Documents you need if you've applied for permanent residency

You need to provide documents that prove your identity and residency.

You can enrol in Medicare if you’ve applied for either:

  • a permanent residency visa
  • a permanent protection visa.

You’ll need to give us all of these documents:

  • a current passport or Immicard
  • a valid visa
  • proof from the Department of Home Affairs that you’ve applied for permanent residency.

We need these for each person you want to enrol. You don’t need to get your documents certified.

If your visa doesn’t let you work in Australia, you’ll have to provide extra documents. You need to prove you have a parent, spouse or child who’s any of the following:

  • an Australian citizen
  • a permanent resident of Australia
  • a New Zealand citizen who lives in Australia.

You can do this by giving us any of these documents:

  • birth certificate
  • marriage certificate
  • joint bank, gas, water or electricity account statement
  • proof you own a home together.

Complete a Medicare enrolment form and mail or email it with your documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

If your visa application fails

If the Department of Home Affairs refuses your visa application, you can appeal to them.

You can enrol in Medicare while you’re appealing. You’ll need to give us all of these documents:

  • a current passport or Immicard
  • a valid visa
  • evidence that you’ve lodged an appeal or a request for ministerial intervention.

We need these for each person you want to enrol. You don’t need to get your documents certified.

Complete a Medicare enrolment form and mail or email it with your documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

If you don’t have these documents, tell us. We’ll talk to you about other options.

Page last updated: 3 March 2022.
QC 60318