afathi82

Hi Everybody,
I am now on student visa 574 and currently in Australia and I applied for skilled migrant visa 175 on 13th of October 2009. I am on CSL, so I know that my case should be finalized within 12 months from applying.

After I applied online, I found that medical examination is required. I know it is valid for 12 months, so it is safe to do them now.

Now, my wife is pregnant and she can not do the x-ray test. Is that mean we will not be granted the visa until she deliver the baby.
Also, we already made the medical tests required for student visa in Feb2009 overseas. I think I will need more examination for the PR than what I did for student visa.

When I send to the immigration asking them regarding that, they replied by the following:
The benefit of applicants undertaking health and character checks may be a reduction in the amount of time required before a decision can be made, however, applicants and migration agents should be aware that: Health examinations have limited validity periods and if these expire before the application is finalised these checks may be requested again, and must be provided at the applicant's cost.

What is your advice? Should I wait for the case officer to be allocated, or it is better to do the medical examination now to reduce the time of application process? And if so, Should I do the whole examination or is there a way to find the differences between student visa and PR visa and only do these tests to minimize the costs?

I know I asked many questions, but I hope that you can advice me what is the best to do?

Thanks,
Ahmed

Pollyana

If she is pregnant now, just wait until the baby is born before you do the medicals. There is no need to do them in advance, and as no-one can foretell future timeline changes in your shoes I'd be waiting to do them until much later.
If you get a CO befoe you do the medical they will just contact you and request it then.

afathi82

Thank you for your advice.

afathi82

I got a case officer on 23rd of December, he asked for form 80 and medical examination. I sent reply to the case officer telling him that we have our medical examination overseas last February. I asked him if we can use the x-ray from our previous records. I didn't receive his reply yet, so I called the immigration office, there is a women answered my call, she told me that:

1. the case officer replied to your email on the next day of my email, but strangely i didn't receive any reply through my email yet. that was 3 or 4 days ago. (anyone have explanation?!!!!)

2. She said that you can not upgrade your student health examination to permanent resident medical examination, and you have to do the tests again. I told her about my wife pregnancy, she said that you can hold the application if you want.

I feel that is not fair, since the medical examination should be valid for 12 months, so what is the problem of using the previous x-ray instead of waiting until delivery or having to think about how much is the risk for my baby.

Is there a problem because the previous x-ray was overseas. I believe they should use the same results as it is from approved panel doctor even if it is overseas.

When I knew that I got case officer, i was so happy, i thought my baby may be citizen since his birth. Now I have to think about what the options that I have.
Anyone can advise me what to do? Do you think I can discuss the case further with the case officer. or there are some other rules that i don't know regarding the validity of health examination?

Bermudashorts

I don't know what a student medical entails, however from what was said to you it sounds like it is a different medical and cannot be used. There is no point whining about something "not being fair". The rules are the rules, if you don't like them then don't apply.

Anyway if you really want the baby to be citizen from birth, why not talk to a doctor about options. Xrays can be done during pregnancy with lead shields, at certain stages I believe.

Dorothy

The medical examination for PR is more indepth, so the one for your student visa is probably not going to be sufficient. After the first trimester your wife can do the chest x-ray with a lead shield. Many women do it and so long as your wife uses the shield to protect the unborn baby it is safe.

What you believe is not really relevant to DIAC. It's what they want that counts. Your x-ray was 10 months ago and if your case officer wants a new one then it looks like you are required to do another one. You can try sending a PLE to ask about using your old one, but there is nothing to say it won't expire before your visa decision is made and you have to do another anyway.

For the email, check your spam folder. Many people have missed emails from DIAC because it goes into their spam area.

afathi82

Thank you for your reply.

About the medical examination, I read On HSA website that:
Student Visa Medical Examinations include:
* Medical Examination by a HSA doctor
* Chest X-ray by HSA or a HSA Approved Radiologist (if you have had a Chest X-Ray by Health Services Australia onshore in Australia in the past 12 months, relating to an Immigration medical, then you will need to telephone for your appointment rather than book the appointment on line please)
* Nurse Screening - eye test, height, weight, urine test

Permanent Visa Medical Examinations include:

* Medical Examination by a HSA doctor
* Chest X-ray by HSA or HSA-approved Radiologist ( if you have had a Chest X-Ray by Health Services Australia onshore in Australia in the past 12 months, relating to an Immigration medical, then you will need to telephone for your appointment rather than book the appointment on line please)
* HIV Blood Test - Blood taken by a HSA nurse or by a HSA-approved Pathologist service
* Nurse Screening - eye test, height, weight, urine test


So, I think the only difference is the blood test. unless they are looking for more details in the same test as you said.

regarding my email, i checked my spam folder, there is nothing there. and i already received his first email and confirmation of receiving the enquiry using my email without problem.

my wife is 24 weeks now of pregnancy, so she is now on her second trimester. I hope it is ok for the baby to have the x-ray.
Do I have to wait until receiving his reply officially before booking the medical examination?

Bermudashorts

Personally, I would just go ahead and book medicals, but discuss your wifes situation with them at time of booking.

afathi82

I booked the appointment with HSA group. When I went to do the examination, they do the medical test for form 26 on their own, but they send us to do the x-ray on NCDI. the doctor their refused to do the chest x-ray for my wife as she is pregnant, even we signed the part in the Form 160 that is saying that we understand the risk and my wife is in her second trimester now.

Can anyone advise me what to do to get that x-ray test?

I noticed something also, that the HSA operator who answered the phone call when we called to book, said the same that we don't do x-ray for pregnant women. this is strange for me since there is a declaration in Form 160, which means this test can be done.

Dorothy

Find another panel doctor/x-ray clinic. You are not obliged to use the one you went to.

afathi82

This is the only HSA branch in canberra, Do you think I may ask them for another clinic?
What if the one who is answring the call their insist with her answer that the are not doing x-ray for pregnant women?
Or it is better to find another HSA branch in any other city? the nearest one is in sydney (300 km far)

ThKmOZ

so take a trip to Sydney, also beautiful city, isn't it, But make a phone call first before you go to Sydney and explain them about your situation.

muditha

Dear Ahmed,

Me too was in the same scenario as you. My wife got pregnant after lodging the visa. I was assigned CO in Nov and she asked for medicals of both of us. But we decided not to do xray test for my wife till baby is delivered. So we did my medicals and wife's without her chest xray.

So what i'm saying you is to deeply think about doing medicals while she is pregnant.

vsuccess

So do you have a baby now? Or still waiting?

muditha

Still waiting.