Hi
We have just received confirmation that our 405 visa will be granted subject to medicals. We are so excited but a little anxious as it is a big move to retire early and emigrate so far away. We will move to South Australia. I am sure the feelings are normal. We only submitted our visa applications one month ago, so the efficiency of DIAC bodes well.

Can you advise on health insurance? I know Howard recommended medibank and we are looking at that. We hold insurance with HSA in the UK but unfortunately cannot transfer this to OZ. Any advice would be welcome from those who are in OZ. Thanks

Hello again. Well done about hearing positive news from DIAC. We also heard within 4 weeks that our paperwork was OK and we should go for medicals. Once the medicals had been received in Sydney (which took 6 weeks in our case, for one reason or another), it took another 3 weeks for the 'designated investment' to get cleared and for us to sign the last bits of paperwork and send the Second Visa Application Charge (i.e the $8,210 each at today's prices).

I am not sure how DIAC have managed to OK your documentation without you having already submitted as part of your documentation folio "Evidence that you, and if applicable your spouse, hold an adequate health insurance package (for details of what is considered adequate please go (sic) www.hic.gov.au)." This is listed as Section 3 on the Document Checklist, and should have been the final document in your folio.

But if they did, and you are now looking for that insurance, then one warning about the medical insurance question - we were at a seminar with DIAC in Perth last week, and they went through the latest paperwork for 410 renewals (we were just there for interest). At the bottom of page 1 of Form 147 it says:-

"Applicants seeking a retirement or occupational trainee visa are required by law to have adequate arrangements for health insurance.

Applicants seeking an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) visa are required by law to hold a private health insurance package that meets Department of Health and Ageing (DHA) guidelines."

That wording implies that the 405 requirements are more stringent than those which apply for other visas (including, presumably, 410 visa holders upon renewal) and so you must be careful about how you treat any replies you receive to your question.

There were two people from DIAC in Canberra at our seminar, including a lady who was apparently the 'Policy Officer' for 405 visas. I queried this paragraph with her after the meeting and she confirmed that Medibank Private Visitors Essential Cover satisfied the requirement. You will need to check that other policies also satisfy the requirement.

She also explained to us the reason for the $8,210 Second Visa Application Charge per applicant at each renewal, but that's another story...

Hi Howard
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. When we applied we included a copy of our present health insurance and told them we would be transferring a similar policy to Australia.

The only difficulty we had was getting police clearance for the countries we had been posted to in the last 10 years (diplomats). We have lived in Jamaica, India and Ukraine so we had to get police clearance which actually came through quicker than the UK and cost nothing.

The DIAC email says that to be 'adequate' the health insurance package need not necessarily be with a specialist health insurance company. Can include an excess and may include standard pre-existing condition clauses.
'It should be the equivalent standard as provided under Medicare i.e. it covers 85% of the costs associated with professional medical services including provision for pharmaceuticals and hospital tratment and accommodation as a private patient during the applicants stay in Australia. The insurance can be provided by an Australian or Overseas company'
I will now look at what is out there but will probably end up with Medibank Private Visitors Essential Cover.
I would love to know the reason for for $8210 charge. Once again thank you.
Colette

PS Did you rent a place when you arrived or stay in a hotel?

When we first arrived we stayed with some friends we had made when we came out 8 months earlier on our 'research' trip.

They had invited us to stay for the first 2-3 weeks,and we ended up with them for a total of 7 weeks,until we could move into the house we bought.

Despite that, we are now all very good friends!

Hi Howard, Hi Maidonian. My wifw and I are in Oz under a 410 visa, we were with Australian Unity for med insurance when we first arrived but after the 1st year we changed to Medibank Private. I hvae found them to be really efficiant when paying a claim and very helpful on the phone> With Medibank they have a list of what they call "Members choice" which, as I understand, are prefered suppliers which offer benefits when claiming. Worth bearining in mind. One for Howard. We are due to renew our 410 visa in July next year, any idea when we should start applying and/getting the paperwork organised? I am assuming that you are on a 410 visa. Mick

Hello Mick -

No, I am on a 405 visa.

However, at the seminar last week in Perth (on the subject of 410 renewals) the presentations included the statements:-

"Applicants should visit our (DIAC) website or contact the Department and request a current checklist approximately 3 months before their current visa is due to expire.

Applicants should only submit a 410 renewal application once they have gathered all of the main requirements."

There is a much-reduced list of requirements now -

1. Completed Form 147, plus visa application charge

2. Completed Travel Outside Australia Form (replaces the complex Form 80)

3. Certified copy of current bio-data page of passport

4. Evidence of meeting health insurance requirements

5. An Australian Federal Police Clearance.

Other requirements MAY include Overseas Police Clearance (basically only if you have been in any one country for more than 12 months cumulatively since the expiry of your last Police Clearance) and possibly Chest X-Ray/Medical Examination (only if asked for by DIAC).

The Australian Federal Police Clearance is likely to be the one which takes the time.

Once everything has been gathered together and you have submitted to DIAC in Perth, they have a target to turn it around within 10 days. It will take longer if you have not done the paperwork properly, but there are examples of it taking only two days if all is correct.

The DIAC website is www.immi.gov.au - then enter 410 in the Search Box at the top right.