You can enrol in Medicare if you have a permanent resident visa. You’ll need to give us both of the following:
- a current passport or ImmiCard
- proof of permanent residence from the Department of Home Affairs.
We need copies of these documents for each person you want to enrol. You don’t need to get your documents certified.
If you don’t have these documents, tell us. We’ll talk to you about other options.
When you live overseas after you enrol
If you live overseas for more than 12 months, you won’t be eligible for Medicare. You’ll need to enrol again when you return to Australia.
You need to give us:
- a current passport for each person enrolling
- 2 documents dated within the last 6 months that prove you and your family now live in Australia.
Proving you now live in Australia
You can prove you live in Australia by giving us either:
- 2 documents from Australia
- one document from Australia and one from where you last lived overseas.
| Documents from Australia | Documents from the other country |
|---|---|
| Proof of rental or lease agreement, and gas or electricity account in the same name | Proof you sold your property |
| Proof of purchase of property, and gas or electricity account in the same name | Proof you ended your lease |
| Proof you have a job | Proof your job ended |
| Proof your child is enrolled in childcare, school or university | Proof you moved household goods or furniture |
| Proof you have a current bank account in Australia | Proof you closed your bank account |
| Proof of health, property or contents insurance | Proof you cancelled health, property or contents insurance |
| Proof you're enrolled in university | Proof your previous enrolment ended |
If you don’t have these documents, tell us. We’ll talk to you about other options.
You don’t need to have your documents certified.