# Bridging visa and Medicare Confusion..



## papaya (Feb 21, 2014)

Okay so I have recently applied for a Partner visa Online (about a month ago) and received the acknowledgment letter and bridging visa directly after applying.

Yesterday I went to apply for Medicare and was told I am not eligible to get Medicare until the Partner visa is granted...?

I could be mistaken but I have read in a few different places the bridging visa holders ARE eligible for Medicare. So looking further into it I found bridging visa information on the immi Website and it doesn't say anything about Medicare but it does say the bridging visa will come into effect when my substantive visa runs out?

So now I am just totally confused.. I thought I was on a bridging visa. I came here on a tourist visa, am I still on the tourist visa until it runs out? And once it has will I then be able to get Medicare once my Bridging visa takes effect?

Does anyone have experience with this?

Thank you so so much for your answers!


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

You're definitely eligible once bridging visa takes effect but I'm not sure if you have to wait to apply till your other visa ends


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## papaya (Feb 21, 2014)

Thank you Kangaroogirl! I had a feeling they were wrong, but I wanted to make sure before I started arguing. I am in Sydney, I brought everything in, including the acknowledgment, receipt, visa, etc, and they said they need the partner visa... Must be misinformed...

Did you apply online as well?

EDIT - Oops the answer is right under yours. Silly me


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

papaya said:


> Thank you Kangaroogirl! I had a feeling they were wrong, but I wanted to make sure before I started arguing. I am in Sydney, I brought everything in, including the acknowledgment, receipt, visa, etc, and they said they need the partner visa... Must be misinformed...
> 
> Did you apply online as well?


Yes we applied online for the 820 visa. We went to Medicare as soon as we had the Bridging Visa letter, and he was signed up before his brisging visa had even taken effect.

Here is what the medicare website says:

_*Everyone who lives in Australia-excluding Norfolk Island residents-is eligible for a Medicare card if they:
*
- hold Australian citizenship
- hold New Zealand citizenship (documentation required). 
- have been issued with a permanent visa
- *have applied for a permanent visa* (excludes an application for a parent visa), have permission to work in Australia or can prove relationship to an Australian Citizen _

I honestly don't know if you're meant to wait till after the Bridging Visa takes effect, but we tried anyway and they didn't have a problem with it, they looked it up on the computer and said he was showing in their system.

You certainly don't have to wait for the visa to be granted! There is a sticky thread above with lots of people's experiences on this 

Here is the link to the Medicare site with this info:

Eligibility for Medicare Card


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## papaya (Feb 21, 2014)

Oh fantastic! Thank you!! I have a week before my tourist visa runs out, so I suppose it's no big deal, but I'll try again anyway. 

If you don't mind me asking, When applying did you include the medical and Criminal record checks right away? I was told to wait until they are asked for as they expire and I may have to do them over again in a years time... But I feel like I should have them done and ready so the application is complete.


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

papaya said:


> Oh fantastic! Thank you!! I have a week before my tourist visa runs out, so I suppose it's no big deal, but I'll try again anyway.
> 
> If you don't mind me asking, When applying did you include the medical and Criminal record checks right away? I was told to wait until they are asked for as they expire and I may have to do them over again in a years time... But I feel like I should have them done and ready so the application is complete.


No we didn't, but we have begun the process. The criminal history checks can take a while, especially if you have to send ink print cards because they can have issues reading them and some people have had to re-do them 3 times and still waiting on them. There's no way I'll wait to be asked to do that part, as it takes a few months to receive the report even if they CAN read the first set. That's for the USA FBI and state police checks - not sure about other country's procedure.

Medicals we did do, but because my husband had an accident last year, they have requested a specialist report so his medicals are still sitting at the Medibank offices untill we can get into the specialist which is now going to be another 2 months as the hospital screwed up our clinic appointment for yesterday!!! 

Anyway, I personally wouldn't wait because these things can take time (maybe not medical unless you have an issue), but criminal history checks do take time. I figure if I wait to be asked it will just take longer.

I know that they might expire before it's granted but I'm willing to take the risk as my partner is from a low risk country and really it's not that much trouble if we have to re-do it.

If you're from a high risk country maybe best to wait till you're asked for the medicals? That's just my opinion though - others think differently.


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## papaya (Feb 21, 2014)

Ah good to know, I feel exactly the same way, if they have to ask for it, it means it will just take longer. 

Good to know about the police checks, I already got mine from Canada before I came here, BUT I read that you need one for every country you've lived in for a year, and I have lived in Australia prior to this for a year so I figured I need one for here to. I'll have to get on top of that ASAP then.

How annoying the hospital screwing up your appointment... At least its just time, I am sure everything will work out great for you  

Good Luck with everything!! I really wish you the best, you have been such a great help!


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

papaya said:


> Ah good to know, I feel exactly the same way, if they have to ask for it, it means it will just take longer.
> 
> Good to know about the police checks, I already got mine from Canada before I came here, BUT I read that you need one for every country you've lived in for a year, and I have lived in Australia prior to this for a year so I figured I need one for here to. I'll have to get on top of that ASAP then.
> 
> ...


Thank you! Best of luck to you too....print that page from the medicare website and if the clerk is of no help, ask for a supervisor


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## Amandy (Sep 16, 2009)

You are definitely entitled to Medicare. 

Go back there and insist! And when they do it, insist they process it right away and give you a little slip you can use by the time your card arrives in the mail, because our Medicare officer said it will take a few days to process, which is not correct, she was just being lazy and passing the work onto someone else. They can issue the Medicare number on a paper slip immediately. 

Furthermore, you don't have to wait for the Bridging Visa to be in effect. My partner got Medicare and he is still on a Student Visa. Luckily we insisted on the paper slip, because the next day he ended up in the emergency department by ambulance after a serious incident. So make sure you insist. 

Good luck.


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

Yes you should receive the slip with the Medicare number to use in the time till the card arrives. We got ours a few days ago so less than two weeks to receive the actual card in the mail


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## Dinkum (Jan 5, 2014)

As well as applying for a permanent visa, you must have the 'right to work' before you can get Medicare. This means that you must wait until your tourist visa expires before you can apply. (BVA has not work restriction these days.) No problem after that. There are many posts on here to tell more about how to do it. Hope this helps


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

Dinkum said:


> As well as applying for a permanent visa, you must have the 'right to work' before you can get Medicare. This means that you must wait until your tourist visa expires before you can apply. (BVA has not work restriction these days.) No problem after that. There are many posts on here to tell more about how to do it. Hope this helps


Actually, my husband had signed up and even used his number before his Bridging Visa kicked in.

Someone else in this thread said the same. They looked him up on the computer and said yes he's eligible because he's applied for a permanent visa and has been granted bridging visa.

My husband had been on an ETA prior to bridging visa.


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