Partner Visa Medical Examination: What to Expect

The partner visa medical is the health examination the Department of Home Affairs uses to decide whether a partner visa applicant meets the health requirement. This guide explains the partner visa medical from start to finish: who must attend, when to book it, what happens on the day, which tests are done and how the results reach the Department.

Most people approach the partner visa medical with some anxiety. They worry about the tests, about an old condition, about a pregnancy or about whether a result will end the application. Most of that anxiety comes from not knowing how the process works. The process itself is structured and predictable, and the main risks come from timing, missing paperwork and conditions that are not explained properly.

This article is written for people applying onshore for the Subclass 820 partner visa, which is lodged together with the permanent Subclass 801 visa. It also includes notes for applicants who are examined outside Australia. For the wider picture of how partner visas work, the firm's complete guide to partner visas in Australia explains every subclass and both stages.

What is the partner visa medical?

The partner visa medical is a set of health examinations and tests that a partner visa applicant completes so the Department can assess the health requirement. It is not a general check-up. It is a migration health assessment, carried out by an approved provider, with results lodged directly with the Department.

The health requirement is one of the public interest criteria in Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations 1994. Every partner visa applicant must meet it, together with the character requirement, the identity requirements and the relationship criteria. The partner visa medical is the main way the Department gathers the health information it needs to make that assessment.

Three features of the partner visa medical are worth understanding at the outset.

• It is arranged through the Department's system. The applicant does not choose any doctor. In Australia the examination is done by the Department's migration medical services provider. Outside Australia it is done by an approved panel physician.
• The doctor does not decide. The examining doctor records the results and a recommendation. The doctor will not tell the applicant whether they meet the health requirement. That decision belongs to the Department.
• The results are electronic. Results are lodged through a system called eMedical. They reach the Department without the applicant carrying any paper results.

A partner visa medical is one part of a much larger application. The relationship evidence, the identity documents, the police certificates and the forms all sit alongside it. The firm's guide to the Subclass 820 onshore partner visa explains how those parts fit together, and the partner visa document checklist lists what is usually provided at each stage.

Who must have the partner visa medical?

The partner visa applicant must have the partner visa medical when the Department asks, and so must every family member included in the application. The Department may also ask some family members who are not migrating to be examined. The sponsor is not an applicant and is not asked to complete the applicant health examinations.

The primary applicant

The primary applicant is the person seeking the partner visa. The primary applicant will always need to satisfy the health requirement. In almost every case, that means attending a partner visa medical at some point during the application.

Dependent children included in the application

A partner visa application can include dependent children. Each child included in the application must also meet the health requirement. Each child receives their own HAP ID and attends their own examination. The tests for a child depend on the child's age, which is explained later in this guide.

Parents should treat a child's examination as seriously as their own. If one family member does not meet the health requirement, that can affect the whole application. Where a child has a known condition, the reports for that condition should be gathered early.

Family members who are not migrating

The Department can ask some family members who are not included in the application to be examined. This most commonly arises for dependent children who will remain overseas with another parent. Whether a non-migrating family member is asked to attend a partner visa medical is decided by the Department case by case, and the request will say so if it applies.

Applicants sometimes find this request confusing, because the child is not coming to Australia. The reason is that family members who are not included now may seek to join later. If a non-migrating family member is asked to attend and does not, the Department may treat the request as unanswered. Advice should be sought before ignoring or refusing that kind of request.

The sponsor is in a different position and does not attend a partner visa medical. The sponsor's role is set out in the sponsorship part of the application, and the Subclass 820 visa guide explains what the sponsor provides. A sponsor may still help by making sure the applicant has the HAP ID, the passport and the reports needed on the day.

When should you do the partner visa medical?

The partner visa medical should usually be done after the Department asks for it and issues a HAP ID, unless the applicant has completed upfront health examinations through My Health Declarations before lodging. The timing decision matters because results expire, and because a request comes with a timeframe.

After the Department's request and HAP ID

The most common pathway is that the application is lodged first, and the Department later asks the applicant to complete health examinations. The Department gives the applicant a list of the examinations required and a HAP ID. HAP stands for Health Assessment Portal, and the HAP ID is the reference number that links the partner visa medical to the application.

For applications lodged online, the HAP ID appears in a Referral Letter in ImmiAccount. Applicants should check their ImmiAccount regularly, because the request can appear without a separate email. The firm's guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains how the account works for applicants who are still setting it up.

A request for the partner visa medical often arrives together with requests for other documents. It may come as a formal request for further information. The firm's article on responding to a section 56 request for more information explains how these requests work and why the stated timeframe matters.

Upfront through My Health Declarations

Some applicants complete health examinations before they lodge the visa application. This is done through My Health Declarations, a Department online service. If the visa is listed in My Health Declarations, the applicant can generate a HAP ID and attend the partner visa medical before the application is lodged. The HAP ID is then included when the application is lodged.

The Department is clear that My Health Declarations must not be used if the visa application has already been lodged. Once the application is in, the applicant waits for the Department's request and uses the HAP ID it provides.

Doing the partner visa medical upfront can help the Department deal with the health stage earlier. It also carries a risk. If the application then takes a long time to be assessed, the upfront results may expire before the Department reaches a decision, and the examinations may need to be repeated.

The 12-month validity and why timing matters

Health results are valid for 12 months from the date the examinations are completed. This is the central timing point for any partner visa medical.

Partner visa processing can be long, and the Department itself says that processing times for partner visa applications vary. The Department suggests that applicants check processing times before doing health examinations and police certificates, because they may need to be redone if they expire. The firm's guides on Subclass 820 processing times and on how long an onshore partner visa takes explain why no fixed waiting time can be promised.

The practical result is simple. An applicant who rushes the partner visa medical months before the Department is ready may pay for a second examination later. An applicant who waits for the Department's request generally completes the examinations at the point they are actually needed.

Police certificates follow the same logic, as they are also valid for 12 months for immigration purposes. Many applicants plan both together. The 820 partner visa evidence checklist sets out the other documents that are usually gathered at the same time.

A second medical at the permanent stage

The partner visa medical is not always a one-time event. The Department states that health examinations may be required again at the permanent Subclass 801 stage. This is explained in more detail later in this guide. The firm's comparison of Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains how the two stages relate.

Where the partner visa medical fits in the application

The partner visa medical usually sits in the middle of the onshore application, after lodgement and before the temporary visa is decided. Understanding the sequence helps applicants plan the health stage around everything else.

A typical onshore application moves through these steps.

• Lodgement. The combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application is lodged online in ImmiAccount, with the relationship evidence, identity documents and the sponsorship.
• Bridging visa. If the applicant held a substantive visa when they applied, a Bridging visa A is granted. It comes into effect if the current visa expires before a decision.
• Requests. The Department asks for further items as the file is assessed. These often include the partner visa medical, police certificates and sometimes Form 80.
• Assessment of the temporary visa. The Department assesses the relationship, health, character and other criteria, and decides the Subclass 820.
• The permanent stage. The Department later assesses the Subclass 801, which can involve a further health examination.

Some applicants come to the partner visa medical from a more complicated starting point. Applicants who held a visitor visa when they applied should read the guide on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia. Applicants who have had an earlier refusal should read about applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal. Applicants who did not hold a substantive visa when they lodged must also deal with the additional Schedule 3 criteria, and the health stage will run alongside that assessment. In each of these cases, the health examination is the same process, but the rest of the file needs more attention.

How do you book a partner visa medical examination?

A partner visa medical examination is booked with the Department's migration medical services provider in Australia, Bupa Medical Visa Services, or with an approved panel physician outside Australia. The applicant needs the HAP ID to book.

In Australia: Bupa Medical Visa Services

In Australia, the partner visa medical is arranged with Bupa Medical Visa Services. Bookings are made online. Changes to a booking require the HAP ID, so the HAP ID should be kept somewhere easy to find.

The applicant should book promptly after receiving the request. Appointment availability varies by location. Booking early gives room to deal with any follow-up tests within the time the Department has given.

When booking, the applicant should give accurate personal details that match the passport. A name spelt differently from the passport, or a wrong date of birth, can cause problems linking the partner visa medical results to the application.

Outside Australia: panel physicians

Applicants examined outside Australia attend an approved panel physician or clinic. The Department publishes the list of approved panel physicians. Examinations done by any other doctor are not accepted for this purpose.

This matters for onshore applicants as well as offshore applicants. A Subclass 820 applicant who is overseas when the request arrives may need to attend a panel physician in that country. The Department's page says the temporary visa can be decided while the applicant is in or outside Australia, but returning to Australia is a separate issue. An applicant who holds a Bridging visa A and plans to travel should first read the guide to the Bridging visa B, because leaving without the right bridging visa can leave the applicant without a visa to return.

Offshore applicants for the Subclass 309 partner visa and the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa follow the same basic partner visa medical process through panel physicians in their country.

What to bring to the partner visa medical

The applicant should bring a valid original passport, the HAP ID or Referral Letter, any glasses or contact lenses, existing specialist or medical reports, and any previous chest x-rays. Arriving without the right documents is one of the most common causes of a wasted partner visa medical appointment.

Each item has a purpose.

• Valid original passport. The clinic must confirm identity. The passport should be the one used in the application. The Department lists limited alternatives where a passport is not available, and the applicant should check those before the appointment rather than on the day.
• HAP ID or Referral Letter. The HAP ID links the partner visa medical to the correct application. Without it, the clinic cannot lodge the results against the right file.
• Glasses or contact lenses. The examination includes an eyesight check. Applicants who wear glasses or contact lenses should bring them.
• Existing specialist or medical reports. If the applicant has a known condition, recent reports from the treating doctor or specialist help the examining doctor understand it. This can reduce the chance of delay.
• Previous chest x-rays. Older chest x-rays can help the examining doctor compare results, especially where an earlier x-ray showed something that has been investigated.

Children attending an examination also need their own passport and their own HAP ID. A parent or guardian should attend with them.

The documents for the partner visa medical are separate from the relationship documents uploaded to ImmiAccount. Applicants who are preparing the relationship side at the same time can use the guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship and the guide to partner visa relationship evidence.

What happens on the day of the partner visa medical?

On the day of the partner visa medical, the clinic checks the applicant's identity, the examining doctor takes a medical history and conducts a physical examination, and the required tests are completed. The examining doctor then records the results and a recommendation in eMedical.

The appointment usually follows a predictable sequence.

Identity check and registration

The clinic checks the passport against the booking and the HAP ID. A photograph may be taken for the record. If the identity details do not match, the clinic may not be able to proceed.

Medical history questions

The examining doctor asks about the applicant's medical history. Questions usually cover past illnesses, hospital admissions, operations, ongoing treatment and medication. The applicant must answer truthfully and completely.

This is an important part of the examination. A condition that is disclosed, explained and supported by reports is usually far easier to deal with than a condition that is discovered later or appears inconsistent with the answers given. An applicant who gives incomplete answers at the partner visa medical risks a much bigger problem than the condition itself.

Physical examination

The doctor conducts a physical examination. This usually includes checking height, weight, blood pressure, eyesight, heart, lungs and general health. The examination is conducted professionally, and applicants can ask questions about any step.

Tests

The tests required depend on the applicant's age and circumstances. The next section explains the standard tests by age. Blood tests and a chest x-ray are common for adult partner visa applicants.

After the appointment

The examining doctor records the findings and a recommendation. The doctor will not tell the applicant whether the applicant meets the health requirement. If the results are clear, they are submitted. If further information is needed, the clinic or the Department may ask for it.

Applicants often leave the clinic expecting an answer. They will not receive one at the clinic. The answer comes from the Department, either as a clearance on the file or as a request for more information.

Which tests are included in the partner visa medical?

The tests in a partner visa medical depend on the applicant's age, and further tests can be required if a condition is identified. For permanent and provisional visa applicants, which includes partner visa applicants generally, the Department lists the standard tests by age group.

Applicants under 2

Children under 2 have a medical examination.

Applicants aged 2 to under 11

Children aged 2 to under 11 have a medical examination. If they come from a country with a higher risk of tuberculosis, they also have a TB screening test.

Applicants aged 11 to under 15

Children aged 11 to under 15 have a medical examination and a chest x-ray.

Applicants aged 15 and over

Applicants aged 15 and over have:

• a medical examination;
• a chest x-ray;
• an HIV test;
• a serum creatinine test to estimate kidney function (eGFR); and
• a hepatitis B test if they were born in a country with a higher risk of hepatitis B.

Most adult partner visa applicants fall into this group. The examination for an adult therefore usually involves at least one blood sample and an x-ray as well as the physical examination.

Health care workers and additional tests

Applicants who intend to work as health care workers, or to study in health care, may need extra tests. This should be raised when booking, so the clinic can schedule them.

Further tests if a condition is identified

The listed tests are the starting point. If the partner visa medical identifies a condition, further tests can be required. The applicant may be asked to see a specialist, provide further blood tests or provide additional imaging. This is explained later in this guide.

The Department's lists change from time to time. The HAP ID request will show exactly which examinations the applicant must complete, and that list should be followed rather than any general guide, including this one.

Pregnancy and the health examinations

Pregnancy does not stop an applicant from completing the partner visa medical, but it should be disclosed when booking and at the appointment. An applicant who is pregnant and plans to give birth in Australia is also asked to have a hepatitis B test.

The clinic will explain how the examination proceeds for a pregnant applicant, including how the chest x-ray is handled. Applicants should not delay booking simply because they are pregnant. If a delay is needed for a medical reason, the applicant should keep evidence of that reason and tell the Department within the timeframe of the request.

Pregnancy also has consequences beyond the partner visa medical. The birth of a child is a change in circumstances that should be reported to the Department. The firm's guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when that form is used. A child born in Australia during the application may need to be added, and that child may also need to meet the health requirement.

Existing medical conditions and specialist reports

An existing medical condition does not automatically mean a partner visa applicant will fail the health requirement. What matters is how the condition is assessed and what evidence the Department has about it. The single most useful step an applicant with a known condition can take is to bring current specialist reports to the partner visa medical.

Why specialist reports matter

The examining doctor sees the applicant once. A treating specialist may have seen the applicant many times. A report from the specialist can explain the diagnosis, the current treatment, how stable the condition is, the expected future treatment and whether the applicant can work. That information is often exactly what the Department needs to assess the health requirement.

If the examination is completed without those reports, the Department may later ask for them. That creates delay and, if the timeframe is short, pressure.

What a useful specialist report includes

A specialist report is most useful when it is:

• recent, and dated;
• written by the treating specialist on letterhead;
• clear about the diagnosis and its history;
• specific about current treatment and medication;
• clear about the prognosis and whether the condition is stable; and
• specific about the applicant's capacity to work.

The report should be factual and should not overstate the position. A report that minimises a serious condition can damage credibility once the Department's own medical officer reviews the results.

Being honest about conditions

Every answer given at the clinic and in the application forms must be truthful. Incorrect information given in a visa application can have serious consequences that are separate from the health requirement itself. Where an earlier answer was wrong, the Department provides a process for correcting it. The firm's guide on Form 80 explains why consistency across every form matters, and the form for correcting incorrect answers, Form 1023, is the usual vehicle for fixing an error in the application itself.

How partner visa medical results reach the Department

Partner visa medical results are lodged electronically through eMedical, and they reach the Department as soon as they are submitted. The applicant does not need to upload the results to ImmiAccount.

eMedical

eMedical is the Department's electronic health processing system. The clinic records the results and the examining doctor's recommendation in eMedical. Once submitted, the results are available to the Department immediately.

Anyone with a HAP ID can use eMedical to check if and when results were submitted. This is useful because it confirms the partner visa medical has actually been lodged, rather than leaving the applicant to assume it has.

Checking in ImmiAccount

Applicants can also check the health assessment in ImmiAccount using the 'View health assessment' function linked to the application. This shows whether health examinations are still required or whether the health section of the application has been finalised.

The ImmiAccount status should be checked a few days after the appointment. If it still shows examinations as outstanding long after the appointment, the applicant should check eMedical with the HAP ID and contact the clinic. Sometimes one test is still waiting to be reported, or a follow-up has been requested.

Keeping the application moving

The partner visa medical is only one part of the file. While the health stage is being finalised, the Department may also be assessing the relationship evidence. The Department says partner applicants should update their documents and evidence regularly through ImmiAccount. The partner visa relationship statement guide and the Form 888 guide explain what should be kept current.

A partner visa applicant on a Bridging visa A can usually continue living and working in Australia while the application, including the health stage, is processed. The firm's guides to the Bridging visa A, to bridging visas in Australia and to work rights while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explain the position.

Common mistakes that delay the partner visa medical

Most delays at the health stage come from avoidable mistakes rather than from medical findings. The same problems appear again and again.

• Using My Health Declarations after lodgement. Once the application is lodged, the applicant should wait for the Department's HAP ID. A separate HAP ID generated after lodgement can create confusion about which results belong to the application.
• Booking under a different name. The name and date of birth at the booking must match the passport used in the application. A mismatch can stop the results linking to the file.
• Forgetting a family member. Each person included in the application needs their own examination. A missing child's results can hold up the decision for everyone.
• Arriving without reports. An applicant with a known condition who arrives without specialist reports invites a later request and further delay.
• Not watching ImmiAccount or email. Follow-up requests can arrive soon after the appointment. An applicant who does not check their account may miss them.
• Out-of-date contact details. If the applicant has appointed a representative, requests may go to that representative. The guide to Form 956 and Form 956A explains how a representative or authorised recipient is appointed, and why details must be kept current.
• Travelling at the wrong time. An applicant who leaves Australia while a request is open may struggle to complete it, and may also face bridging visa problems on return.

Several of these mistakes appear in the reasons partner visa applications run into trouble, which are discussed in the guide on why partner visas get refused. Where a deadline is close and something has gone wrong, the guide to urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to prepare. Applicants who are unsure whether their file is on track can read about getting a second opinion from an immigration lawyer, and the overview of what a partner visa lawyer in Australia does at each stage.

What happens if a condition is found at the partner visa medical?

If a condition is found at the partner visa medical, the case may be referred to a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC), who assesses whether the applicant meets the health requirement. The MOC may ask for more information or further tests before giving an opinion.

After the partner visa medical, there are two broad paths. Either the applicant meets the health requirement on the results already lodged, or the case goes to a MOC. A referral to a MOC is not a refusal. It means a doctor working for the Commonwealth will look at the results more closely.

Referral to a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth

The MOC reviews the examination results, the examining doctor's recommendation and any reports provided. The MOC's opinion on the health requirement is important, because the Department relies on it when deciding the application.

Requests for further tests or reports

The MOC may ask for further information. This can include specialist reports, further blood tests, imaging or a specialist examination. These requests usually come with a timeframe. The applicant should act quickly, because a specialist appointment can take time to obtain.

The three possible outcomes

The MOC's assessment results in one of three outcomes.

• Meets the health requirement. The applicant meets the requirement, and the health part of the application is cleared.
• Meets the health requirement if a health undertaking is signed. The applicant meets the requirement on condition that they sign a health undertaking. A health undertaking is a commitment to attend follow-up health checks in Australia. The Department's partner visa page states that, if a health undertaking is requested, it is for 6 months. The undertaking must be taken seriously and complied with.
• Does not meet the health requirement. The applicant does not meet the requirement. In that case, the visa cannot be granted unless a health waiver is available and exercised, or a limited special consideration for an Australian-born child applies.

What to do while the MOC is assessing the case

A referral to a MOC can feel like a long silence. The applicant should use that time well. Keep checking ImmiAccount and email for requests. Keep the treating doctors informed that a migration health assessment is under way, so further reports can be obtained quickly if asked for. Gather recent evidence of employment and of the applicant's capacity to work, because that information can become relevant if the case later needs a waiver submission. Keep the relationship evidence current at the same time.

The applicant should not contact the clinic to ask for the outcome. The clinic does not decide the health requirement and cannot say what the MOC will find. Questions about the referral should be directed to the Department, or raised in advice, rather than with the clinic.

Tuberculosis and public health

Where the examination shows signs of active tuberculosis, the applicant must generally be treated before the health requirement can be met. A health waiver is not available for active tuberculosis or for a condition that is a threat to public health.

The partner visa health criterion and the waiver

Partner visas use a health criterion under which a health waiver can be considered, so a finding that the applicant does not meet the health requirement is not always the end of a partner visa application. The health criterion for partner visas is public interest criterion 4007 in Schedule 4.

The practical points for a person going through the partner visa medical are these.

• The applicant does not apply for a waiver. Where a waiver is available and the MOC has found the applicant does not meet the requirement, the case officer contacts the applicant and asks for information and a formal submission.
• The Department's test. The Department must be satisfied that granting the visa is unlikely to result in significant health care and community service costs, or prejudice the access of Australians to health care or community services in short supply.
• Case by case. The Department considers each case on its own facts, including whether the applicant or their family can reduce the cost to the community, and any compassionate and compelling circumstances.
• Not available for some conditions. The waiver is not available for active tuberculosis or a threat to public health.

A waiver submission is a legal document that must answer the Department's test with evidence. It usually draws on the specialist reports, employment evidence, financial evidence and the family's circumstances. The quality of the material gathered at the examination stage often shapes how strong a later submission can be.

What if you miss the Department's timeframe for health examinations?

If an applicant does not complete the partner visa medical within the time the Department has given, the Department may decide the application on the information it already has. That can mean refusal, because the Department cannot be satisfied that the health requirement has been met.

The request for the partner visa medical states the timeframe. Applicants should diarise it immediately. If an appointment cannot be obtained within that time, or a specialist report will take longer, the applicant should tell the Department before the deadline, explain why and provide evidence, such as a booking confirmation showing the earliest available date.

An extension cannot be assumed. The Department decides whether to allow more time. The worst outcome is silence, where the deadline passes and the Department hears nothing.

If a partner visa is refused because the health requirement was not shown to be met, review may be available. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied. The firm's guides to partner visa refusal appeal options, to what to expect at an ART review and to why Subclass 820 visas are refused explain the process. The firm acts on partner visa refusals and on visa refusals more generally.

Who pays for the partner visa medical?

The applicant pays for the partner visa medical. The cost of health examinations is separate from the visa application charge and is paid to the provider, not to the Department. Any follow-up tests or specialist reports requested after the partner visa medical are also usually the applicant's cost.

The Department lists health checks among the other costs of a partner visa, alongside police certificates and biometrics. Its Visa Pricing Estimator does not include health checks. Applicants budgeting for the application should allow for the partner visa medical for each person in the application, and for the possibility of a repeat examination at the permanent stage. The firm's guide to the cost of a Subclass 820 partner visa explains the government charges.

Privacy of your health information

The results of the partner visa medical are sent by the clinic directly to the Department through eMedical. They are used to assess the health requirement. The applicant does not upload them, and the sponsor does not receive them from the clinic.

Some applicants are concerned that a health condition will be disclosed to their partner. The results are the applicant's own health information. Whether the applicant discusses them with the sponsor is a personal choice. What the applicant cannot do is give the Department incorrect information about their health, either at the examination or in the application. Truthful disclosure to the Department is required regardless of what is shared within the relationship.

The Department handles personal information under Australian privacy law. Applicants who want to understand how their information is used can read the Department's privacy notices. Questions about a specific situation, such as a condition the applicant has not disclosed to family, should be raised in a confidential consultation.

The health requirement at the permanent Subclass 801 stage

The Department may require health examinations again before the permanent Subclass 801 visa is granted. The second-stage assessment generally takes place two years after the combined application was lodged, so the first health results will often have expired by then.

At the permanent stage, the Department usually asks for updated information. This can include a new partner visa medical, a new Australian Federal Police certificate, overseas police certificates for any country where the applicant spent 12 months or more since the Subclass 820 grant, and a statutory declaration from the sponsor about the relationship.

The same practical rules apply at the second stage. Wait for the Department's request. Use the HAP ID provided. Bring the passport and any reports. Disclose any condition that has developed since the first examination. Applicants who have had treatment since the first examination should bring the reports for that treatment.

Applicants should also remember that taking another visa while holding the Subclass 820 ends eligibility for the Subclass 801. The firm's guide to the Subclass 820 partner visa requirements explains the permanent stage in more detail. If the relationship ends before the permanent visa is granted, a different set of rules applies, and the guide on what happens if the relationship breaks down and the firm's family violence partner visa page explain those limited circumstances.

What Tribunal decisions show about health evidence in partner visa cases

Tribunal decisions show that missing or unclear health evidence can lead to refusal, and that the problem can sometimes be corrected on review. The decisions below come from cases in which the Tribunal remitted the matter to the Department for reconsideration. They are described only by the issues recorded for them.

• Clayton (Migration) [2024] AATA 2517. The issue recorded was the health requirement and evidence of a medical assessment. The lesson is that the Department and the Tribunal need clear evidence that the required medical assessment was completed. An applicant should keep proof of their partner visa medical, including the HAP ID and the eMedical submission record.
• Freeland (Migration) [2024] AATA 1083 and Nelson (Migration) [2024] AATA 1079. In each, the issues recorded were the health requirements, evidence of the required examination being provided to the Tribunal, and a decision made without a hearing. The lesson is that an incomplete health stage at the Department may be remedied on review if the evidence is properly provided. It is far better, however, to complete the partner visa medical within the Department's timeframe and avoid a refusal in the first place.
• 1907240 (Migration) [2024] AATA 2111. The issues recorded were the health criteria, the potential cost of treatment found by the MOC, and the applicant's full-time work in a physically demanding occupation. The lesson is that the MOC's cost findings are not the end of the inquiry, and that evidence about the applicant's actual capacity and circumstances can matter.

These are Tribunal decisions, not matters handled by My Migration Lawyers. Each depends on its own facts, and none shows that a particular outcome will follow in another case. The firm's guide to choosing a visa appeal lawyer explains what is involved in a review.

Help with partner visa health requests across Australia

Health requests are handled the same way wherever the couple live, because the Department's process is national. My Migration Lawyers holds consultations by video, so applicants can get advice on the partner visa medical from any state or territory.

Clients often find the firm through its pages for partner visa lawyers in Sydney, partner visa lawyers in Melbourne, partner visa lawyers in Brisbane, partner visa lawyers in Perth and partner visa lawyers in Adelaide. Others read about partner visa lawyers in Canberra, partner visa lawyers in Hobart, partner visa lawyers on the Gold Coast and partner visa lawyers in Parramatta.

The firm also acts in general immigration matters through its pages for immigration lawyers in Sydney, immigration lawyers in Melbourne and immigration lawyers in Brisbane. Couples comparing options can read how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia, the guide on using an immigration lawyer for a partner visa and the comparison of a partner visa lawyer and doing it yourself. Applicants who lodged on their own and now face a health request can read about hiring an immigration lawyer after lodgement.

How My Migration Lawyers handles the partner visa medical stage

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters at the partner visa medical stage, including complex cases involving existing medical conditions, referrals to a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth, health undertakings and health waiver invitations. The firm is capable of handling these matters from the first request through to any review.

The work on the partner visa medical stage follows a clear process.

• Advising on timing. The firm advises whether the partner visa medical should be done upfront or after the Department's request, taking into account the 12-month validity of results and the stage the application has reached.
• Handling the request. When the Department's request and HAP ID arrive, the firm records the timeframe, confirms which examinations each person must complete, and makes sure every family member included in the application has the correct HAP ID.
• Collating specialist reports. Where the applicant has a known condition, the firm identifies the reports the Department is likely to need and explains to the treating doctors what information is relevant. The reports remain the doctors' own opinions.
• Monitoring the results. The firm checks the health assessment status in ImmiAccount and follows up if the partner visa medical results do not appear as submitted.
• Responding to MOC requests and health undertakings. Where the MOC asks for further tests or information, the firm manages the response within the timeframe. Where a health undertaking is requested, the firm explains what it requires.
• Preparing waiver submissions. Where the Department invites a health waiver submission, the firm gathers the evidence and prepares a formal legal submission addressing the Department's test.
• Keeping the application moving. Throughout, the firm keeps the relationship evidence current, responds to any section 57 natural justice letter, and acts on any review if a refusal occurs.

The firm's partner visa work is described on the partner visa lawyers page. Its Principal Lawyer, Weiwei Zhang, oversees the firm's partner visa practice. More about the firm is on the about page.

If you have received a request for a partner visa medical, or a condition has been found and the Department has asked for more, book a consultation online. You can also call 1300 040 300.