dreamof_oz

After some confusion and stress over my number of weeks worked( had to put everything on spreadsheet as was a mess), i should have the 12months recent work experience by mid Jan 06. Yippee!!

(Skills assessment came through and most of documentation all ready).

One last worry hope someone can answer this:

last year i applied for 457(which was I later cancelled), but my medicals were done beginning of Feb 05. I know they are valid for a year. As I'm in the medical profession had to have all tests done.

My question is, if i get it sent end of Jan will my old medicals be valid? or will it be likely i will have to do them again.

Many thanks

wmoore

If you apply for the visa in January, you might not be asked for meds until after yours have expired. And I may be wrong but I think even if you front-loaded them, DIMIA would take the date they asked for them as the cut-off.

You could try it on by writing a note in with your application but you may still be asked for new meds anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained

touchingcloth

On the subject of medicals...can u one have them done and hold onto them until assigned a CO?

or are they sent directly from the Doctor/ and as soon as they are done?

Thanks
TC

wmoore

You can do them whenever you like in theory, though you run the risk of them running out of date, or leaving you with only a short window to validate if / when the visa is granted. If you search this forum for something like 'download medical forms' you should find the link to download them.

harveyhare

I also had medicals done Feb 05 and have just lodged 136 application, 2nd Dec, Dimia advised me to attach a covering letter with my current visa number on and ask for them to locate and use those medicals in support of the new application.
Unsure if Jan application would be enough time, can you not apply now?

Di

touchingcloth

Thanks

No problem with the validation window.

Are Medicals something which one forwards themselves to Sydney, or do they only accept directly from the doctor?

Thanks
TC

wmoore

The doctor has to send them along with x-rays and any other supporting docs.

touchingcloth

So the doc would send them as soon as the medicals are done, irrespective of whether you have a case number/officer or not.

So does this mean that as soon as medicals are done they are sent ?

Or can I tell the doctor to wait to send them until I can give him a reference number to quote?

wmoore

Depends how friendly the doc wants to be really! You have a case number as soon as your application is acknowledged so you can put this on the forms and ask the doc to send them straight away. Though I would wait until nearer the time you expect to be called for them anyway. You never know where they might end up if they're sitting on a pile on someone's desk in Sydney for too long

mvt550

Hmm... Would be interested to hear other opinions on this. I thought medicals were only valid for 12 months and you had to enter Australia on the PR visa within 12 months of the date of medical or PCC - whichever is earlier. If this is the case then I would have thought a Feb 05 medical wouldn't help because it will be expired even before the visa is likely to be granted?
Perhaps I've misinterpreted the 12 month validity thing.

harveyhare

I had a work meeting with a dimia representative from the Adelaide skilled processing centre and was informed that my medical would be valid for a year from the date of the actual medical.
He also advised on the cover letter to send with application
I am in OZ and working on 457 so here already, might be different if you never entered OZ during the year the medical was valid though.

Di

brian0

No, you are correct. I think anyone who is applying now and sending in Meds done in Jan 05 will need to have their meds redone. The rule is that the meds are valid for 12 months from the time the medical is done (not when it's sent in), so meds done in Jan 05 would expire in Jan 06. Applying now you would not expect to even get the med request before the meds are already expired. You are also correct that you need to enter Autralia to validate your visa before either the meds or the PCC expire (whichever expires first), so not only do you need the visa to be processed and granted, but you need to make a trip to Australia to validate it as well.

For example, in my case I had my meds done on Feb 16th, 2005, my visa was granted in July 05, and I have until Feb 16th, 2006 to enter Australia and validate my visa. If I don't enter and validate before that date then my visa becomes invalid and I have to start over again!

Cheers,
Brian

harveyhare

As advised they will look at meds before making a decision on a visa, Just because your medicals are valid does not mean you will have the application processed any quicker.

Di

mvt550

Any agents able to shed some light on this topic at all?

Thanks if you can

Madhu

George Lombard

Hi Madhu,

I don't think there's any controversy there, medicals normally expire after 12 months - sometimes a case officer will agree to extend them for a further three months - but if you've come on a 457 and then wish to convert to PR the 457 medicals may expire before you get to PR grant. Your having been here on the 457 doesn't make any difference, you still need to enter after PR grant and before the medicals expire.

Cheers,

George Lombard

www.austimmigration.com.au