If you're travelling to Australia on a Visitor Visa (subclass 600), you may be wondering whether health insurance is compulsory.
The answer depends on the conditions attached to your visa.
The Department of Home Affairs strongly recommends that visitors arrange adequate health insurance because, in most cases, visitors do not have access to Medicare and are responsible for their own healthcare costs in Australia. In some circumstances, a Visitor Visa 600 may also be granted with Visa Condition 8501, requiring the visa holder to maintain adequate health insurance while in Australia.
Before travelling, check your visa grant letter or VEVO to confirm the conditions attached to your individual visa.
No. Health insurance is not automatically mandatory for every Visitor Visa 600 holder.
However, if Visa Condition 8501 is attached to your visa, you must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while you are in Australia. The Department specifically states that a Visitor Visa 600 may be granted with Condition 8501 in some circumstances.
Even if Condition 8501 is not attached to your visa, adequate health insurance is strongly recommended because you may be responsible for hospital, medical and other healthcare expenses incurred during your stay.
You can compare Visitor Visa Health Insurance policies to review available cover, benefits and premiums before choosing a policy for your stay in Australia.
Visa Condition 8501 requires a visa holder to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia.
If Condition 8501 appears on your Visitor Visa 600, you should ensure that appropriate health insurance is maintained while the condition applies.
For a detailed explanation of adequate health insurance, minimum benefit levels and other requirements, read our guide to Visa Condition 8501.
The easiest way is to check your visa grant letter.
You can also use Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) to check the conditions attached to your current visa. VEVO provides information including your visa subclass, period of stay and applicable visa conditions.
Do not assume that Condition 8501 applies simply because you hold a Visitor Visa 600. Check the conditions attached to your individual visa.
Unexpected medical treatment in Australia can be expensive for overseas visitors.
In most cases, visitors do not have access to Medicare and are responsible for healthcare costs incurred in Australia. Some visitors may have limited Medicare eligibility under Australia's Reciprocal Health Care Agreements, depending on their circumstances.
Having appropriate visitor health insurance can help reduce your financial exposure if you unexpectedly require medical treatment during your stay.
Depending on the policy selected, benefits may be available for services such as:
Benefits, waiting periods, excesses, exclusions and limits vary between policies, so always check the relevant policy documents before purchasing.
Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) is one type of private health insurance available to eligible temporary visitors in Australia.
When selecting a policy, don't compare the premium alone. Consider factors such as:
Home Affairs also encourages prospective visitors to shop around for suitable private health insurance and notes that the appropriate level of cover will depend on individual circumstances.
If you decide to purchase health insurance, comparing different policies can help you understand differences in premiums, benefits, waiting periods and excess options.
Our comparison table allows you to compare Allianz, Bupa and Medibank Visitor Visa Health Insurance options side by side.
Compare 600 Visitor Visa Health Insurance to review available policies and choose cover suitable for your circumstances.
Not for every Visitor Visa 600 holder. However, a Visitor Visa 600 may be granted with Condition 8501 in some circumstances. If Condition 8501 is attached to your visa, you must maintain adequate health insurance while in Australia.
Check your visa grant letter or use VEVO to view the conditions attached to your current visa.
Most visitors do not have access to Medicare. However, eligibility can vary, including for some visitors covered by Reciprocal Health Care Agreements.
Condition 8501 requires the visa holder to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia.
Yes. You can use our 600 Visitor Visa Health Insurance comparison to compare available Allianz, Bupa and Medibank policies, including premiums and key policy features.