Before you apply for a MES, check that you weren’t eligible for Medicare. Even if you don’t have a Medicare card, you may still have been eligible. Learn more about enrolling in Medicare.
If you were eligible for Medicare for the whole financial year, you can’t get a MES.
You may get a MES if you were any of the following:
- an Australian permanent resident and lived outside Australia for 12 months or more
- a temporary visa holder and hadn’t applied for permanent residence
- a temporary visa holder and you weren’t eligible for Medicare under a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement
- a New Zealand citizen who spent less than 6 months in Australia within a 12 month period
- an Australian citizen living overseas for 5 years or more.
You may also get a MES if your application for permanent residency has been refused and you have either:
- lodged an appeal with the Federal Circuit and Family Court or High Court
- requested Ministerial Intervention.
If your partner is not eligible for Medicare, they will also need to apply for a MES. You’ll both need to have one before you can start your tax return.