Partner Visa Medicare

Partner visa Medicare questions usually arrive at a stressful time. A couple has just lodged a partner visa application, or is about to, and wants to know whether the applicant can see a doctor under Medicare. This guide explains the partner visa Medicare position in plain English: who can enrol, when, which card is issued, what documents Medicare asks for, and what happens to Medicare if the visa is refused, reviewed or granted.

The short answer is that partner visa Medicare access depends on two things. The first is a valid application for a permanent partner visa. The second is a lawful visa while that application is decided. If either of those fails, Medicare entitlement can end. That is why the partner visa Medicare question is really a visa law question as much as a health question.

This article covers the onshore Subclass 820 and 801 partner visa in the most detail, because that is where most partner visa Medicare enrolments happen. It also explains, briefly, the position for offshore applicants and for people who hold a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa. For the wider picture of how the partner visa family fits together, see the firm's complete guide to partner visas in Australia.

Can partner visa applicants get Medicare?

Yes. Most partner visa applicants who are in Australia can enrol in Medicare once they have lodged a valid partner visa application and meet the conditions that Services Australia applies. Medicare is not limited to Australian citizens and permanent residents. People who have applied for a permanent visa can also be eligible while their application is being decided.

Services Australia, which runs Medicare, treats a person who has applied for a permanent visa as eligible to enrol if the person:

• is in Australia;
• has applied for a permanent visa; and
• holds a current visa that gives permission to work.

A person whose visa does not allow work can still be eligible if they have a partner, child or parent who lives in Australia and who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen.

For most couples, this second limb is important. The partner who sponsors a partner visa must generally be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen. So a partner visa applicant will often meet the relationship limb even where their visa does not allow work. The partner visa Medicare rules are therefore generous to genuine onshore applicants, provided the application is valid and the applicant keeps a valid visa.

The exception is a person who has applied only for a Parent visa. Services Australia excludes Parent visa applicants from this pathway. That exclusion does not affect partner visa Medicare enrolment.

Why a partner visa application opens the door to Medicare

A partner visa application opens the door to Medicare because it is an application for a permanent visa. Medicare treats people who have applied for a permanent visa differently from other temporary visa holders.

The onshore partner visa is lodged as one combined application for two visas: the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa. The applicant does not lodge a separate permanent application later. The permanent Subclass 801 stage is generally assessed about two years after the combined application was lodged, unless an exception applies. The firm's article comparing Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains the two stages in detail.

Because the permanent visa is part of the application from the day it is lodged, the applicant is a permanent visa applicant from that day. That is the legal hook for partner visa Medicare enrolment. It is also why the partner visa Medicare entitlement does not need to wait until the temporary Subclass 820 visa is granted.

The same logic applies offshore. The offshore partner visa is a combined application for the temporary Subclass 309 visa and the permanent Subclass 100 visa. The difference is that Medicare requires the person to be in Australia. Offshore applicants are discussed later in this guide.

Medicare follows the application, not the relationship

Medicare does not assess whether a relationship is genuine. That is the job of the Department of Home Affairs. Medicare looks at the person's visa position: whether they have applied for a permanent visa, whether they hold a valid visa, and whether the visa allows work or a qualifying family relationship exists.

This means a couple cannot use Medicare enrolment as evidence that the relationship has been accepted. A blue interim Medicare card says nothing about how the Department will assess the relationship. Equally, a refusal by Medicare to enrol someone says nothing about the strength of the relationship. The partner visa Medicare question and the relationship question are separate, even though one depends on the visa application that the other decides.

The visa application must be valid

Medicare relies on proof from the Department of Home Affairs that the person has applied for a permanent visa. That proof only exists if the application was validly made. An application that was not valid, for example because a required fee was not paid or because the applicant was barred from applying in Australia, is not a permanent visa application at all. A person in that position has no partner visa Medicare entitlement through the application.

Validity problems can be technical. Some visas carry a condition that prevents a further application in Australia. The firm's article on applying for a Subclass 820 visa with a No Further Stay condition explains how condition 8503 works. Applicants who have had an earlier visa refused or cancelled in Australia should also read about applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal before lodging.

The conditions Services Australia applies to partner visa Medicare enrolment

Services Australia applies a short list of conditions to people who have applied for a permanent visa. Each condition must be checked separately. A partner visa Medicare enrolment can be delayed or refused if any one of them is not shown.

Being in Australia

The applicant must be in Australia when they enrol. Services Australia describes this as being onshore. A person who has applied for a permanent visa from outside Australia is not eligible for Medicare while they remain outside Australia.

Having applied for a permanent visa

The applicant must have applied for a permanent visa. For the onshore partner visa, the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application satisfies this condition from lodgement. Medicare asks for proof from the Department of Home Affairs that the application was made. In practice, this is usually the acknowledgement of application that the Department issues through ImmiAccount after lodgement. Couples who are still setting up their online account can read the firm's guide on how to create an ImmiAccount.

Holding a valid visa with permission to work

Services Australia requires the applicant to hold a current visa. The applicant must also either have permission to work or meet the family relationship alternative. A bridging visa is a visa for this purpose. Many onshore partner visa applicants hold Bridging Visa A after lodgement. The firm's articles on Bridging Visa A work rights and conditions and on working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explain the position on work.

The family relationship alternative

If the applicant's visa does not allow work, they can still meet the partner visa Medicare conditions if they have a partner, child or parent who lives in Australia and is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen. For a partner visa applicant, the sponsoring partner will usually meet that description. Medicare will then ask for evidence of the relationship, as explained below.

The Reciprocal Health Care Agreement alternative

Services Australia also allows some permanent visa applicants to enrol if they were living in a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia immediately before coming to Australia. This is a separate route and is summarised later in this guide.

Partner visa Medicare eligibility by visa situation

The partner visa Medicare position differs depending on what visa the applicant holds at the time they enrol. The common situations are set out below.

Applicant still holding their previous substantive visa

Many people lodge a partner visa application while they still hold another visa, such as a student visa, a working holiday visa or a skilled visa. Their previous visa stays in effect until it expires. The Department will usually grant a bridging visa at lodgement, which comes into effect when the earlier visa ends.

For partner visa Medicare purposes, this person has applied for a permanent visa and holds a valid visa. If that visa allows work, the conditions are met. If it restricts work, the relationship alternative is usually available through the sponsoring partner.

Applicant holding Bridging Visa A

Once the previous substantive visa ends, the applicant usually holds Bridging Visa A. Bridging Visa A keeps the person lawful while the partner visa application is decided. The firm's guide to bridging visas in Australia explains how the different bridging visas work. For partner visa Medicare enrolment, a person holding Bridging Visa A has a valid visa and a pending permanent visa application, which is the core of the entitlement.

Applicant who arrived on a visitor visa

Some couples decide to apply for the partner visa while the applicant is in Australia as a visitor. Whether that is possible depends on the conditions on the visitor visa. Where the application can be validly lodged, the partner visa Medicare position then follows the same rules as for any other onshore applicant. The firm's article on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains the visa issues to check first.

Applicant without a substantive visa

Some partner visa applicants are unlawful when they apply, or hold a bridging visa that is not a substantive visa. These applicants must generally satisfy the Schedule 3 criteria unless those criteria are waived for compelling reasons. The firm's Schedule 3 waiver page and the article on Schedule 3 criteria for applicants who are unlawful explain those requirements.

For partner visa Medicare purposes, the difficulty is the valid visa requirement. Services Australia states that an applicant for a permanent visa must hold a valid temporary visa. A person who is unlawful does not hold one. Until the person is granted a bridging visa, they are unlikely to meet the partner visa Medicare conditions, even though they have lodged a valid permanent visa application. Regularising the visa position comes first.

Holder of the temporary Subclass 820 visa

When the temporary Subclass 820 visa is granted, the person holds a substantive temporary visa with work rights and is still an applicant for the permanent Subclass 801 visa. The partner visa Medicare entitlement continues on the same basis. The firm's article on the Subclass 820 visa explains what the temporary visa allows.

Holder of the permanent Subclass 801 visa

When the permanent Subclass 801 visa is granted, the person becomes an Australian permanent resident. From that point, Medicare eligibility no longer depends on being an applicant. The person is eligible as a permanent resident in their own right. What happens to the card at that point is explained later in this guide.

Which Medicare card do partner visa applicants receive?

Partner visa applicants who enrol in Medicare receive a blue interim Medicare card. Services Australia issues the interim card to people living in Australia who have applied for permanent residency, applied for permanent protection, or are covered by a Ministerial Order.

There are three Medicare card types in general use:

• the green standard Medicare card, issued to Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and certain other residents;
• the blue interim Medicare card, issued to applicants for permanent residency and some other groups; and
• the yellow Reciprocal Health Care Agreement card, issued to eligible visitors from countries that have an agreement with Australia.

The blue card is the partner visa Medicare card. It gives the holder access to Medicare benefits in the same way as the green card while the entitlement lasts. The difference is that the blue card is tied to the person's visa position, so it has an expiry date that reflects that position.

How long the interim card lasts

The interim Medicare card has an expiry date printed on it. Services Australia states that this date aligns with the person's entitlement end date. It is not a fixed period that applies to everyone. It depends on the person's visa position and on what Medicare knows about the application.

Services Australia also states that the Department of Home Affairs shares visa status information electronically for some applicant groups. That data link can extend a person's Medicare eligibility without the person having to apply again. Even so, a partner visa Medicare card holder should check the expiry date on their card and contact Medicare before it passes if their application is still pending. A card that has expired cannot be used to claim benefits.

Why the expiry date matters for couples

An expired interim card is one of the most common partner visa Medicare problems. Partner visa applications can take a long time to decide. The firm's articles on Subclass 820 processing times and how long an onshore partner visa takes explain why. During that period, the applicant's visa position may change, for example from a substantive visa to Bridging Visa A, or from Bridging Visa A to the temporary Subclass 820 visa. Each change can affect what Medicare holds on its record. Keeping the visa position and the Medicare record aligned avoids gaps in cover.

Documents Medicare asks for when partner visa applicants enrol

Medicare asks for a short set of documents to prove identity, visa status and the permanent visa application. The partner visa Medicare documents are set out below.

Documents every applicant provides

For each person enrolling, Services Australia asks for:

• a current passport or ImmiCard;
• a valid visa; and
• proof from the Department of Home Affairs that the person has applied for permanent residency.

For a partner visa applicant, the proof of application is usually the acknowledgement of application issued after lodgement in ImmiAccount. Services Australia states that the documents do not need to be certified.

The details on these documents must match. The name on the passport, the name in the visa record and the name in the acknowledgement of application should be the same. Where a person has changed their name, for example after marriage, the difference should be explained with the relevant document. The same discipline applies to the visa application itself. The firm's partner visa document checklist explains how identity documents are handled in the visa application.

Additional documents if the visa does not allow work

If the applicant's visa does not allow them to work in Australia, Medicare will ask for proof of the qualifying family relationship. Services Australia lists the following as examples:

• a birth certificate;
• a marriage certificate;
• a joint bank, gas, water or electricity account statement; or
• proof that the couple own a home together.

The qualifying relative must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen who lives in Australia. For a partner visa applicant relying on their sponsoring partner, a marriage certificate or a joint account statement is often the simplest evidence. The documents that support the visa application will usually also support partner visa Medicare enrolment. The firm's guides on partner visa relationship evidence and the 820 partner visa evidence checklist explain the relationship evidence lodged with the Department.

The Medicare enrolment form

People who cannot enrol online complete the Medicare enrolment form, which Services Australia publishes as form MS004. The form is used to enrol an individual or a family. It is sent, with the supporting documents, to Medicare Enrolment Services by mail or email, as Services Australia directs.

How to enrol in Medicare after lodging a partner visa

There are two ways to enrol: online through myGov, or by completing the Medicare enrolment form.

Enrolling online through myGov

Services Australia allows some people to enrol in Medicare online using their myGov account. The online option is available to a person who is living in Australia, is 15 or older and is enrolling as an individual. It covers people who have applied for a permanent resident visa. A partner visa applicant who meets those requirements can usually start partner visa Medicare enrolment online, linking Medicare to their myGov account.

Enrolling as a family

Where the applicant is enrolling with children who are included in the partner visa application, Services Australia directs that the Medicare enrolment form be completed. Each person enrolling needs their own identity and visa documents. Dependent children included in the partner visa application are applicants for the permanent visa too, so the same partner visa Medicare rules generally apply to them.

Practical sequence

A practical sequence for partner visa Medicare enrolment is:

• Lodge a valid partner visa application and keep the acknowledgement of application.
• Confirm the current visa position, including whether the visa held allows work.
• Gather the passport or ImmiCard, the visa details and, if needed, the relationship documents.
• Enrol online through myGov if eligible, or complete form MS004.
• Check the card when it arrives, including the expiry date.
• Keep the Medicare record up to date as the visa position changes.

Common reasons partner visa Medicare enrolment is delayed or refused

Most partner visa Medicare problems come from the visa side, not the health side. The common causes are set out below.

• No proof of a permanent visa application. Medicare needs evidence from the Department of Home Affairs. A screenshot of a draft application or a payment receipt is not the same as an acknowledgement of a lodged application.
• An invalid visa application. If the partner visa application was not validly made, there is no permanent visa application for Medicare to rely on.
• No valid visa. A person who is unlawful does not meet the valid visa requirement, even if a partner visa application has been lodged.
• Work restriction without relationship evidence. If the visa does not allow work and the relationship documents are missing, enrolment will stall.
• Name or date mismatches. Different spellings across the passport, visa record and application can lead to a request for more documents.
• The applicant is outside Australia. Medicare requires the person to be in Australia.
• The entitlement has ended. A refused visa application, a withdrawn application or an expired visa can end the entitlement.

Several of these causes are matters of migration law. Validity, lawful status and the consequences of refusal are decided under the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994. That is why a partner visa Medicare problem is often best approached by first checking the visa position.

What to do if Medicare refuses partner visa Medicare enrolment

If Medicare refuses enrolment, the first step is to find out exactly why. The reason will usually point to one of the causes listed above.

Check the visa position first

Before arguing with Medicare, confirm that the partner visa application was validly lodged, that the acknowledgement of application exists, and that the applicant currently holds a valid visa. A Visa Entitlement Verification Online check shows the current visa and its conditions. If any of these points is uncertain, the problem is a visa problem and should be treated as one.

Where the visa position is clouded, for example because the applicant may have become unlawful between visas or because there is doubt about whether the application was valid, legal advice should be obtained promptly. The firm's article on urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to prepare.

Provide the missing evidence

If the refusal is about documents, provide what is missing. That may be the acknowledgement of application, a clearer copy of the visa grant, or relationship evidence where the visa does not allow work. Medicare can reconsider an enrolment once the correct documents are provided.

Ask Services Australia to review the decision

If the visa position is clear and the documents have been provided, but Medicare still refuses enrolment, the person can ask Services Australia to explain and review the decision. Services Australia has its own internal review process for decisions it makes. This is separate from any review of a visa decision by the Administrative Review Tribunal.

Keep the visa application on track

A Medicare refusal does not affect the partner visa application itself. The Department continues to assess the application regardless. The more important task is to make sure the visa application is complete and that any request from the Department is answered on time. The firm's article on responding to a section 56 request for more information explains how those requests work.

Medicare is separate from the partner visa health examination

Partner visa Medicare enrolment and the partner visa health requirement are two different things. Medicare is Australia's public health insurance scheme, run by Services Australia. The health requirement is a visa criterion, assessed by the Department of Home Affairs.

The Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309, Subclass 100 and Subclass 300 visas all require the applicant to satisfy public interest criterion 4007, which is the health requirement in Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations 1994. Applicants usually meet it by completing immigration medical examinations when the Department asks.

The two systems interact in only one practical way. A person may be enrolled in Medicare and still be asked to complete immigration medical examinations. Being enrolled in Medicare is not evidence that the visa health requirement has been met. Being asked to complete a health examination does not mean Medicare enrolment is at risk.

Health insurance conditions on earlier visas

Some temporary visas carry condition 8501, which requires the holder to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia. Student visas commonly carry it. A partner visa applicant who still holds such a visa should check whether the condition continues to apply while that visa is in effect. Partner visa Medicare enrolment may provide cover, but whether it satisfies a particular health insurance condition depends on the terms of the visa held. The safest course is to keep any required insurance in place until the visa that carries the condition ends, and to seek advice before cancelling it.

Travelling overseas while holding a partner visa Medicare card

Medicare covers treatment in Australia. It does not cover medical treatment received overseas. A partner visa applicant who travels during processing should arrange travel insurance for the trip, even if they hold a partner visa Medicare card.

Travel also raises a visa question that matters more than the health question. Bridging Visa A does not allow the holder to return to Australia after leaving. An applicant who leaves Australia on Bridging Visa A without first obtaining Bridging Visa B may be unable to return on that bridging visa, and the effect on the onshore partner visa application can be serious. The firm's article on Bridging Visa B explains the travel rules. Where the applicant returns lawfully and the application is still pending, the partner visa Medicare entitlement continues on the same basis as before.

A long absence can also affect how the Department sees the relationship and the household. That is a visa assessment issue, not a Medicare one, but it should be considered before a long trip is booked.

Partner visa Medicare if a visa is cancelled

If a visa held by the applicant is cancelled, the partner visa Medicare position must be checked immediately. A cancellation can affect whether the person still holds a valid visa, and in some cases whether a bridging visa remains in effect. Without a valid visa, the Medicare conditions for permanent visa applicants are not met.

Cancellation is a serious event in its own right and usually carries short time limits for any response or review. The firm's visa cancellations page explains how it acts in these matters. Medicare cover is a secondary concern. Protecting the visa position comes first.

Partner visa Medicare for same-sex couples

The partner visa Medicare rules apply in exactly the same way to same-sex couples. Medicare looks at the applicant's visa position and, where needed, at the relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand citizen. It does not treat same-sex relationships differently. The firm's LGBTI partner visa page covers the visa issues specific to those applications.

Partner visa Medicare and the relationship evidence lodged with the Department

The documents Medicare may ask for, such as a marriage certificate or a joint account statement, are often the same documents lodged with the partner visa application. That overlap is useful, but it creates a small risk. Couples sometimes produce new documents for Medicare that do not match what was lodged with the Department, for example a joint account opened at a different date, or an address that differs from the relationship timeline.

Every document given to a government agency should be accurate and consistent with the rest of the couple's evidence. The firm's guide on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how the relationship evidence is organised. Where a document given to Medicare reveals a change in circumstances, such as a new address, that change may also need to be notified to the Department.

When a consultation helps

Most partner visa Medicare enrolments are routine. A consultation is worth considering where the applicant is unsure whether their application was valid, whether they hold a valid visa, or whether a refusal or cancellation affects their position. The firm's article on booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what a consultation covers, and the firm's article on partner visa lawyers in Australia explains how partner visa matters are handled.

Partner visa Medicare for offshore applicants

Offshore partner visa applicants cannot enrol in Medicare while they are outside Australia. Services Australia requires a permanent visa applicant to be in Australia when they enrol. An applicant who has lodged the combined Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application and is still living overseas has no partner visa Medicare entitlement while abroad.

The position changes once the applicant is in Australia. A person who has been granted the temporary Subclass 309 visa and has entered Australia holds a temporary visa that allows work, and is still an applicant for the permanent Subclass 100 visa. On the Services Australia conditions, that person is in Australia, has applied for a permanent visa and holds a visa with permission to work. They can generally then enrol in Medicare and receive a blue interim card, using the same documents as an onshore applicant.

Offshore applicants who visit Australia during processing on a visitor visa are in a different position. They may be in Australia and may have applied for a permanent visa, but a visitor visa usually does not allow work. Their partner visa Medicare eligibility would then depend on the relationship alternative and on Medicare's view of their circumstances. Couples in this position should not assume cover is available and should arrange travel insurance for the visit.

Partner visa Medicare for Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa holders

A Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is a temporary visa. It is not, by itself, an application for a permanent visa. A person who holds a Subclass 300 visa and has not yet lodged an onshore partner visa application has not applied for a permanent visa, so the partner visa Medicare pathway for permanent visa applicants does not apply to them.

The usual sequence is that the couple marry within the visa period, and the Subclass 300 holder then applies in Australia for the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visa. Once that application is lodged, the person is a permanent visa applicant in Australia, and the partner visa Medicare conditions can be met in the ordinary way. A Subclass 300 holder from a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement country may have limited access to care before that point under the agreement.

The Subclass 300 visa page explains the visa itself. The timing of the onshore application after marriage is a visa law question, and it should be planned before the wedding date.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements in brief

Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with a small number of countries. Services Australia currently lists Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Visitors from those countries can receive medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital and some subsidised medicines, with limits that differ by country. Eligible visitors receive a yellow Medicare card.

The agreements matter for partner visa Medicare in two ways. First, a partner visa applicant who was living in an agreement country immediately before coming to Australia has an additional route to enrolment as a permanent visa applicant. Second, a person who has not yet lodged a permanent visa application, such as an offshore applicant visiting Australia or a Subclass 300 holder, may have some limited cover under the agreement in the meantime.

Agreement cover is narrower than full Medicare. It does not cover treatment that was the purpose of the trip or care that was planned before arrival. Couples should check the exact terms for the relevant country with Services Australia.

What happens to partner visa Medicare when the visa is refused

When the Department of Home Affairs refuses a partner visa application, Medicare entitlement ends. Services Australia states this directly. The basis for the entitlement was the pending permanent visa application, and a refusal removes it.

The refusal also affects the applicant's visa position. An applicant who holds Bridging Visa A will usually keep that bridging visa for a limited period after refusal, and for longer if a valid review application is lodged. The firm's articles on partner visa refusal appeal options and on why partner visas get refused explain the next steps. The most common reasons Subclass 820 partner visas are refused are also worth reading before any review.

Refusals often follow a section 57 natural justice letter, where the Department invites comment on adverse information. Responding properly to that letter is the best way to avoid a refusal, and with it the end of partner visa Medicare cover. The firm's article on the section 57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explains how to respond.

Partner visa Medicare during an ART review

A person whose partner visa has been refused can keep their Medicare entitlement while a review is pending, provided they give Medicare the evidence it asks for. Services Australia states that a person can still enrol while appealing. It asks for:

• a current passport or ImmiCard;
• a valid visa; and
• evidence that a review or a request for ministerial intervention has been lodged.

For most partner visa refusals, the review body is the Administrative Review Tribunal. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied. A review application lodged on time keeps both the visa pathway and the partner visa Medicare pathway open. The firm's articles on what to expect at an ART review and on when you need a visa appeal lawyer explain the process. The firm's partner visa refusals page and visa refusals page describe how it acts in these matters.

Ministerial intervention and judicial review

Services Australia also accepts evidence that ministerial intervention has commenced, or evidence of judicial review proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court or the High Court, as evidence of an appeal for Medicare purposes. Whether these steps are available, and whether they are sensible in a particular case, is a legal question. Medicare continues only while the person holds a valid visa, so the visa position at each stage must be checked.

Partner visa Medicare when the relationship ends or the application is withdrawn

If the relationship ends during processing, the partner visa application may still continue in some circumstances, for example under the family violence provisions or where the sponsoring partner has died. The firm's article on what happens if the relationship breaks down during a Subclass 820 application and its family violence partner visa page explain those options.

While the application remains on foot and the applicant holds a valid visa, the partner visa Medicare entitlement can continue. However, an applicant who relied on the sponsoring partner for the relationship alternative, because their visa does not allow work, should check whether they still meet the Medicare conditions once the relationship has ended.

If the application is withdrawn, there is no longer a permanent visa application. The partner visa Medicare entitlement based on that application ends. Changes of this kind should also be reported to the Department, usually through Form 1022 change of circumstances.

Partner visa Medicare after the visa is granted

When the temporary Subclass 820 visa is granted, nothing changes in principle. The person remains an applicant for the permanent Subclass 801 visa and continues to hold a blue interim card while the entitlement lasts. The firm's Subclass 820 visa guide and its complete guide to the Subclass 820 partner visa set out what the temporary visa allows.

When the permanent Subclass 801 visa is granted, the person becomes a permanent resident. Services Australia states that the Department of Home Affairs shares a data link advising that the person is now a permanent resident, and this updates the Medicare record to permanent resident status. Services Australia also states that a new Medicare card is needed when a person's entitlement type changes. The person should therefore receive, or ask for, a green standard Medicare card. If the record does not update after the permanent grant, the person should contact Medicare with the grant notice.

The same applies offshore. When the permanent Subclass 100 visa is granted to a person living in Australia, their partner visa Medicare record should move from interim to permanent resident status.

Getting help with a partner visa Medicare problem wherever you live

Partner visa Medicare problems are national. A visa issue that blocks Medicare enrolment in Perth is the same issue in Hobart. My Migration Lawyers acts for couples in Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and on the Gold Coast. Consultations are held by video.

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 deciding whether they need help can read about when an immigration lawyer is needed for a partner visa, how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia and the comparison of a partner visa lawyer and doing it yourself. Applicants who lodged their own application and now want help can read about hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application, and those with an application prepared elsewhere can ask for a second opinion from an immigration lawyer.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa Medicare issues

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters where Medicare access is affected by the visa position, including complex cases involving applicants without a substantive visa, earlier refusals, no further stay conditions, relationship breakdown and refused applications awaiting review. The firm is capable of handling these matters from before lodgement through to review. Its approach is to fix the visa position that the partner visa Medicare entitlement depends on.

The work on a partner visa Medicare issue usually includes the following.

• Checking validity before lodgement. The firm checks whether the partner visa application can be validly made in Australia, including any condition 8503 or Schedule 3 issue, so that the acknowledgement Medicare relies on is issued.
• Confirming the visa held at each stage. The firm runs its own visa entitlement checks and confirms whether the applicant holds a substantive visa, Bridging Visa A or another bridging visa, and whether that visa allows work.
• Identifying the right Medicare evidence. Where the visa does not allow work, the firm identifies which of the client's existing relationship documents meet the Medicare evidence requirements, using documents already gathered for the visa application.
• Managing gaps between visas. Where an applicant is at risk of becoming unlawful, the firm advises on the bridging visa position so that the valid visa requirement continues to be met.
• Acting on refusals and reviews. Where a partner visa has been refused, the firm prepares the review application and submissions, and the client can then give Medicare evidence that a review has been lodged.
• Presenting the client's own account. The firm presents the client's own relationship evidence, including the partner visa relationship statement and Form 888 supporting statements, in the form the law requires.

The firm's partner visa practice is described on the partner visa lawyers page, and its Principal Lawyer, Weiwei Zhang, oversees the firm's partner visa work. More about the firm is on the about page. Applicants who appoint the firm do so using Form 956, so the Department sends requests to the firm.

If your partner visa Medicare enrolment has been refused, your interim card is about to expire, or your partner visa has been refused and you need to protect your visa and Medicare position, book a consultation online, or call 1300 040 300.