pinoybill

A couple of weeks ago we received our file number recognising our application for Skilled Indepndent Visas.
Wife a nurse and I am along for the ride.

Today we have received the request for character checks and medicals to be done, which we weren't expecting for many months.

We have until 27th Feb 2008 to let case officer know that character checks/meds are being progressed.

I have a keyhole op on my knee next week.


Thoughts please on having medical done before or after surgery/
Contacting OZ to delay character and med checks until recovered after op if this is posssible.

Many many thanks.........

wombatty

Hi there,

The meds are generally straight forward and shouldn't interfere with your surgery (or preparation for it) if you had it done before your op but it may be a bit late to arrange that now.

Alternatively, you can email your case officer and explain - they are usually willing to give you an extension if the circumstances are genuine.

al150n

Depending on where you live you may not be able to get meds booked before the 27th anyway. We couldn't get ours booked within the 28 days so booked them as soon as we possibly could. I believe they need to know that they've been booked & you need to inform them of the date prior to the 27th.

Good luck with your op & the meds!

Alison

pinoybill

Wombatty and Alison, thank you for your prompt replies.

We are in the London suburbs and the Panel Doctor can fit us in before the op next week.

So far in the whole process we have been able to respond in a timely fashion to all requests/reqs of DIAC.Our concerns with regard to the op is
how it may be viewed by DIAC.

ie if we ask to defer the medicals until after op,would it then mean a wait until full recovery is achieved before we undergo medical or if we have medicals before op would it mean a further medical after op to certify that all is well.

If that was the case then it would make sense to defer.


We are just keen not to appear that we are hiding something or upset DIAC by doing it in the wrong order.


I attribute my paranoia to my dad being turned down for OZ in the 50's over during the £10 pom era because of his diabetes.

Their mistake as he still going good.

wombatty

Hi pinoyboy,

I am assuming that the op is fairly minor surgery - sorry I'm sure it doesn't seem so to you but I mean generally speaking! If that's the case, I doubt very much that DIAC would want to know very much about it unless it was something that would lead to you needing further treatment (and incurring costs) in Australia.

If you don't think it will affect you in Australia, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I can't advise you to lie to DIAC - hopefully someone who has been in this situation before i.e. done meds and then had op, can let you know their own experience but I would certainly be tempted to get the meds done now.

moneypenny20

If you're having basic keyhole surgery on a knee I wouldn't think the med would be affected. They are really only after cancers, high cost, long term illnesses. The only thing against doing it now, would be that depending on how long the application takes, you would have to validate by this time next year (providing you get the full year). If you're assuming on moving over in the next few months that's not an issue but I wouldn't worry whether before or after the op.

al150n

I'm waiting for an op on my shoulder & had loads of steriod injections in to my shoulder a month or so before our meds were done to try & ease the pain. I explained it all to our doctor & he said it wasn't anything serious (although very painful for me). He was happy with details/name of the condition & dates that I'd had the injections done.

I think they are looking for major illnesses & long term problems that will cause a drain on their system.

Hope the op went well.

Alison

pinoybill

Thanks one and all.

Dont know where time went, too busy being busy to get meds done before op.
Had op last week.Cant account for week after Op.

Op went very well so feel much more confident about having medicals now and aim to book them in next fortnight.
Stitches will be out then and hopefully the Panel Doctors will be okay with result.(couple of small holes found in cartilage and tidied up).

Many many thanks.

Got a feeling that getting the visa is just the start of the fun.