significance situation?
· If you are from a higher TB-risk country and likely to enter a healthcare or hospital environment – you need to have a chest x-ray examination and a medical examination
· If you are pregnant and intend to deliver your baby in Australia - you need to have a Hepatitis B test
· If you plan to work as or study to become a Doctor, Dentist, Nurse or Paramedic – you need to have a chest x-ray, medical examinations, HIV and hepatitis B and C blood tests
· If you plan to have your training at a child care centre in Australia - you need to have a chest x-ray examination and a medical examination
· If you are 75 years old and above and plan to arrive in Australia on a visitor visa - you will be required to take a medical examination
How to book an appointment for the medical examination?
If you already applied for a visa while being in Australia, you will need to take the following steps -
1. The Department of Home Affairs will determine which health examinations you require to undertake and will provide you with a HAP ID (health identifier) to undergo these health examinations.
2. You will need to complete an eMedical online application and download your referral letter.
3. You will need to book an appointment through Bupa online services and provide your HAP ID: http://www.bupamvs.com.au/appointments.
4. You will need to attend the appointment (don’t forget to bring your referral letter and passport).
5. A panel of physician and/or radiologist will grade and submit your results to the Department directly.
If you are applying for a visa from outside Australia
You must book your health examinations with a panel physician. A panel physician is a doctor and/or a radiologist who has been appointed by the Department of Home Affairs to perform your health examinations while being outside Australia.
To locate the closest panel physician in your country/area, check the list of panel physicians here.
The panel physician can process your health examinations online using the eMedical system in more than 100 countries.
You are required to complete the eMedical Client process online before attending your appointment if you already submitted your online application.
When booking an appointment with an eMedical enabled clinic, you must provide your HAP ID.
You must provide your referral letter and passport when arriving at the medical examination.
Get in touch today to claim your Permanent Residency.
Moran@LifeinAus.com
+61404690227