Medicare cards 011-44150000

Allowable card extension periods

Table 1: this table outlines the allowable extension periods for eligible applicants for permanent residency, and applicants for permanent protection visas.

Entitlement types

Entitlement periods

Applicants for permanent residency (Flag P)

Linked to the Department of Home Affairs (DIAC link)

Ongoing for 42 months:

1st card is issued for 12 months
2nd card automatically reissues for 12 months
3rd to 5th card automatically issues for 6 months each

Note: 1st to 5th card = 42 months.

After 42 months, cards may be manually extended for 12 months at a time (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Not linked to the Department of Home Affairs:

1st card is issued for 12 months
2nd card is a manual extension for 12 months (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)
3rd to 5th cards are manual extensions of 6 months (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Refused applications:

Manual extension for 12 months at a time (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Applications for permanent protection visas (Flag Z)

Linked to the Department of Home Affairs.

Ongoing for 24 months.

1st card is issued for 12 months
2nd and 3rd cards automatically reissue for 6 months

Note: 1st to 3rd card = 24 months

After 24 months, cards may be manually extended for 6 months at a time (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Not linked to the Department of Home Affairs:

1st card is issued for 12 months
2nd card onwards is manual extension for 6 months (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Refused application:

Manual extension for 12 months at a time (from date of processing or visa expiry date if earlier)

Medicare card details

Table 2: this table outlines the different types of Medicare cards and the access to benefits.

Note: a digital copy of any type of Medicare card may be accessed via the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.

Medicare card type	Medicare access	Colour	Expiry date format
Australian resident card (image)	Full benefits. See also: What Medicare covers	Green	MM/YYYY Cards issued for a period of 5 to 7 years.
Interim card (image) for either: applicants for permanent resident status Ministerial Orders	Full benefits. See also: What Medicare covers	Blue	DD/MM/YY The expiry date is determined by the policy and procedures that surrounds the particular entitlement type. See also: Ministerial orders and Medicare eligibility Applicants for permanent residency eligibility for Medicare
Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) card (image)	Medically necessary treatment, including treatment in a public hospital as a public patient.	Yellow	DD/MM/YY The expiry date is determined by the policy and procedures that apply to a particular RHCA country. See also: Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) eligibility for Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

Forms

Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form (MS011)

Card extract request

Services Australia website

Add someone to a Medicare card

How to get a digital card

Someone else’s Medicare

myGov app

Contact details

Medicare Enrolment Services