Australian Visa Health Examination Guide
Most Australian visa applicants must meet the health requirement. Applicants for permanent and provisional visas, and the family members applying with them, all need health examinations; for temporary visas it depends on the visa, the length of stay, the tuberculosis (TB) risk of the applicant’s country and the work they will do in Australia. Mainland China is a higher TB-risk country, so temporary visa applicants staying 6 months or more generally need a medical examination, a chest x-ray from age 11 and a kidney blood test (serum creatinine/eGFR) from age 15.
Applicants first get a HAP ID through ImmiAccount, then attend a provider approved by Home Affairs: in Australia only Bupa Medical Visa Services, and outside Australia an approved panel physician or clinic. Health results are generally valid for 12 months. Newstars confirms which examinations the visa requires and the best time to do them, and reminds applicants what to bring on the day.
Based on the Home Affairs health requirement pages, read on 4 November 2026. Figures are current as at the build date.
Which visa applicants need a health examination?
Applicants for permanent and provisional visas and the family members applying with them all need health examinations; in some cases family members who are not migrating do too. For temporary visas it depends on the visa, the intended length of stay, the intended activity in Australia, the country of application and any existing conditions; anyone who has been in Australia in the last 28 days has the time already spent in Australia included in the length of stay.
| Situation | Examinations usually needed |
|---|---|
| Permanent or provisional visa (applicant and family members) | By age, see the next section |
| Temporary visa · lower TB-risk country | Usually none, unless special circumstances apply |
| Temporary visa · higher TB-risk country (including mainland China), staying 6 months or more | Medical examination, chest x-ray (from 11), serum creatinine/eGFR (from 15) |
| Temporary visa · higher TB-risk country, likely to enter a healthcare or hospital environment | Medical examination, chest x-ray (from 11), serum creatinine/eGFR (from 15) |
| Temporary visa · working or training at an Australian childcare centre | Medical examination, chest x-ray, serum creatinine/eGFR (from 15) |
| 600 Visitor visa · aged 75 or over | Medical examination, serum creatinine/eGFR |
Based on the Home Affairs “what health examinations you need” page, read on 4 November 2026. Any country not on the low TB-risk list is treated as higher risk.
Newstars confirms from the visa, citizenship, length of stay and work whether health examinations are needed, and which examinations apply to migrating and non-migrating family members.
What tests are included in a permanent visa medical?
For permanent and provisional visas the tests depend on age: a chest x-ray from age 11 to check for active TB, and from age 15 an HIV test and serum creatinine/eGFR, plus hepatitis B for anyone born in a higher hepatitis B-risk country. Mainland China is a higher hepatitis B-risk country.
| Age | Examinations |
|---|---|
| Under 2 | Medical examination |
| 2 to under 11 | Medical examination; TB screening (skin test or IGRA) for applicants from a higher TB-risk country or in refugee and humanitarian streams |
| 11 to under 15 | Medical examination, chest x-ray |
| 15 and over | Medical examination, chest x-ray, HIV test, serum creatinine/eGFR; hepatitis B if born in a higher hepatitis B-risk country |
Based on the Home Affairs health pages and the legislative instrument LIN 25/049 (in force from 29 November 2025), read on 4 November 2026.
- Aged 15 or over and intending to work or study as a doctor, dentist, nurse or paramedic: hepatitis B and C tests
- Aged 15 or over, working in health, aged or disability care and from a higher TB-risk country: a latent TB infection screening test
- Pregnant and planning to give birth in Australia: a hepatitis B test
- If a condition is found at the first examination, Home Affairs may ask for further tests
Before the appointment Newstars lists each family member’s tests by age, occupation and country of birth, to reduce rebooking for a missed test.
How do you book a visa health examination?
For online applications, “View health assessment” in ImmiAccount shows whether examinations are needed; if they are, an “Organise health examinations” link appears. Completing the health questions produces a referral letter with a HAP ID, which is needed to book.
Get a HAP ID
Complete the health questions in ImmiAccount and download the referral letter. Without the HAP ID the clinic cannot find the case.
Examine before lodging
My Health Declarations allows examinations before the visa is lodged, with an ImmiAccount and a current passport; it is not for applications already lodged or visas not listed in the service.
In Australia
Only Bupa Medical Visa Services, the provider approved by Home Affairs; book online or on 1300 794 919.
In China or elsewhere
An approved panel physician or clinic. The Home Affairs list shows 33 approved providers in mainland China across 14 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu.
Newstars obtains the HAP ID and referral letter, confirms the clinic and appointment time, and books family members separately with each person’s HAP ID and passport.
Approved panel physicians outside Australia are listed on the Home Affairs offices and locations page. Anyone unable to attend within the timeframe in their request letter should tell Home Affairs through ImmiAccount.
Before the health exam, confirm the visa and the lodgement timing
The free Newstars assessment covers the visa pathway, the examinations required and the order of examination and lodgement, so results do not expire during processing.
What should you bring to the health examination?
The clinic must confirm identity and find the case, so bring all of the following. An appointment at Bupa takes about 2 to 3 hours.
- An original, valid passport (digital copies or photocopies are not accepted)
- The HAP ID referral letter or Health Examination List
- Prescription glasses or contact lenses
- Specialist or other medical reports for known conditions
- Any previous chest x-rays
- Records of any previous TB investigation or treatment, and a list of current medications
Newstars sends applicants the checklist the day before the appointment and gathers specialist reports in advance where there is a medical history, so nothing has to be sent in later.
How much does an Australian visa medical cost?
Applicants pay the examination provider directly; it is not part of the visa application charge collected by Home Affairs. Visa medicals are not covered by private health insurance or Medicare. Bupa in Australia requires full payment at booking and does not accept cash; prices outside Australia vary by country, so confirm with the clinic before booking.
| Bupa examination | Fee (AUD, incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Medical examination and chest x-ray | $392.00 |
| Medical examination only | $283.00 |
| Chest x-ray only | $146.20 |
| HIV (with medical) | $60.90 |
| Hepatitis B (with medical) | $70.40 |
| Hepatitis C (with medical) | $70.40 |
| Serum creatinine and eGFR | $20.30 |
| TB screening IGRA | $111.80 |
From the fees published by Bupa Medical Visa Services for appointments booked from 1 July 2026, read on 4 November 2026. These are clinic fees, not government charges; clinics outside Australia set their own prices. Figures are current as at the build date.
Newstars budgets health examination fees separately from visa application charges and reminds applicants to confirm the price with the clinic before booking.
How long are health results valid, and when is the best time to do them?
Health results are generally valid for 12 months from the date the examinations were completed; a health undertaking, where one is signed, is valid for 6 months. If examinations are done before lodging and processing takes a long time, they may need to be done again, so check the official processing time for the visa before choosing a date.
Anyone examined in the last 12 months may not need every test again; the referral letter says which are needed. Provisional-to-permanent pathways such as 491 or 494 to 191 may still require further examinations at the second stage.
Newstars times the examinations against the visa’s processing time so results stay valid during processing, and checks in advance whether a permanent-stage application will need further tests.
What happens after the health examination?
The panel physician records the results and a recommendation but does not tell the applicant whether they meet the health requirement. Results reach Home Affairs instantly through eMedical, and anyone with a HAP ID can check in eMedical whether results have been submitted.
Where further assessment is needed, a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth decides whether the applicant meets the requirement, meets it by signing a health undertaking, or does not meet it, and may ask for more information or further tests. Applicants who sign a health undertaking must contact Bupa within 28 days of arriving in Australia. Applicants with active TB cannot be granted a visa until treated and cleared by a Medical Officer.
When Home Affairs asks for more information or further tests, Newstars follows up the request, arranges specialist reports and responds within the deadline.
What is the health requirement for an Australian visa?
The health requirement protects public health (especially from active TB), contains health and community service costs, and protects access to services in short supply. Applicants must be free of any condition that would result in significant cost or prejudice Australians’ access to services in short supply; the significant cost threshold has been AUD 86,000 since 1 July 2024, and organ transplants and dialysis are currently the services in short supply.
No condition automatically means the requirement is not met. A health waiver is available for some visa subclasses and is considered case by case without a separate application; it cannot be used for active TB or a threat to public health. Since 16 October 2024, children under 18 born and ordinarily resident in Australia may be granted a visa even if they do not meet the health requirement.
Where there is a medical history, Newstars gathers specialist reports and treatment records before lodgement and explains whether the visa offers a health waiver.
Do pregnant applicants need a chest x-ray?
A pregnant applicant may have the chest x-ray or defer it until after the birth. For applicants from a higher TB-risk country (including mainland China), deferring means neither the health examination nor the visa is finalised until the x-ray is done; x-rays are not taken before 14 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant applicants from lower TB-risk countries do not need the x-ray once evidence of pregnancy is provided.
Based on Home Affairs Form 160 and the Australian Panel Member Instructions (September 2026). Applicants who proceed complete a pregnancy declaration, and abdominal and pelvic lead shielding is used.
For applicants who are or plan to become pregnant, Newstars compares the effect of an x-ray now or after the birth on the expected grant date before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a visa medical at any clinic in Australia?
No. In Australia visa medicals are done only by Bupa Medical Visa Services; outside Australia they must be done by a panel physician or clinic approved by Home Affairs.
Can I do the health examination before lodging my visa?
Yes. My Health Declarations allows examinations before lodgement, with an ImmiAccount and a current passport; after lodgement, book with the HAP ID referral letter in ImmiAccount.
How long are visa health results valid?
Generally 12 months from the date the examinations were completed. Where processing takes longer, the examinations may need to be repeated.
Is a visa medical covered by Medicare or private health insurance?
No. Visa medicals are not covered by private health insurance or Medicare; applicants pay the provider directly.
Can a pregnant applicant defer the chest x-ray?
Yes, until after the birth. For applicants from a higher TB-risk country (including mainland China), the health examination and visa are not finalised until the x-ray is done; x-rays are not taken before 14 weeks of pregnancy.
Will the panel doctor tell me whether I passed?
No. The panel physician records the results and a recommendation; Home Affairs decides whether the health requirement is met, and a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth decides where further assessment is needed.
Plan the medical, documents and lodgement on one timeline
Whether in Australia or overseas, contact any Newstars office or send an online enquiry. The initial assessment is free.
