podgypossum

A lot of us seem to be pretty uptight and worried about the medicals, but i am yet to read on here or anywhere else, of a person being refused visa on medical grounds.

Anyone know of one, and why they were refused?

Phoenixuk2oz

Just to put your mind at rest PP

My son was diagnosed with a heart complaint. Massive shock for all Good news is he is OK [requires annual checkups].

If he can pass medical with this then you will have no problems.
Fear not. All will be good

Do you have medical insurance? There you are then...there's your answer!

Phoenixuk2oz

Sandra

Initially refused a 457 sponsored visa on the grounds of my daughters deafness. We managed to appeal successfully because we were in Aus at the time of application!!! It could have been worse - if we had not gone the route we did and had our PR medicals assessed first we would have had no opportunity to appeal. After the 457 was granted we had a superb agent who pushed through the PR on the basis we had already had the 457 approval for daughter. Medicals for assessment get sent to Sydney.

The grounds for the initial refusal is that she would have cost the government far too much, they estimated over 20K per annum for teacher support etc. They were initially unable to make the assessment on a severely deaf child in the high ranges being fully able to attend main stream school and not be a burden on health resources.

Money is the usual grounds for refusal not the medical condition itself.

Sandra

As the previous last reponse on this thread .....it went dead after I put an answer on. I would like to state a couple of things.

I first asked on this forum about disabilities and coming to Aus, no response!

PP - most people who get refused on medical grounds usually do not frequent the site cause they are very pee'd off and not willing to share the heartache, and usually they have not told alot of people they are applying cause they do not want the sympathy when it gets turned down!

Phoenixuk2oz - what a nightmare, I take it you did not know about the condition before application? Did this show up in the medicals?

When I post about our story I get lots of PMs asking for further advice. So here for a few who might have 'known issues' and do not want to ask.

For the main part Australia wants 'hale and hearty' people. But the defintion comes down to money. If they think you are going to be an ongoing 'expensive' expense - then your case will be looked at.

So in my knowledge - if you have a disabled child who is statemented in the UK then you possibly have a bit of an issue on your hand about what to put it the boxes when filling in a 136 application. Cause basically Aus is not going to accept a child who will cost/use the currently understaffed and underfunded resources here.

So what to do next......if you think you will not get in because of a disability. Contact your Aus equivalent of your help group there. Eg if you need deaf help, contact a deaf group in the city you plan to move to and ask if they can put you in contact with a recent emigrant who would be willing to help/talk to you. Use a decent agent...one who knows what is what, do not go for a no visa no fee agent, cause they charge you right up to medical (fail that they still get the fee!) And basically in my opinion only, they take the money and do not have a clue about disability.

The other options you go through.....what if I do not say anything about the problem we have, it is a basic medical, so what if we take the hearing aids out and pretend (get daughter in on act) and get through?? Gosh the whole lot went through our heads!!! Your visa is invalid later if you do not declare the full facts first...so think about that one.

Bloody hard and Bloody heartbreaking.....so if heading out on this path, remember most of your medical conditions are out there and people on this site have the same worries, so ask about it, you will usually be well assured it will be ok.

And please please if someone posts about a condition like deafness/blindness etc etc, that you as readers have no idea about, it has possibly taken a lot of courage for the poster to post, a nice welcome word is fantastic, even if you have no answer!

Cheers Sandra

anya4oz

Sandra

I was reading PP's initial post on this thread & thinking, yes, been there, done that. I was *just* as worried that I'd bound to be failed on my health, as I'm overweight & have asthma.

Reading a post like yours reminded me that, like many folks worrying abut the medical, I became a Grade I signed up unreasonable hypochondriac until I got that coveted letter from Adelaide.

Yes, asthma & weight problems are pretty mis. - but not in the same league as being deaf. I am so pleased the Oz immigraton people saw sense on that one. Tell your daughter that one of my greatest heroines *ever* is Evelyn Glennie (the deaf & extremely talented percussionist).

Cheers
Anya.

bundy

Good points there Sandra - sorry that you didn't get any response to your initial posts. Maybe people felt they shouldn't talk about what they don't know or something.

I've stressed endlessly about my medical because I have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and asthma. I did loads of research on the matter and I now know that, as others have said, it comes down to money. If it's going to cost more than $20k a year to treat or support a condition, then there may be problems - and that includes the things most people might not think of in relation to a condition, such as brail texts, guidedogs, special schools etc etc as well as the cost of medicine and treatment.

Conditions like mine and those other conditions that, although life-long, do not require constant (daily) medical care and attention (just regular check-ups) don't seem to cause a problem. You'll be whacked into Cat B on the medical, which will delay the application a bit, but it shouldn't result in a refusal.

Seems to be that they are concerned about major illnesses like cancer, heart disease, HIV, TB etc on one hand and then disabilities on the other. I don't agree with their policy of assessing the medical on financial grounds, but I suppose I can see why they do.

Sandra

anya4oz - thanks for the response, I appreciate it, possible problem for future hope!!!- daughter is tone deaf - I know we hear her singing the Spice Girls on the Kareoke Machine we bought her for Christmas :scared:

bundy - I know you have been through lots, and more than most!I enjoy your posts and hope everything is going well.

Sometimes - I just want to get through about the issues that might affect people - we are not all into the chat! love that and we need it,

To the new peops on here - we need you to join in and let us know the issues/chat/fun

PS Happy I am leaving Auckland (contract) and getting home to Sydney!!!

Cheers Sandra

anya4oz

Hey, great - you'll have access to some decent clothes shops then

(I challenge anyone on this forum to tell me where I can find a decent ladies clothes shop in Auckland. Believe me I have tried: I have even had a much-beloved gay friend in on the case, and he says no chance!)

No knocking Auckland btw - am just a real vain girlie about my clothes

Sydney - lovely. Lucky you, Sandra!

Anya.

nick333

Sandra,

Thanks for the positive info.

Although we are 4 1/2 years away from realising our dream, we are starting to get our head around what we need to do now.

Looks like i will need to do further research as my son is statemented for moderate learning difficulties and attends a special needs school, plus also has severe epilepsy(you would'nt want his lottery numbers lol)

But we are a long way off from applying and hos condition could improve, just know we won't be knocked back due to lack of preparation and research.

If we want it bad enough, and we do as both are retraining, we will get to feel the Brisbane heat on our backs one day.

steandleigh

We were told by our meds doctor, that less thsn 1% fail the meds.

Our agent put things into perspective by saying that if we fail our meds, then lets face it, we have more important things to worry about.

Chill out PP, try to take it easy, see how things pan out.

DianeOZ

Not got much to add except to support Sandras statement and also Bundys about people not giving input if they have no experience in that area.

I hope people out there with medical problems themselves or family members who have an issue still feel able to be part of this forum and not alone because it won't be all plain sailing for them. They need our support more than most I'm sure if there are any specific questions, us guys in Oz can try and find out a bit more from this end.

Jacqui

We've had a few medical problems over the years and all 5 of us (me, hubby and 3 kids) have been in and out of hospital for operations and various treatments, mostly minor thankfully, but some of the medical complaints are likely to recur. We decided to be completely honest when filling in the medical forms, rather than get kicked out of Oz some years down the line for something not disclosed.

Two of our children are hearing-impaired; the NHS doctors wrote them off saying it was something they would just have to live with. We enrolled them in school here and within a few days the school nurse rang to get further information about their condition. She referred us to a specialist in Perth. The children had thorough tests and their medical notes were requested from the UK. Their particular type of hearing loss was explained to us and the children will be tested every year until they reach 21. They have twice-yearly visits from a support teacher, and their class teachers are also spoken to and given leaflets to show how they can help. None of this wonderful treatment has cost us anything. One of these children is also asthmatic and is due for a check-up about that. The other has ongoing dental problems and is now seen 3 - 4 times a year by the school dentist, at no charge.

Our other child is vision-impaired and has had three operations in the UK already, and we were told at the time she would probably need another one by the time she is a teenager. Her eye check-ups with the local optometrist were paid for by Medicare.

Myself and hubby haven't needed to see the doctor at all since coming here, we have both felt much healthier than ever before. Must be all that fresh air and walks down the beach! Try not to worry too much about the medicals - if something serious was found, you'd probably rather know about it while still in the UK with the support of your close family and friends nearby.