greentreefrog

I ll be going to OZ the end of august on a prospective marriage visa and we want to get married in march 07.
Is it correct that i and my 2 kids are not eligible for medicare as my partners dependants until we are married ? When will I and kids be eligible.....the moment we get married or when we apply for the next step - spouse visa - or when it is granted? So to safe some money on any extra insurance we maybe should get an earlier date for our marriage ????
Thanks for any advice !

Pollyana

If you are from the UK - and a few other countries - then you are covered by the reciprocal medical agreement, so you get basic cover with Medicare. Do a search throuhg this and the Lifestyle forum and you'll find more details on exactly what that covers (might also be on the Medicare website).

greentreefrog

I am from Germany and believe there is no agreement with Germany. Search on medicare website didnt really answer my question.

JAJ

Reciprocal medicare often requires a UK medical card, it's not solely based on citizenship. It is also limited.


And what a lot of people (including many Medicare staff) don't know is that once you apply for the spouse visa, you are *immediately* eligible for full Medicare.

Pollyana

Basic, as I said
You're not kidding - when I got my PR spouse visa Medicare (wrongly) told me I was no longer eligible for ANY cover at all!!

greentreefrog

Ok so that means the earlier we get married the earlier me and my kids are eligible for Medicare......
How do we proof to them that we have applied for the spouse visa or do I just have to give them a copy of the marriage cert?

George Lombard

Dear GTF,

When you apply you'll receive a form 651 receipt - generally that's accepted as proof although sometimes the Medicare office will ask to see the case officer's acknowledgement letter which comes with it, so take both of them in.

Cheers,

George Lombard

www.austimmigration.com.au

ptlabs

Full Medicare albeit on an interim card. Some healthcare providers do scratch their heads wondering if an interim cardholder is entitled to the full range of Medicare services.

Peter

mvt550

You are correct - there is no agreement with Germany.

JAJ

But once you've applied for the spouse visa, this does not matter. You can then get full medicare on your own merits.

greentreefrog

Thank you all very much for answering my question!