GreenSauce

Hi all,

we are currently on a 457 visa and will apply for onshore ENS (856) as soon as the 2 year work experience period is over this November.
We will want to have everything ready by then, including medicals.

Can I have my medicals done now 6 months in advance? Wont the results get sent to DIAC and then get lost because theres no file on us yet? Can I take the results home with me and send them to DIAC in November with all the other stuff?

I know meds are normally valid for up to 12 months. So that shouldnt be a problem. We also want to start a family, and I dont want to be in that stupid situation where having to xray while preggers...

Hope someone is going to tell me its all totaly not complicated and easy...

Cheers GS

goldchoccycoin

All medicals in Aus are done by Health Services Australia (www.healthoz.com.au) and the results are sent electronically (so you can't 'post' them unfortunately! I did my meds before I applied (but only about a month).

Hope someone else can help you.

GreenSauce

Cheers tking, just found something on the website

Please note: If you intend to apply for a permanent visa at a later date, please make an appointment for a permanent visa medical examination. You need to be aware that any medicals that you undertake are only valid for visa application purposes for a period of 12 months, or sometimes less, and must be valid at the time that your application is decided

Which tells me this does accur and there is a way of dealing with early medicals. will ring them to book and ask for the details.

upyerfud

Not neccesarily true, the X-rays may be sent electronically, the medical report should come to your home address or agents and has to be sent unopened either along with your application or afterwards. I've had mine at home for the last 3 weeks, just waiting for Australian Police check and application is ready to go. Applying 6 months in advance could be problematic if there is any delays with your application and you go over the 1 year validity period.
HSA are fairly efficient and here in Sydney I managed to get a medical the same day after phoning to pospone . Results came in about a week.
Having a baby after the application is made, but before the visa is granted may complicate the situation.

TillyG

I'm pretty sure that the blurb we had about the x-ray said that if you're past the 12-week mark of pregnancy then the x-ray is fairly safe - basically by that point, the major parts of the baby are fully-formed, iykwim?

I agree that HSA are really efficient - I phoned them up and they said "it's a bit busy at the moment (start of March) as all the students are renewing their visas.... we can fit you in in 10 days time" - and I was gobsmacked as I was expecting a much longer wait than that.

The results were posted to our home address (DH's took a bit longer as they lost his blood sample but his results were sent out by Express Post so arrived 2 days after his repeat blood test) and then I took them to our immi guy along with all the other police things & references.

I have a feeling that the Aussie police checks are only valid for a short period of time.

No harm in getting your work references sorted now though - and make sure you have the long form of your birth certificate too. They're the types of things that don't go out of date.

Good luck to you - we're in a similar position, have been here just over 2 yrs on a 457 and currently going PR on the 856

goldchoccycoin

Sorry, but I am 100% certain that the results are ALL uploaded electronically. You have been sent the paper copy fro your own records. You can confirm this by calling HSA.

TillyG

Well we were sent the paper copies (about 2 months ago, or thereabouts), here in Sydney. And advised to pass them to our agent/the dept unopened.

I don't see why we would need copies for our own records really.

But I'm not going to get into an argument about it. Far better things to do with my time.