​​Australia enjoys some of the best health standards in the world. To maintain these standards, most visa applicants are required to meet certain minimum health standards in order to be granted a visa. We refer to this as meeting 'the health requirement'.

We recommend that all new visa applicants requiring medical examinations undertake the medical check before lodging their visa application to avoid delays.

All permanent, provisional and certain temporary visa applicants are required to complete health examinations as part of the visa application process to determine if they meet the health requirement. In particular, applicants in the following circumstances will require a medical examination:

• If you plan to stay in Australia for 6 months of more;
• If you are likely to enter a health care or hospital environment in Australia (including visits to see new born babies);
• If you are pregnant and intend to give birth in Australia;
• If you intend to work as (or study to be) a doctor, dentist, nurse or paramedic;
• If you are likely to work (or be a trainee) at an Australian childcare centre, including preschools and creches;
• If you are aged 75 years or older and applying for a Visitor visa (subclass 600).

Further information regarding health requirements for visa applicants can be found at: Immigration health requirements.

Instructions for completing medicals before lodging your visa application

To ensure your visa is processed as quickly as possible, we encourage applicants to complete their medicals before lodging a visa application.

Please make sure that you first read the information available on the My Health Declarations support page to check that it is appropriate for you to complete health examinations prior to lodging your visa application.

1. You lodge your My Health Declarations form online
2. We determine whether health examinations are required
3. You are directed to eMedical Client to consent to eMedical processing and complete your medical history if required
4. You download an eMedical Referral letter
5. You make an appointment with an approved panel physician and provide your HAP ID
6. You attend your appointment and take your eMedical Referral letter with you
7. The clinic locates your case in eMedical using the HAP ID
8. Clinic staff record your health examination results in eMedical
9. Panel physician and/or radiologist grades and submits your case
10. Your health case is cleared within in minutes by the system or referred for manual processing
11. You lodge a visa application and provide your HAP ID in your visa application (for visitor visas its at Q.37 - this will enable the visa officer to monitor your medical clearance)
12. We confirm that you have completed the correct health examinations and continue processing your visa application.

Please note, additional steps will be required if a significant health condition is identified during immigration health examinations. You will not be advised of your results until after you have lodged a visa application. If a significant health condition is identified by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth as part of the immigration health assessment process, a final opinion on your case will also not be provided until you have lodged a visa application.

Instructions for completing medicals after lodging your visa application

If you have already lodged a visa application, you should follow the steps below when completing your health examinations electronically.

You lodge your visa application:

1. We determine whether health examinations are required
2. We provide you a HAP ID and request that you undergo health examinations
3. You use eMedical Client to consent to eMedical processing and complete your medical history if required
4. You download your eMedical Referral letter
5. You make an appointment with an approved panel physician and provide your HAP ID
6. You attend your appointment and bring your eMedical Referral letter with you
7. The clinic locates your case in eMedical using your HAP ID
8. Clinic staff record your health examination results in eMedical
9. Panel physician and/or radiologist grades and submits case to us
10. Your health case may be cleared within minutes by the system or referred for manual processing
11. If you meet the health requirement, your visa record is updated and processing can continue.

Please note, additional steps will be required if a significant health condition is identified during immigration health examinations.

Please do not use My Health Declarations if you have already lodged a visa application.