Enrolling in Medicare: who is eligible and how to apply

Services AustraliaVerified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

Medicare is Australia's public health insurance. As a public patient in a public hospital you are treated free, GP and specialist visits and tests are subsidised, and PBS prescription medicines are cheaper. Australian citizens, permanent residents, and people who have applied for a permanent visa and meet the conditions can enrol. Most temporary visa holders (students, work visas) are not eligible and rely on OSHC or OVHC insurance instead. You can enrol in myGov, or fill in form MS004 and post or email it.

Key facts

Who can enrol: You must live in Australia and be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, a person who has applied for permanent residency, or a temporary resident covered by a ministerial order. Citizens or permanent residents of Norfolk Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island or Lord Howe Island can also enrol¹
Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) countries: There are 11: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Check whether your country is on this list; China, for example, is not³
People who have applied for PR: You live in Australia and have applied for a permanent residency visa (other than a parent visa) or a permanent protection visa, and one of these applies: your visa lets you work; or your parent, spouse or child is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia. Partner visas 309/100 and 820/801 count²
Enrolling online and as a family: To enrol online you must live in Australia, have a valid passport or ImmiCard and, if you are not an Australian citizen, have valid visa information from the Department of Home Affairs. You can enrol yourself or your whole family in myGov and track progress there. For children under 15 you provide their details and identity documents. Family members aged 15 and over need your application number and submit their own details through their own myGov account¹
Enrolling with a form: If you cannot enrol online, fill in the Medicare enrolment form (MS004) and post or email it with your documents to Medicare Enrolment Services, with the subject line Medicare enrolment. Files must be PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP, each no more than 5MB and no more than 10MB in total¹
When the Medicare card arrives: Within 3 to 4 weeks after a complete form and documents are received and processed. Once enrolled, you can use the digital card in the myGov app straight away, as long as myGov is linked to your Medicare online account⁴
Types of card: A green card is the standard card, valid for 5 years, and a new one is posted before it expires. A blue card is an interim card (for example, for people waiting on a PR application), valid until the date printed on it. A yellow card is for visitors from RHCA countries⁴
What Medicare covers: Emergency care, surgery, in-hospital medicines and follow-up treatment as a public patient in a public hospital; medical services from GPs and specialists, including telehealth; tests, imaging and scans; and PBS prescription medicines⁵
What Medicare does not cover: Ambulance, most dental care, glasses and contact lenses, hearing aids, elective and cosmetic surgery, services not listed on the MBS, and services in the private health system⁵
Insurance for temporary visas: Student visas require you to hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Work visas such as the 482 and 485 require you to hold Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) that meets the visa conditions⁶
Hospital costs without Medicare: Overseas visitors in a public hospital generally pay more than A$1,000 a day, so the government advises buying the highest level of hospital cover you can⁶
Medicare phone line: 132 011 (Medicare program line), Monday to Friday 7am–10pm and weekends 7am–7pm. You can ask for an interpreter, arranged free of charge²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

You live in Australia and are an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, a person who has applied for permanent residency, or a temporary resident covered by a ministerial order.
If you have applied for a permanent residency visa (other than a parent visa) or a permanent protection visa, you also need one of these: your visa lets you work, or your parent, spouse or child is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.
Visitors from the 11 Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) countries may be able to enrol for medically necessary care. Check whether your country is on the RHCA list; China, for example, is not.
You must be in Australia to enrol. If you are overseas while your application is being processed, you have to apply again when you return.
Temporary visas such as the student visa (subclass 500), temporary skilled work visa (482) and temporary graduate visa (485) are not on the list, so these visa holders generally do not get Medicare. Student visas require OSHC and work visas require OVHC.
If you leave Australia for more than 12 months after enrolling, your Medicare eligibility ends and you must enrol again when you come back.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Check that you are eligible
Compare your situation with the list above. If you are not sure, call the Medicare line on 132 011 and ask for an interpreter; it is arranged free of charge.
Get your documents ready
Everyone enrolling needs a valid passport or ImmiCard. If you are not an Australian citizen, you also need your visa information from the Department of Home Affairs. Files you upload or email must be PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP, each no more than 5MB and no more than 10MB in total. They do not need to be certified.
Enrol in myGov
If you have a myGov account, sign in and choose Enrol in Medicare. If you do not have one, create an account first. You can enrol just yourself or your whole family, and you can follow the progress in myGov.
Enrol your family too
For children under 15, you provide their details and identity documents. Family members aged 15 and over use their own myGov account, enter your application number, and then submit their own details and documents.
If you cannot enrol online, use the form
Download the Medicare enrolment form (MS004) and post or email it with your documents to Medicare Enrolment Services, with the subject line Medicare enrolment. For a family enrolment, name one contact person; the cards and letters are sent to that person.
Wait for your card and use the digital card first
Once approved, Services Australia will contact you and post the card to the address you gave, usually within 3 to 4 weeks. While you wait, you can use the digital card in the myGov app, as long as myGov is linked to your Medicare online account.
Link Medicare to myGov
Once you have a Medicare number, link Medicare in myGov. After that you can claim benefits, change your address, replace your card and register a bank account for payments online.

What documents do I need?

A valid passport or ImmiCard for each person enrolling
If you are not an Australian citizen: valid visa information from the Department of Home Affairs. Permanent residents and PR applicants should have documents showing their visa or application status
Family enrolment: identity documents for children under 15
If you cannot enrol online: the Medicare enrolment form (MS004)

What should I watch out for?

Temporary visa holders generally do not have Medicare, so doctor visits and hospital stays may cost the full price. privatehealth.gov.au warns that overseas visitors in a public hospital generally pay more than A$1,000 a day, so do not let your insurance lapse.
If you are waiting on a PR application, you get a blue interim card, valid until the date on the card. If your visa situation has not changed, a new card is posted before it expires. If it does not arrive, contact Medicare.
Anyone aged 15 or over can apply for their own Medicare card. One person can be on a maximum of 2 cards at the same time.
Ambulance is not covered by Medicare. Fees and concessions differ in each state and territory, so check the website of your state's ambulance service.
Most dental care is not covered, and neither are glasses or hearing aids. You may want to consider private health insurance.
Not every doctor bulk bills. Ask what you will have to pay when you book.
Visitors from RHCA countries can be treated as public patients in public hospitals even without enrolling. Check whether your country is on the RHCA list; China, for example, is not.
You can ask for a free interpreter when you call the Medicare line.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information. Services Australia decides whether you personally are eligible. It is not legal or immigration advice.

Common questions

I just got my PR. How do I enrol in Medicare?

Sign in to myGov and choose Enrol in Medicare, or create a myGov account first. You must be in Australia. Each person needs a valid passport or ImmiCard, plus valid visa information from the Department of Home Affairs if you are not an Australian citizen. You can enrol yourself or your whole family and track progress in myGov. If you cannot enrol online, post or email the Medicare enrolment form (MS004) with your documents to Medicare Enrolment Services.

I have applied for PR and am waiting for a decision. Can I get Medicare now?

Yes, if you meet the conditions. You must live in Australia and have applied for a permanent residency visa (other than a parent visa) or a permanent protection visa, and either your visa lets you work or your parent, spouse or child is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia. Partner visas 309/100 and 820/801 count. You get a blue interim card, valid until the date printed on it.

Can international students or 482 visa holders get Medicare?

Generally, no. Temporary visas such as the student visa (subclass 500), temporary skilled work visa (482) and temporary graduate visa (485) are not on the list of people who can enrol. Student visas require OSHC and work visas require OVHC. Without Medicare, a public hospital stay generally costs more than A$1,000 a day, so do not let your insurance lapse.

What documents do I need to enrol in Medicare? Do I have to visit a service centre?

You do not have to visit a service centre; you can enrol in myGov or post or email form MS004. Each person needs a valid passport or ImmiCard, and non-citizens need valid visa information from the Department of Home Affairs. For children under 15, you provide their identity documents. Files you upload or email must be PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP, each no more than 5MB and 10MB in total, and they do not need to be certified.

How long does the Medicare card take to arrive? Can I see a doctor before it comes?

The card usually arrives within 3 to 4 weeks after your complete form and documents are received and processed. Once approved, Services Australia contacts you and posts the card to the address you gave. While you wait, you can use the digital card in the myGov app straight away, as long as myGov is linked to your Medicare online account.

What does Medicare actually cover? Does it pay for dental and ambulance?

Ambulance and most dental care are not covered. Medicare covers treatment as a public patient in a public hospital (emergency care, surgery, in-hospital medicines and follow-up), GP and specialist services including telehealth, tests, imaging and scans, and PBS prescription medicines. It does not cover glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, elective or cosmetic surgery, services not on the MBS, or private health system services. Ambulance fees differ by state, so check your state ambulance service's website.

Does my country have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia?

Only 11 countries do: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Check whether your country is on this list; China, for example, is not. Visitors from RHCA countries may be able to enrol for medically necessary care and get a yellow card. If your country is not on the list, temporary visa holders rely on OSHC or OVHC insurance instead.

How do I link Medicare to myGov?

Once you have a Medicare number, sign in to myGov and link Medicare there. After linking, you can claim benefits, change your address, replace your card and register a bank account for payments online. You can also use the digital Medicare card in the myGov app while you wait for the physical card.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Enrolling in MedicareServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Enrolling in Medicare if you're an Australian permanent residentServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
About reciprocal health care agreementsServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Your Medicare cardServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
What Medicare coversDepartment of Health, Disability and Ageing · health.gov.au
Overseas Visitors & Overseas StudentsPrivate Health Insurance Ombudsman (privatehealth.gov.au) · privatehealth.gov.au

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