Medical Treatment Visa

Eligibility and requirements, application process, fee and processing time

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1. Australian Visa Medical What to Expect
2. Visa 602 Requirements
3. How to apply for Medical Treatment Visa
4. Medical Visa Australia Cost
5. Medical Visa Processing Times

A. Australian Visa Medical What to Expect

This temporary visa is for people to travel to or remain longer in Australia for medical treatment or to support someone needing medical treatment who holds or has applied for this visa. It is also for people who are donating an organ.

With this visa you can

• stay in Australia until the treatment plan or consultations are finished
• be granted single entry or multiple entries to Australia depending on your situation
• study for up to 3 months (or longer if you meet the exemption criteria)

You can’t work in Australia under this visa, except under limited circumstances.

B. Visa 602 Requirements

Be in one of these situations

• Intend to have medical treatment or consultations in Australia
• Intend to donate an organ to someone in Australia
• Intend to support a patient or organ donor who holds or is applying for this visa
• Intend to receive an organ from someone who travels to Australia with you
• Intend to come to Australia under the arrangements between the Western Province of Papua New Guinea and the Queensland Department of Health
• Be in Australia, aged 50 years or older, been refused an Australian permanent visa on health grounds only and are unfit to depart Australia

You must not have a medical condition that could be a threat to public health.

Not hold this visa

If you are in Australia, you must not hold, or the last substantive visa you held must not have been, a Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) that was granted in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream. 

Exceptions

The exception to this is applicants over 50 who are assessed as unfit to depart Australia after being refused a permanent visa on health grounds.

Be able to support yourself

While you are in Australia, you must have adequate means or access to means to support yourself.

This includes paying for:

• your travel to Australia
• your medical treatment
• other expenses related to your stay in Australia
• the expenses of anyone who comes with you to Australia (including an organ donor’s expenses)

Be any age

You can be any age to apply for this visa.

Meet our health requirement

You must meet the health requirement unless you will be undergoing medical treatment yourself.

Meet our character requirement

You must meet the character requirement.

Be a genuine visitor

You must only intend to:

• stay temporarily in Australia
• do the things you are allowed to do on this visa

An intention to stay here temporarily does not apply if you:

• are in Australia
• are aged 50 years or older
• have been refused a permanent visa due to not meeting the health requirement
• are unfit to depart Australia

Arrange for payment of medical treatment

In most circumstances, you must pre-arrange payment of your medical costs, and demonstrate that it will not cost an Australian government money. You can show this with written proof from a public or private hospital, confirming that it has approved your treatment and arrangements to pay all the costs.

Not have had a visa cancelled

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled while you were in Australia. Check if visa cancellation affects your eligibility.

C. How to apply for Medical Treatment Visa

You might need to get health examinations. If you need help with your application, get someone to act on your behalf.

1. Before You Apply

Check your passport

If you need a new passport, plan to get it before you apply for this visa.

Organise health exams before you apply

Find out the examinations you need and how to arrange them if you want to have them before you apply.

This is in addition to details you must provide about the medical treatment you are seeking in Australia.

2. Apply and provide the following documents:

Medical treatment documents

If you are applying for this visa to receive medical treatment or donate an organ, provide a letter from your treating doctor in Australia outlining:

your medical condition

treatment that will be required

an estimate of the timeframe

an estimate of the cost involved

You will also need to complete Form 1507 Evidence of intended medical treatment (includes consultation) (191KB PDF) if:

you are applying from within Australia, and

you do not hold a substantive visa (a visa other than a bridging visa, criminal justice visa or an enforcement visa)

Financial Documents

Provide proof that you have access to enough money to:

• pay for your treatment
• support yourself and anyone who comes with you while you are in Australia

Provide:

• letters from any Australians who will be supporting you during your stay
• a letter from your treating doctor or hospital saying they are satisfied with arrangements for payment

If you are going to be treated in a public hospital, the letter about payment arrangements must:

• come from the financial officer or the administration department of the hospital
• confirm that no Australian will be disadvantaged in accessing medical services as a result of your treatment

Identity documents

Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

• a national identity card, if you have one
• proof of change of name

Documents that prove a change of name include:

• a marriage or divorce certificate
• change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
• documents that show other names you have been known by

Character documents

The Department will tell you if and when you need to get a police certificate.

3. After You Apply

Provide more information if needed

Travel

If you applied in Australia, you must tell the Department if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. This is because the visa can’t be granted while you are outside Australia.

Learn about visa expiry.

D. Medical Visa Australia Cost

Free if you apply from outside Australia or represent a foreign government; AUD320 for applicants who apply from within Australia

E. Medical Visa Australia  Processing times

• 75% of applications: 29 days
• 90% of applications: 55 days