Do I Need a Medical for a Partner Visa?

What does the partner visa medical involve?

The partner visa medical usually involves a medical examination and a chest X-ray, with further tests depending on the applicant's age, history and circumstances. The examinations an applicant needs are shown in ImmiAccount once the application is lodged, or can be arranged before lodgement in some cases. The doctor sends the results directly to the Department. Our article on the partner visa medical examination explains each step.

Where do I do the medical for a partner visa?

An applicant in Australia does the medical for a partner visa through Bupa Medical Visa Services, and an applicant overseas uses a panel physician approved by the Department. Other doctors cannot complete the visa health examinations. Applicants should bring any reports about existing conditions, because the examining doctor may ask about them and incomplete information can delay the assessment. Appointments in busy locations can book out, so the medical should be arranged as soon as the referral is available. Health examinations are also only current for a limited time, which is why their timing matters. The applicant takes their passport and the health referral letter to the appointment. Our guide to the partner visa online application explains where the referral letter appears in ImmiAccount.

What happens if the medical finds a health condition?

A medical that finds a health condition does not automatically mean refusal of a partner visa. The Department's medical officer assesses whether the condition is likely to result in significant cost to the Australian community or prejudice access to health care. If the applicant does not meet the health requirement, a health waiver can be considered for partner visas. Our articles on partner visa health requirements and the partner visa health waiver explain the test and the waiver.

Are tuberculosis and HIV treated differently in a partner visa medical?

Tuberculosis and HIV are assessed in specific ways in a partner visa medical. Active tuberculosis must usually be treated before the visa can be granted, while HIV is assessed under the general health test, and a health waiver may be considered where the test is not met. Applicants should not hide a diagnosis, because that creates a separate integrity problem. Our articles on tuberculosis and the partner visa and HIV and the partner visa explain each issue.

Do dependent children need a medical too?

Dependent children included in a partner visa application generally need health examinations too, and a child's condition can affect the whole application. In some cases family members who are not migrating are also asked to complete examinations. Families with a child who has a disability should plan for this before lodgement, as explained in our article on the partner visa with a child with a disability.

How does My Migration Lawyers handle partner visa medicals with health issues?

My Migration Lawyers asks about known health conditions before lodgement, so the couple is not surprised by a medical result months into processing. Where a condition may affect the health requirement, the firm prepares the waiver evidence early, including treating doctor reports, cost information and the family's circumstances, and responds to the Department's health assessment when it arrives. Couples can speak with our partner visa lawyers about a health concern in confidence.