Interim Medicare Cards
If you live in Australia and have applied for permanent residency, you may be eligible for an Interim Medicare card.
You must:
Medical Category Advert
- Be on a visa allowing you to work, or
- Prove your parent, spouse or child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia
- This doesn’t include those applying for a parent visa.
Medicare Validity Period
The Interim Medicare Card is initially issued for 12 months to most applicants for the 309 and 820 Temporary Partner Visas, and is automatically renewed when that expires for a further 12 months.
However, the Interim card, after the first 2 years, is only re-issued for 6 months at a time.
This will then become a full medicare card, after PR is granted with the 100 or 801 Permanent Partner Visa grant.
Hi, if you are on a Temporary Resident (Post Graduate Work 485 Visa) are they eligible for an interim medicare card ?
If you are holding a 485 visa, you are responsible for all your health costs while you are in Australia and you need to maintain adequate health insurance.
You will not be covered by Australia’s national health scheme (Medicare) unless your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.
You can enrol in Medicare if you have a valid temporary visa covered by 1 of these Ministerial Orders:
Fulbright scholars
Witness Protection (Trafficking) Temporary visa (subclass 787)
De facto partners of Australian citizens or permanent residents
Support for Victims of People Trafficking Program
Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
Contributory Parent visas (subclasses 173, 143, 884, 864)
Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)
Removal Pending Bridging visa (subclass 070)
Illegal maritime arrivals holding a Bridging E (Class WE) visa
Humanitarian Stay (temporary) visa (subclass 449)
Secondary Movement Offshore Entry visa XB (subclass 447)
Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)
Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa (subclass 491)
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Provisional visa (subclass 494)
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/how-enrol-and-get-started-medicare/enrolling-medicare
Hi I have requested my Medicard renew on 5/5/2021
So today I have not received a new card
We always received a new card before the old one expired, even without asking.
When does (did) yours expire?
My card expired 24/4/2021
Have you phoned them to ask why it hasn’t been sent out?
If you into a Centrelink office they can issue a temporary paper one.
My interim Medicare card has run out on 9th August and I require another one until my permanent residence is approved.what do I have to do
You need to contact Medicare and ask for an updated card. Centrelink offices have the ability to issue a temporary paper ‘Medicare card’.
Normally they are sent out automatically to your recorded address, a few weeks before expiry.
If you are covered by Medicare during your time in Australia, you may be eligible for urgent home care. If you badly need a doctor when regular clinics are closed, then house call doctors can come to you and there’s no fee. I think you can get free of charge visits if you’re a student travelling with certain traveller’s health insurance too. there is more info on https://housecalldoctor.com.au/about/international-students/
Good luck!