Health Criteria When Applying for Australian Visas

Applying for Australian visas has very strict health requirements that must be satisfied when it comes to granting of the particular subclass of visa. If these requirements are not satisfied, then it will be refused.

What is the health criteria?
All applicants for a partner or fiance visa must satisfy Australia’s stringent health criteria in order to grant the application. This is one of the Australian visa requirements you must have when you are planning to visit in Australia.

Likewise, all primary and secondary applicants must pass the health requirement.

If an application, eg: for a partner visa, includes primary and secondary applicant, then the general rule is, that if one person fails these criteria, they all fail.

This has been referred to as the ‘one fails, all fail’ rule.

There are however circumstances where someone who fails the health criteria can nonetheless be granted a waiver.

The health requirements that must be satisfied are generally determined by what you have been applying for, the length of time that the applicant is intending to remain in Australia, and lastly whether any special significance requirements exist. It is also important in assessing this requirement to look at which country the applicant is from and where they have previously resided. If there are special significance requirements then this requirements may be above the minimum required.

Health tests
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Health test that may be required include medical and radiological examinations.

The costs for such a test must be paid for by the applicant and are not included in the relevant visa application charge.

The costs for this tests should be factored into any application and can be considered when the application includes several secondary applicants and even immediate members of the primary applicants family who are not intending to migrate.

Family members must test too
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Even if immediate members of the primary applicant are not intending to migrate to Australia, they too must satisfy the health criteria. This is often referred to as the ‘one fails, all fail system’. For example, if a partner or fiance visa applicant lodges an application he or she must satisfy the health criterion that is in force at the time of application. That applicant may have a dependent family member, a child for example, who is not included in the application to migrate. Nonetheless, the non-migrating child must pass these criteria too.

If the child fails the health criteria and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is unable to waive health requirement for that child, then the primary application will be refused. There are however certain exceptions where it is deemed unreasonable for a non-migrating family member to undergo an assessment.

Expiring tests
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When undergoing any health tests for an Aus visa they are usually valid for 12 months from the date the test was undertaken.

Applicants should be aware that if the processing of their application takes more than 12 months, and the tests were undertaken more than 12 months ago, they will have to re-do their test at their own expense.

Unless required to do so to submit your application, it is recommended that you wait until you are advised to undergo a test.

Health requirements: Australian partner visa
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For partner visas, applicants must undergo both a medical and radiological examination using the approved forms.

If the examinations are undertaken outside Australia, then they must be performed by an approved medical specialist.

You should wait until you have lodged your application before having any examinations. Your case officer will advise you what examinations need to be undertaken.

Applying for Australian tourist visa/fiance/spouse visa for yourself, or for your partner? Australian Visa Advice – Helping you bring your loved one home!