When applying for Australian skilled migration, health requirements and character requirements are two mandatory conditions that every applicant must clear, no matter how high their points test score. These are the final two gates that determine the outcome: a dossier with a good score can still be refused if the health examination result is unsatisfactory or there is an issue with the police clearance. In this guide, the migration consulting team at My Second World will walk you through each preparation step, so you can stay in control and avoid common mistakes.
What health and character requirements for an Australian visa include
These two sets of conditions apply to most skilled streams, including the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), and Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). The health requirement is intended to protect public health and control costs to the public health system. The character requirement is intended to ensure migrants do not pose a risk to the Australian community.
Both requirements apply to the main applicant and all accompanying family members. Even relatives not migrating together sometimes still need a health examination, depending on the visa stream. So you should identify early who in your family needs to complete which procedures.
Health examination requirements for an Australian visa
The health examination is a core part of the dossier. The Australian Department of Home Affairs designates authorized doctors and clinics, called panel physicians, to carry it out. You cannot choose a random hospital yourself; the result is only valid when done at a recognized facility.
Theo the Department of Home Affairs, the examination generally includes the following basic items:
- A general check-up, including height, weight, blood pressure and medical history
- A chest X-ray to screen for tuberculosis
- Blood tests, including an HIV test for people aged 15 and above
- Some cases require additional tests depending on age, health condition and visa stream
Pregnant women, children and people with pre-existing conditions may follow a separate procedure. Therefore, you should notify the clinic of any special condition in advance when booking.
Step-by-step health examination process
To complete the examination correctly and have the result recorded automatically in the system, you should follow this sequence:
- Wait for the examination invitation (HAP ID) or generate an examination referral through the My Health Declarations system before lodging your visa application
- Book an appointment with a panel physician or an authorized facility in Vietnam
- Bring your original passport, a portrait photo and your HAP ID to the appointment
- Complete all required examinations and tests as instructed
- The clinic sends the electronic results directly to the Australian Department of Home Affairs via the eMedical system
Please be sure to bring the correct identity documents; a mismatch between your passport and the examination record can cause the results not to match up. In addition, the health examination results have a limited period of validity, usually 12 months, so you should not get examined too far ahead of your intended lodgement date.
Health issues that commonly delay applications
Not every medical condition leads to visa refusal. However, certain conditions can trigger an additional assessment step by a Medical Officer of the Department of Home Affairs, extending the processing time. Understanding this in advance helps you prepare mentally and gather sufficient medical documentation.
Conditions that commonly require closer review include:
- Active tuberculosis or a history of tuberculosis treatment
- Infectious diseases requiring public health control
- Conditions requiring long-term care at high cost to the Australian health system
In these cases, the Department of Home Affairs may request further examination or specialist opinion. In addition, some visa streams allow a health waiver under certain conditions. So a less-than-ideal result does not necessarily mean the end of your application; what matters is providing sufficient, truthful medical evidence.
Character requirements for an Australian visa
Besides health, character is the second pillar. The legal basis is the character provision under the Australian Migration Act. Under this the Department of Home Affairs, an applicant may fail to meet the requirement if they have a substantial criminal record, have previously been deported, or have ties to an organization posing a risk to the community.
To demonstrate that you meet this requirement, you need to prepare a police certificate. The general principles are as follows:
- Provide a police certificate from the country of which you are a citizen
- Provide a police certificate from any country where you have lived for a total of 12 months or more within the last 10 years, counting from age 16
- Applies to both the main applicant and family members aged 16 and above
Truthful declaration is a critical factor. Under-declaring or concealing your history can be regarded as providing false information, leading to consequences more severe than the original issue itself.
How to obtain a police certificate in Vietnam and abroad
In Vietnam, the document suitable for a migration application is Judicial Record Card No. 2, issued by the Department of Justice of your place of residence or the National Center for Judicial Records. This card shows full details of any criminal record, unlike Card No. 1, which is typically used for employment purposes.
You may refer to the following procedure:
- Prepare your citizen ID card, household registration book or residency document, and the application form
- Submit your application at the Department of Justice of your place of permanent residence, or online if your locality supports it
- Pay the fee according to the current fee schedule published by the judicial authority
- Receive the result after the prescribed processing time, usually around 10 business days
For other countries you have lived in, you need to obtain a police certificate according to that country’s regulations. Some countries issue it online, while others require fingerprinting. Since the processing time can be lengthy, the My Second World team advises you to start early so it does not delay your entire application.
Notes on timing and validity periods
Timing is a factor often overlooked but one that carries significant risk. Both the health examination result and the police certificate have a limited period of validity; if they expire before your application is assessed, you may have to start over, incurring extra cost and time.
So timing your steps carefully is important. You should consider the following principles:
- Do not undergo the health examination or obtain the police certificate too far ahead of your intended lodgement date
- Track the estimated processing time for your visa stream to gauge the appropriate timing
- Respond quickly whenever the case officer requests supplementary documents
In addition, any Vietnamese-language document submitted to the Australian Department of Home Affairs generally needs a certified translation into English. For many document types, the Department prefers a translation done by a NAATI-accredited translator, with the translator’s information included on the translation. Therefore, you should allow extra time and budget for translation as well as consular legalization when needed, rather than leaving it until the last minute.
Summary
Health and character requirements are two mandatory conditions, independent of your points test score, and form the final barrier before your visa is granted. To prepare well, you should: get examined by the correct panel physician and time it to stay within the validity period; obtain Judicial Record Card No. 2 in Vietnam along with police certificates from any country you lived in for over 12 months; and declare truthfully and fully from the outset.
As a next step, you should review the list of countries you have resided in to finalize how many documents you need to request, while also estimating the timing of your health examination so it aligns with your application timeline. If you need a specific roadmap for your case, you can contact the migration consulting team at My Second World for detailed support.
