Rules as of 26 October 2026

Health and character requirements for an Australian visa

Most applicants must meet health and character requirements. Here is what each one checks, with the amounts and periods the official pages give.

Verified Written 26 October 2026

What does the health requirement check?

Most visa applicants must meet the health requirement. A department review dated 2024-04 reported that over 99 per cent of visa applicants meet it. Family members who are not migrating with the applicant may also have to meet it, depending on the visa.

The applicant must be free from any disease or condition that would be a significant healthcare and community service cost to Australia, or would limit citizens' and permanent residents' access to services that are in short supply. A Medical Officer of the Commonwealth also advises whether a condition threatens public health.

The officer looks only at the applicant's medical situation, so having private health insurance or enough money to pay for treatment does not change the assessment.

How is the cost limit worked out?

As of 2026-10-12 the Significant Cost Threshold is AUD 86,000. A Medical Officer who estimates costs above this amount finds that the applicant does not meet the requirement. Having a medical condition does not by itself put an applicant over it: the cost depends on the kind and severity of the condition and the intended stay.

The officer costs a condition over a set period. For a temporary visa it is the applicant's intended stay. For a provisional or permanent visa it is generally 5 years, or 3 years if the applicant is 75 or older. For a provisional or permanent visa applicant whose condition is permanent or ongoing with a reasonably predictable course, it is the remaining life expectancy, up to 10 years.

The services currently treated as being in short supply, which an applicant's condition must not prejudice, are organ transplants and dialysis.

Which health examinations might be needed?

Applicants and family members applying with them might have to undergo health examinations, and more tests may be needed for people from countries with public health concerns such as polio or Ebola. For permanent and provisional visas the examinations generally include a chest x-ray from age 11 and, from age 15, an HIV test and a serum creatinine/eGFR test.

For temporary visas, a stay of under 6 months generally needs no examination unless special circumstances apply. A stay of 6 months or more from a higher-TB-risk country needs a medical examination, a chest x-ray from age 11 and serum creatinine/eGFR from age 15.

The applicant pays for any examinations. Results are generally valid for 12 months, so examinations taken before applying may have to be repeated after a long delay. In Australia they are arranged with Bupa Medical Visa Services; outside Australia, an approved panel physician or clinic must do them.

What if the requirement is not met?

If a case goes to a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth, the officer reports that the applicant meets the requirement, meets it if a health undertaking is signed, or does not meet it.

If the requirement is not met, the visa is not granted unless the applicant is an eligible child born and ordinarily resident in Australia or a health waiver is available and exercised. A person who signs a health undertaking agrees to contact Bupa Medical Visa Services within 28 days of arriving in Australia.

A health waiver exists only for some visa subclasses and cannot be used for active tuberculosis or a condition that may threaten public health. If a waiver is exercised the application continues to be processed; if it is not, the application is refused.

What does the character requirement ask for?

An applicant must meet the character requirements both to be granted a visa and to stay in Australia. Entry can be denied for criminal convictions or charges in Australia or overseas, and a visa can be cancelled at any time if the person stops meeting the requirements.

When applying, the applicant must declare all criminal conduct for which they have been charged and are awaiting legal action, or have been convicted, in any country, and must answer truthfully. Form 1563 asks whether anyone in the application has ever been convicted of an offence in any country, including convictions removed from official records.

Under section 501 of the Migration Act the Minister may refuse a visa to a person who does not satisfy the Minister that they pass the character test. A substantial criminal record, which includes a prison sentence of 12 months or more, is among the grounds for failing it.

Which character documents may be asked for?

After an application is lodged, the department may ask for a police certificate, Form 80, Form 1563 (Statement of Character), a military certificate and Form 1399 (Declaration of Service), or a letter of good conduct from an employer.

Only an Australian Federal Police National Police Check counts as an Australian certificate; state or territory certificates are not accepted. A person who has lived in Australia for a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years must provide it, and the check is requested with purpose code 33.

Police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date and must cover the period from the time the person turned 16 to the issue date, or the whole time they were in that country. A document in a language other than English must be provided with its original and an English translation.

For advice on your own case, ask a registered migration agent (MARA) or an Australian legal practitioner. Rules change, so always check the official source.