If you’re an Australian permanent resident

If you’re an Afghan evacuee who has gained permanent residency

If you’re an Afghan evacuee you can continue to get Medicare entitlements if you:

• held a subclass 449 visa on or after 19 August 2021
• have now been granted permanent residency.

You’ll need to tell us so we can update your details and send you a new Medicare card.

Find out how to tell us and what documents you need if you’re a permanent resident.

If you’re an Australian permanent resident

You can enrol in Medicare if you live here on a permanent resident visa.

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

Find out what documents you need to enrol.

Living overseas after you enrol

You’ll remain enrolled in Medicare for 12 months from the date you first left Australia.

You can’t use Medicare services from outside Australia. You may have some cover under a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. If so, you’ll need a Medicare card for this.

If you live overseas for more than 12 months, you’ll no longer be enrolled in Medicare. You also won’t be able to use a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.

You’ll need to enrol in Medicare again when you move back to Australia. You don’t need to visit a service centre. You can mail or email your Medicare enrolment form and supporting documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

You don’t need to get your supporting documents certified. For further enquiries call us.

Find out what documents you need to enrol again.

If you’ve applied for permanent residency

You can enrol in Medicare if you live in Australia and have applied for either a permanent:

• residency visa, except for a parent visa
• protection visa.

You must also have either a:

• visa allowing you to work
• parent, spouse or child who is an Australian citizen
• parent, spouse or child who is a permanent resident
• parent, spouse or child who is a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.

This includes if you’ve applied for a combined spouse visa 309/100 or 820/801.

You can enrol in Medicare from either:

• the date you applied for permanent residency
• the date you arrived here to live if you applied outside Australia.

The date you apply for permanent residency may be different to the date you got your temporary 309 or 820 visa.

You don’t need to visit a service centre. You can mail or email your Medicare enrolment form and supporting documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

Find out what documents you need to enrol.

If your permanent resident application fails

If you lodge an appeal, you can apply to stay enrolled in Medicare.

You can mail or email your Medicare enrolment form and supporting documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

Find out what documents you need to enrol.

If you haven’t lodged an appeal, you’re not eligible for Medicare. You may have some cover under a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.

If you’ve applied for a parent visa

You can enrol in Medicare once your Parent visa is granted. You may be eligible for Medicare while your visa is assessed, if any of the following circumstances apply.