Medical Q & A's

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Q & A's
Medical questions, Australian medicals,
Visas and medicals
Why do I need a health clearance to
come to Australia?
Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the
world. In order to help maintain these standards you must
satisfy the health requirements specified in the Migration
Regulations before you can be granted a visa for Australia.
Dependants and family members who are included in the visa
application are individually required to satisfy health
requirements.
Australia's health requirements are designed to:
minimise public health and safety risks to the
Australian community,
contain public expenditure on health and community
services, including Australian social security benefits,
allowances or pensions, and
maintain access of Australian residents to health and
other community services.
In line with Australia's global non-discriminatory immigration
policy, the health requirement applies equally to all visa
applicants from all countries. Please note that Australia
reserves the right to request medical information in any
circumstances.
In view of the World Health Organisation's declaration of a
global epidemic of tuberculosis (Tb), particular care is taken
to screen for this disease including stringent treatment
recommendations where signs of earlier infection, however
small or old, are apparent. Should you have Tb, you will not
be permitted to visit Australia until you have completed
recommended treatment and successful re-testing.
I have cancer/heart disease /diabetes
/tuberculosis /HIV/AIDS /am obese...will I
meet health criteria?
No health condition, with the exception of tuberculosis,
automatically precludes the issue of a visa. Apart from
tuberculosis, every condition identified in the course of the
examinations, or through the questions you are asked in your
application, will be individually considered for possible impact
on the Australian community, including the costs of treatment
or support that would be attracted by that condition. Visa
officers are not authorised to advise on medical conditions:
the opinion on whether a condition means an applicant does
or does not meet the criteria comes from the Medical Officer
of the Commonwealth.
If my doctor says there are no signs of
active tuberculosis in my x-ray, or that they
are old scars, why do the Australian
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If my doctor says there are no signs of
active tuberculosis in my x-ray, or that they
are old scars, why do the Australian
authorities keep asking me for further
x-rays and proof of treatment?
Tuberculosis is in global epidemic and emergency status, as
declared by the World Health Organisation, with the disease
now being the biggest killer of adults in the developing world.
Australia has managed to maintain a position of third lowest
on the world for some years, so that the disease is no longer
common here. Many other countries have not been so
fortunate, nevertheless, and where there is a high prevalence,
indeed some signs of tuberculosis will be seen in such a high
proportion of the population that local doctors may regard
them as 'within normal limits'. As 'old' tuberculosis that has
formed calcifications or scars may reactivate in ten percent of
cases, and as relocation, and the stress of travel is often a
triggering factor in reactivation, a much stricter view of small,
old signs of tuberculosis is maintained by Medical Officers of
the Commonwealth.
Why is a health clearance needed if I am
going to care for myself/my dependent at
home, as there will be no costs to
Australian taxpayers?
Australia has a national health insurance and benefits
schemes, including income support, nursing home
entitlements, and other allowances which, once there is an
entitlement based on need, cannot be denied to an Australian
resident or citizen. The potential eligibility based on the
medical condition of you and/or your family member
concerned will be calculated according to the standard
accepted medical practice available across Australia,
regardless of the level of wealth or private care intended.
Do I need to arrange another health
examination if I have recently had one?
If you have completed a health examination in the last twelve
months you may not need to undertake a fresh examination if
the visa processing office can confirm the details, substance
and date of the earlier reports.
How do I arrange a health clearance?
Medical examinations and x-rays are conducted by qualified
doctors and radiologists usually nominated by the
Department.
Outside Australia: Do not complete your health examination
before you lodge your visa application - you will be advised
when you need to do so. Contact your nearest Australian
diplomatic office for the health requirements, forms and
available doctors.
In Australia: You may complete your health examination
before lodging your application for a visa (and for some visas
it is a formal requirement that you do). Contact Health
Services Australia (HSA), to arrange a medical examination,
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In Australia: You may complete your health examination
before lodging your application for a visa (and for some visas
it is a formal requirement that you do). Contact Health
Services Australia (HSA), to arrange a medical examination,
on 1300 361 046 or at www.healthoz.com.au. Fees for
medical examinations are set by HSA and you pay the fees
directly to them. The forms are available from the
Department's nearest regional office.
When you present yourself for your health examination, you
should bring the following:
Form 26 Medical examination for an Australian visa,
with a passport photograph attached,
Form 160 Radiological report on chest x-ray of an
applicant for an Australian visa ,with a passport
photograph attached
your passport for identification,
any prescription spectacles or contact lenses that you
may wear, and
where you have a known medical condition, any
existing specialist reports.
If you think or know that you are pregnant you must tell the
person taking the x-ray. It is most likely that you will be asked
to complete the x-ray examination after the birth. If you are
female, you should not undergo the medical examination
during your menstrual period.
What health examinations are needed for
visitors to Australia?
Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the
world. In order to maintain these standards everyone entering
Australia must meet health requirements, although this does
not always require a formal examination.
If you are visiting Australia and not using ETA, you are
required to declare your health status on your visa application
form. In certain circumstances you may be asked to provide a
doctor's report or undertake a medical and/or radiological
examination. These may include where you are:
aged 70 years old or older,
a parent of an Australian and you have a "queued"
migration application, and intend to stay for more than
6 months,
likely to enter a hospital or other health care
environment, including nursing homes as a patient,
visitor, trainee or employee, or for any purpose,
likely to enter a classroom environment, including
preschool, creche and child care situations,
known or suspected of having a medical condition,
regardless of your length of stay, or
intending to stay in Australia for more than 3 months,
and you have recently visited or lived in a country with
a Very High-risk rate of tuberculosis (Tb).
What health examinations are needed for
Overseas Students?
Individuals applying to study in Australia must satisfy the
health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations.
Any family unit members who are included in the visa
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Individuals applying to study in Australia must satisfy the
health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations.
Any family unit members who are included in the visa
application are also required to undergo at least the same
level of health assessment examinations. The health of
overseas students studying in Australia is of special concern
due to the close contact in the classroom environment.
Classroom situations include all levels of schooling and study.
Overseas countries are divided into four risk levels in terms of
public health - low, medium, high and very high - according to
the incidence rates of tuberculosis, as reported by the World
Health Organisation, or as otherwise advised by Australian
health authorities.
Please note that if you are required to undergo health
examinations, whether you are applying in or outside
Australia, processing of your student visa application cannot
be completed until medical examinations and x-rays results
are provided to the visa processing office.
Outside Australia: You will be requested to undertake health
examinations once you have met the criteria for the student
visa.
In Australia: You should complete health examinations
before lodging an application for a student visa.
If you have completed a health examination in the last twelve
months you may not need to undertake a fresh examination, if
the details, substance and date of the earlier reports can be
confirmed to your visa officer by Departmental staff. Nationals
of Sweden and Norway, applying for a student visa in
Stockholm or in Australia, are not required routinely to
undergo formal health examination.
What health examinations are needed for
temporary residence?
If you are intending a temporary stay in Australia, you are
required to declare your health status on your visa application
form. In certain circumstances you may be asked to provide a
doctor's report or undertake a medical and/or radiological
examination. This may include where you are:
likely to enter a hospital or other health care
environment, including nursing homes as either a
patient, visitor, trainee or employee,
likely to enter a classroom environment, including
preschool, creche and child care situations,
known or suspected of having a medical condition,
regardless of your length of stay,
intending to stay in Australia for more than 12 months,
or
intending to stay in Australia for more than 3 months,
and you have recently visited or lived in a country with
a Very High-risk rate of tuberculosis (Tb).
What health examinations are needed for
migration/permanent residence?
All applicants for permanent visas, or for a temporary visa (for
example, a provisional spouse visa) that leads to the grant of
a permanent visa, are required to undergo health
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All applicants for permanent visas, or for a temporary visa (for
example, a provisional spouse visa) that leads to the grant of
a permanent visa, are required to undergo health
examinations.
You and all dependent family members must meet strict
health standards designed to protect Australia from high
health risks and costs. All members of your immediate family,
including dependent family members who do not intend to
migrate, must meet the health requirement. If an applicant
cannot meet the health requirement, the visa application must
be refused under the Migration Regulations, and refusal of
one family member will mean the whole family unit will not be
able to proceed. There are strictly limited provisions for
overriding a failure to meet the health criterion.
If you are applying outside Australia, please do not complete
health examinations before lodging your visa application. You
will be informed by staff processing your migration application
when to arrange your medical examination. Processing of the
entire application can be a lengthy process, and health
clearances undertaken too early may expire before other
matters are prepared. Costs will be your responsibility, unless
you are a UNHCR recognised refugee (accepted subclass
200 applicant).
If you are applying in Australia, you may complete health
examinations before lodging your visa application, but be
aware that clearances have limited validity.
Why is a health clearance needed if I am
going to care for myself/my dependent at
home, as there will be no costs to
Australian taxpayers?
Australia has a national health insurance and benefits
schemes, including income support, nursing home
entitlements, and other allowances which, once there is an
entitlement based on need, cannot be denied to an Australian
resident or citizen. The potential eligibility based on the
medical condition of you and/or your family member
concerned will be calculated according to the standard
accepted medical practice available across Australia,
regardless of the level of wealth or private care intended.
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