Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) eligibility for Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) 011-44060000

Eligible visitors from Belgium can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must be insured in the Belgium health system, this also includes:

• applicants travelling on a student visa
• Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 3
• is extending eligibility (no break in entitlement, go to Step 5
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Belgium and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card, and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Passports
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on either or both their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following fields:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Belgium
• RHCA Country: Belgium
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: Entitlement ceased

Procedure ends here.

Belgian and non-Belgian citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of a valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• Evidence of valid insurance with the Belgian Health System, or
• Valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) with the initials 'BE'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Belgium)
• RHCA Country: Belgium
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival in Australia
• Entitlement End Date: entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• Belgium Health Insurance Card
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), or
• Visa
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased

If the applicant is in Australia on a long term visa (for example, aged parent or contributory parent visas) and the visa does not have an end date, enrol the applicant for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement end date is less than 3 months, see Table 12.

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document Types:

• Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and wants to extend eligibility, amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement. The applicant must have:

• not left the country
• a new visa that was granted before the previous one expired
• a valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) or National Health Insurance

The applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of a new valid visa

If a valid EHIC or National Health Insurance card is recorded in CDMS Documents, applicants do not need to provide the cards again, unless the EHIC or National Health Insurance card has expired.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of a new valid visa, and
• confirmation that they still meet the RHCA criteria by holding:
• a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with initials 'BE', or
• valid Belgian National Health Insurance

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab - New/Additional Entitlement, see Step 3.

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 4

Eligible visitors from Finland can enrol in Medicare and be issued a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must have been residing in Finland before arriving in Australia. This also includes Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside.

Student applicants travelling on a student visa are not eligible under the RHCA.

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 4
• is extending their eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 7
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, go to Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Finland and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Passport, and
• Visa

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of diplomatic status, this will be notated on either or both their passport and/or visa.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity document in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following fields:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Finland
• RHCA Country: Finland
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here.

To determine if the applicant was residing in Finland before arriving in Australia see the Medicare enrolment form (MS004):

• Q16 - 'Previous country of residence before arriving in Australia'
• Q17 - 'How long were you residing in that country'

If the information provided in Q16 and Q17 shows the applicant did not live in Finland before arriving in Australia the applicant must provide 2 residency documents.

Note: for Medicare purposes, an applicant’s country of residence is the country they have been residing in for a period of 6 months or more before arriving in Australia. A Finnish citizen who was not a resident of Finland before arriving in Australia is not eligible.

Finnish citizens must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current Finnish passport, and
• valid visa

Non-Finnish citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current non-Finnish passport
• a valid visa, and
• one of the following:
• Sickness Insurance card issued by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'FI'

If the non-Finnish citizen cannot give the agency evidence of their health insurance they can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Finland)
• RHCA Country: Finland
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival in Australia
• Entitlement End Date: for Finnish citizens residing in Finland, entitlement ends when the visa ceases. For non-Finnish citizens, entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• visa
• sickness insurance card issued by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'FI'
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased

Note: if the applicant is in Australia on a long term visa (for example, aged parent or contributory parent visa) and the visa does not have an end date the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement period is less than 3 months, go to Table 12

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document type.

• Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and wants to extend their eligibility, Service officers should amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement. That is the applicant has:

• not left the country
• a new visa granted before the previous one expired
• a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card or Sickness Insurance card (for non-Finnish citizens only)

If a valid EHIC or Sickness Insurance card is recorded in CDMS Documents, non-Finnish citizens do not need to provide the documents again unless the EHIC or Sickness Insurance card has expired.

The applicant must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• evidence of a new valid visa

If the applicant provided residency documents at the time of the initial enrolment, additional residency documents are not needed to extend the applicant's eligibility to the existing enrolment.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement.

Finnish citizens must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current Finnish passport, and
• valid visa

If there is evidence that suggests the applicant may not have resided in Finland before arriving in Australia, see Step 3.

Non-Finnish citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current non-Finnish passport
• a valid visa, and
• one of the following:
• Sickness Insurance card issued by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with the initials 'FI'

If non Finnish citizens cannot give the agency evidence of their health insurance they can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO, and
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab - New/Additional Entitlement, see Step 4

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 5

Eligible Italian citizens can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card. The entitlement period must not exceed 6 months.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must be:

• a citizen of Italy, and
• eligible for services under the national health legislation of Italy on the date of entry to Australia, this also includes:
• applicants travelling on a student visa
• dual citizens (Australian/Italian) who have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside

An Italian citizen does not need to have been residing in Italy but must be an Italian citizen and meet the other agreement conditions.

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 3
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 5
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, go to Table 13
• is Defence Force personal or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Italy and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card, and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004) or Digital Medicare Enrolment (DME)
• Passports, and
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Italy

RHCA Country: Italy

Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia

Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here.

Italian citizens must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004) or Digital Medicare Enrolment (DME)
• current Italian passport
• valid visa, and
• either of the following, a/an:
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'IT' valid on date of arrival in Australia, or
• Italian health insurance card valid on date of arrival in Australia, or
• Commonwealth Statutory Declaration (must state they are eligible for medical and hospital services under the national health legislation of Italy on the date of arrival in Australia)

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Italy)
• RHCA Country: Italy
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: maximum of 6 months from each arrival date. Entitlement ends on the earliest of the following dates:
• 6 months from the date of arrival in Australia, or
• expiry date of visa if earlier
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased

Note: if a statutory declaration is provided, the entitlement end date should be 6 months from the arrival date or the visa expiry date, whichever is earlier. If the entitlement period is less than 3 month, go to Table 12

See the Resources page for a link to the Commonwealth statutory declaration

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document types:

• Eligibility Document: see Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: see Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• Medicare Enrolment form (MS004)
• current Italian passport
• evidence of a new valid visa, and
• confirmation that they still meet the RHCA criteria by holding a:
• valid EHIC with initials 'IT' valid on their initial entry to Australia, or
• valid Italian health insurance card which was valid on their initial entry to Australia, or
• Commonwealth Statutory Declaration (must state they are eligible for medical and hospital services under the national health legislation of Italy on the date of arrival in Australia)

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add a new entitlement under the Entitlement tab - New/Additional Entitlement, see Step 3

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 4

Medicare eligibility cannot go beyond 6 months, unless the applicant:

• has left and re-entered Australia, and
• provides evidence of still meeting the eligibility criteria by having a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or valid Italian health insurance on date of entry to Australia

An Italian citizen experiencing an episode of ill health must provide documentation, for example, correspondence from medical practitioners setting out the treatment the applicant is undergoing and why they are unable to travel, where the:

• course of treatment starts before the end of the 6 month eligibility period, and
• treatment needs to continue after the 6 month period has ended

Service Officers must refer the documentation to Medicare Consumers Program Support for further consideration. Service Officers must follow Escalation Process for Medicare Eligibility.

The Department of Health and Aged Care make the decisions on the extension of these applications.

Eligible visitors from Malta can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card. The entitlement period must not exceed 6 months.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must:

• be a citizen of Malta, and
• have been residing in Malta before arriving in Australia

This also includes dual citizens (Australian/Maltese) who have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside.

Students

Applicants travelling on a student visa are not eligible under the RHCA.

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 4
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• holds are retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Malta and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued with a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card, and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of the visa).

Documents required:

• completed Medicare enrolment form(MS004)
• passports
• visa

Services Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Malta
• RHCA Country: Malta
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

Procedure ends here.

To determine if the applicant was residing in Malta before arriving in Australia refer to the Medicare enrolment MS004 form:

• Q16 - Previous country of residence (before arriving in Australia)
• Q17 - How long were you residing in that country

If the information provided in question 16 and 17 shows the applicant did not live in Malta before arriving in Australia they must also provide 2 residency documents.

Note: for Medicare purposes, an applicant’s country of residence would be the country they have been residing in for a period of 6 months or more before arriving in Australia. A Maltese citizen who was not a resident of Malta before arriving in Australia is not eligible.

Maltese citizens must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• evidence of a valid visa, and either
• current Maltese passport
• current identity card issued under the Maltese Identity Card Act 1975, or
• proof of being a dependant on someone else's Maltese passport or identity card

Non-Maltese citizens are not eligible under the RHCA.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the CDMS

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Malta)
• RHCA Country: Malta
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: maximum of 6 months from each arrival date. Entitlement ends on:
• 6 months from the date of arrival, or
• visa expiry date if it is earlier
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased

If the entitlement period is less than 3 months, go to Table 12.

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document type.

• Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current Maltese passport
• evidence of a new valid visa, and
• current identity card issued under the Maltese Identity Card Act 1975, or
• proof of being a dependant on someone else's Maltese passport or identity card

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add a new entitlement under the Entitlement tab, see Step 4

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 5

Medicare eligibility cannot go beyond 6 months, unless the applicant:

• has left and re-entered Australia, and
• provides evidence of still meeting the eligibility criteria

Eligible visitors from the Netherlands can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must be entitled to benefits according to the Netherlands Health Insurance Act, this also includes:

• applicants travelling on a student visa, and
• Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 3
• is extending eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 5
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medicare visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Note: as long as the applicant is entitled to benefits according to the Netherlands Health Insurance Act, it does not matter where they were residing before traveling to Australia.

Diplomats from the Netherlands and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued with a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• passports
• visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Netherlands
• RHCA Country: Netherlands
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here.

Dutch and non-Dutch citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of a valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• evidence of valid 'basic' insurance under the Netherlands Health Insurance Act - Zorgverzekeringswet, or
• valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'NL'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: if the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa does not have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement end date is less than 3 months, go to Table 12

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Netherlands)
• RHCA Country: Netherlands
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• Visa
• Netherlands health insurance, or
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• Entitlement End Reason: entitlement ceased

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document types:

• Eligibility Document: see Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: see Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and they want to extend their eligibility, amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement, that is:

• they have not left the country
• their new visa was granted before their previous one expired
• they have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Netherlands Health Insurance

The applicant must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• evidence of valid visa

If a valid EHIC or Netherlands health insurance card is recorded in CDMS Documents, unless expired, applicants do not need to provide this again.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• evidence of valid 'basic' insurance under the Netherlands Health Insurance Act - Zorgverzekeringswet (see note), or
• valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'NL'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab, see Step 3

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 4

To be eligible under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) for Medicare, the applicant must have been a New Zealand citizen or resident before arriving in Australia.

Eligible New Zealand visitors under RHCA are not enrolled in Medicare and are not issued with Medicare cards.

New Zealand residents who are not New Zealand citizens are also covered under the RHCA for the duration of their stay. New Zealand residents are not enrolled in Medicare and are not issued a Medicare card.

New Zealand citizens are only eligible to enrol in Medicare if:

• intending to reside in Australia
• are in Australia for 6 or more months
• traveling frequently in and out of Australia and spend more than 6 out of 12 months in Australia
• they are a:
• diplomat who is in Australia for 6 or more months, or
• student who is in Australia for 6 or more months

For more information, see New Zealand citizens' eligibility for Medicare.

Eligible visitors from New Zealand have access to the following services for the length of their stay in Australia:

• medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital (including inpatient and outpatient services), and
• some PBS prescription medicines

If treatment is required, the following documents are sufficient to show the public hospital or pharmacy:

• New Zealand citizens:
• current New Zealand passport
• Non-New Zealand citizens:
• current passport or current certificate of identity endorsed to the effect that the holder is entitled to be in New Zealand indefinitely, or
• current refugee travel document granted by the Government of New Zealand

Diplomats from New Zealand and their families get the same entitlement to Medicare as a non-diplomatic New Zealand citizen if they are in Australia for less than 6 months:

• Medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital (including inpatient and outpatient services), and
• Some PBS prescription medicines at the general rate
• They are not enrolled in Medicare and are not issued Medicare cards

Diplomats from New Zealand and their families who are in Australia for more than 6 months may be eligible to enrol see Medicare eligibility for New Zealand citizens.

Students from New Zealand who are in Australia for longer than 6 months may be eligible to enrol in Medicare, see Medicare eligibility for New Zealand citizens.

Eligible visitors from Norway can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must have been residing in Norway before arriving in Australia and a member of the Norwegian Insurance Scheme.

This also includes Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside.

Applicants from Norway travelling on a student visa are not eligible under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA).

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 4
• is extending their eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 7
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Norwegian diplomats and their families are not eligible under the RHCA.

Procedure ends here.

To determine if the applicant was residing in Norway before arriving in Australia, refer to the Medicare enrolment MS004 form:

• Q16 - Previous country of residence (before arriving in Australia)
• Q17 - How long were you residing in that country

Note: for Medicare purposes, an applicant’s country of residence would be the country they have been residing in for a period of 6 months or more before arriving in Australia. A Norwegian citizen who was not a resident of Norway before arriving in Australia is not eligible.

Norwegian and non-Norwegian citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• a valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• document establishing that the applicant is a member of the Norwegian Insurance Scheme, or
• valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'NO'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Norway)
• RHCA Country: Norway
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• Norwegian National Health Insurance
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), or
• Visa
• Entitlement End Reason: entitlement ceased

Note: if the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa doesn’t have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement period is less than 3 months, go to Table 12

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document Types:

• Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and want to extend their eligibility, amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement, that is:

• they have not left the country
• their new visa was granted before their previous one expired
• they have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Norwegian National Health Insurance

The applicant must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• valid visa

If a valid EHIC or National Health Insurance card is recorded in CDMS Documents, applicants do not need to provide this again unless the EHIC or health insurance has expired.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• document establishing that the applicant is a member of the Norwegian Insurance Scheme, or
• valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'NO'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab, see Step 4

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 5

• To be eligible for Medicare, the applicant must have been a resident of Ireland before arriving in Australia.
• Eligible visitors from Ireland are not enrolled in Medicare and are not issued with Medicare cards.
• Student applicants from the Ireland travelling on a student visa are not eligible under the RHCA.
• If the applicant is an Irish diplomat, go to Step 2.

Diplomats from Ireland and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Passports
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Ireland
• RHCA Country: Ireland
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here

Eligible visitors from Ireland have access to the following services for the length of their stay in Australia:

• medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital (including inpatient and outpatient services), and
• some PBS prescription medicines

If treatment is required, the following documents are sufficient to show the public hospital or pharmacy:

• Irish citizens:
• current Irish (EIRE) passport
• Non-Irish citizens:
• current passport
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'IE'

Eligible visitors from Slovenia can enrol in Medicare and will be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must be insured in the Slovenian health system. This also includes:

• Applicants travelling on a student visa
• Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 3
• is extending eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 5
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 12
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Slovenia and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued with a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa)

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Passports
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this is notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Slovenia

RHCA Country: Slovenia

Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia

Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here.

Slovenian and non-Slovenian citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• a valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• evidence of valid compulsory insurance with the Republic of Slovenia, or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'SI'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: if the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa does not have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement end date is less than 3 months, see Table 12

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Slovenia)
• RHCA Country: Slovenia
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date:
• entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• Slovenian Health Insurance Card
• European Health Insurance card (EHIC), or
• Visa
• Entitlement End Reason: entitlement ceased

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document types:

• Eligibility Document: see Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: see Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and they want to extend their eligibility, amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement, that is:

• they have not left the country
• their new visa was granted before the previous one expired
• they have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or National Health Insurance

The applicant must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• valid visa

If a valid EHIC or Health Insurance card is recorded in CDMS Documents, applicants do not need to provide this again unless the EHIC or health insurance has expired.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• a valid visa, and
• either of the following:
• evidence of valid compulsory insurance with the Republic of Slovenia, or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'SI'

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab, see Step 3.

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 4

Eligible visitors from Sweden can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must have been residing in Sweden before arriving in Australia. This also includes:

• applicants traveling on a student visa, and
• Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 4
• is extending their eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 7
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from Sweden and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Passports
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - Sweden
• RHCA Country: Sweden
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Procedure ends here.

To determine if the applicant was residing in Sweden before arriving in Australia refer to the Medicare enrolment form (MS004):

• Q16 - Previous country of residence (before arriving in Australia)
• Q17 - How long were you residing in that country

If the information provided in Q16 and Q17 shows the applicant did not live in Sweden before arriving in Australia they must also provide 2 residency documents.

Note: for Medicare purposes, an applicant’s country of residence would be the country they have been residing in for a period of 6 months or more before arriving in Australia. A Swedish citizen who was not a resident of Sweden before arriving in Australia is not eligible.

Swedish citizens must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current Swedish passport, and
• valid visa

Non-Swedish citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current non-Swedish passport
• a valid visa, and
• one of the following:
• health insurance certificate issued by the Swedish Social Insurance office
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'SE

If the non-Swedish citizen cannot give the agency evidence of their health insurance they can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (Sweden)
• RHCA Country: Sweden
• Entitlement Start date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End date: entitlement ends when the first of these expires:
• health insurance certificate issued by the Swedish Social Insurance office
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'SE'
• Visa
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased

Note: if the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa does not have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time. If the entitlement end date is less than 3 months, go to Table 12.

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document types:

• Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries
• Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and wants to extend their eligibility, amend the group end date only where there is no break in entitlement, that is:

• they have not left the country
• their new visa was granted before their previous one expired
• they have a valid EHIC or National Health Insurance (for non-Swedish citizens only)

If a valid EHIC or National Health Insurance is recorded in CDMS Documents, non-Swedish citizens do not need to provide this again unless the EHIC or insurance has expired.

The applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of a new valid visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

If the applicant provided residency documents at the time of the initial enrolment, additional residency documents are not needed to extend the applicant’s eligibility.

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement, the applicant must provide:

Swedish citizens

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Current Swedish passport, and
• Valid visa

If there is evidence that suggests the applicant may not have resided in Sweden before arriving in Australia, see Step 3

Non-Swedish citizens

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• Current non-Swedish passport
• Valid visa, and
• One of the following:
• health insurance certificate issued by the Swedish Social Insurance office
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'SE'

If non-Swedish citizens cannot give the agency evidence of their health insurance they can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab - New/Additional Entitlement, see Step 4

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 5

Eligible visitors from the United Kingdom (UK) (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man) can enrol in Medicare and be issued with a Medicare card.

To be eligible for Medicare the applicant must be ordinarily residing in the UK before arriving in Australia. This also includes:

• applicants travelling on a student visa
• Australian citizens that have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more and are not returning to Australia to reside
• British defence force personnel (visa subclass 945). See Table 14

If the applicant:

• is a diplomat, go to Step 2
• is enrolling for the first time, go to Step 4
• is extending their eligibility (no break in entitlement), go to Step 6
• is re-enrolling (break in entitlement), go to Step 8
• was enrolled prior to the Policy change on 1 September 2022, go to Step 7
• holds a retiree visa subclass 405 or 410, see Table 13
• is Defence Force personnel or holds a Medical visa subclass 602, see Table 14
• is an Australian citizen, see Table 15

Diplomats from the United Kingdom and their families are eligible for full Medicare cover and are issued with a green Medicare card for the length of the visa. The system will automatically issue a green Medicare card, and an entitlement end date must be added (expiry date of visa).

Documents required:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004) or Digital Medicare Enrolment (DME)
• Passports
• Visa

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

For a diplomatic Medicare enrolment, key the following:

• Entitlement Type: Diplomat - United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
• RHCA Country: United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: duration of visa

Note: the diplomat and accompanying family must have evidence of their diplomatic status, this will be notated on (either or both) their passport and/or visa.

Procedure ends here.

To determine if the applicant was residing in the United Kingdom (UK) before arriving in Australia refer to Medicare enrolment MS004:

• Q16 - Previous country of residence (before arriving in Australia)
• Q17 - How long were you residing in that country

Note: for Medicare purposes, an applicant’s country of residence would be the country they have been residing in for a period of 6 months or more before arriving in Australia. A UK citizen who was not a resident of the UK before arriving in Australia is not eligible

British and non-British citizens must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004) or Digital Medicare Enrolment (DME)
• a current British or non-British passport
• a valid visa, and
• evidence of residency of UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
• evidence can be either:
• UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), or
• European Health Insurance card with the initials UK, or
• National Health Insurance card if they are from the Isle of Man, or
• Health Service Card if they are from Northern Ireland, or
• Health card from the Health and Social Services department of the States of Jersey, or
• Proof of insurance from the Guernsey State Insurance Authority, or
• Other proof that they are a resident of Guernsey

If the British or non-British citizen cannot give the agency evidence from the above list they can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS)

Key the following:

• Entitlement Type: RHCA (United Kingdom and Northern Ireland)
• RHCA Country: United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
• Entitlement Start date: date of arrival into Australia
• Entitlement End Date: visa expiry date
• Entitlement End Reason: entitlement ceased

Note:

• if proof of health insurance has been provided as evidence of residency use visa expiry date as the entitlement end date
• if residency documents have been provided as evidence of residency use visa expiry date as the entitlement end date
• if the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa doesn’t have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) the applicant can be enrolled for a period of 5 years each time.
• if the entitlement period is less than 3 months, go to Table 12

For a new Medicare enrolment, eligibility documents must be added in CDMS, under Document types:

Eligibility Document: See Eligibility documents for RHCA countries

Residency Document: See Residency documents for RHCA countries

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and they want to extend their eligibility, amend the group end date, only where there is no break in entitlement, that is:

• they have not left the country, and
• the new visa was granted before previous one expired

The applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• evidence of new valid visa

If evidence of residency (proof of health insurance, residency documents) is recorded in CDMS, applicants do not need to provide this again. Applicant can be enrolled for the length of their visa.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) or Medicare

Note: if enrolled prior to the policy change 1 September 2022 go to Step 7

Some UK visitors are in Australia on long term visas. If the customer was enrolled in Medicare prior to 1 September 2022 they did not need to provide proof of residency. The entitlement end date can be amended if they have a valid visa.

The customer must provide a:

• completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• current passport
• valid visa

Proof of residency documents were not required and will not be recorded in Documents in CDMS. Do not ask the customer to supply proof of residency documents if they were enrolled prior to 1 September 2022.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS
• follow Amend customer entitlement details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) or Medicare

Note: the applicant can be enrolled for the length of their visa. If the applicant is in Australia on a bridging visa and the visa does not have an end date (for example, applicant for aged parent or contributory parent visas) eligibility can be extended for 5 years from date of processing.

If the applicant has previously had RHCA entitlement and there has been a break in entitlement applicant must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• a valid visa, and one of the following:
• valid Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), or
• valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) bearing the initials 'UK'
• National Health Insurance Medical card (Isle of Man)
• Health Service card (Northern Ireland)
• Health card from the Health and Social Services department of the States of Jersey
• Proof of Insurance issued by the Guernsey States Insurance Authority
• Other proof that they are a resident of Guernsey

If a proof of residency document cannot be provided to the agency the applicant can provide 2 residency documents.

Service Officers must:

• check VEVO
• verify identity documents in DVS

To add new entitlement under the Entitlement tab, see Step 4

All eligibility documents must be recorded under Documents, see Step 5

If the applicant’s entitlement is for less than 3 months, the Production Control check box must be selected in CDMS which will prepopulate the address. This prevents a Medicare card from being produced, but still allows the applicant to make a claim.

See Register a customer for Medicare in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS).

Attempt to call the customer once to tell them their Medicare card number. If unsuccessful send Your Medicare card details letter (Z2590).

• Investor Retirement visa subclass 405, or
• Retiree visa subclass 410 issued after 1 December 1998, or
• Retiree visa subclass 410 issued before 1 December 1998 where the applicant opted for Medicare levy exemption in lieu of eligibility under a RHCA (this arrangement is outlined under a Ministerial Order)

Note: the pre 1 December 1998 arrangements for holders of visa subclass 410 only apply if the RHCA was in force at that time. See Ministerial orders and Medicare eligibility.

Exceptions

Applicants that hold a retiree visa 405 or 410 may be eligible under a RHCA if one of the following applies, applicant:

• holds either, a visa subclass 405 or 410 issued after 1 December 1998) and exceptional circumstances apply. More information about the criteria used when making an assessment for exceptional circumstances can be found on the Services Australia website:
• See Resources page for a link
• These applications must be escalated to Medicare Eligibility Local Peer Support (LPS)
• has lodged an application for permanent residency under the Aged Parent category, visa subclass 103 or 804. The parent visa application supersedes the existing visa subclass, however, they would still need to meet the eligibility criteria under the specific RHCA
• has lodged an application for permanent residency under the Contributory Parent visa, see Ministerial orders and Medicare eligibility

Procedure ends here.

Medical expenses for foreign defence force personnel residing in Australia are covered by their defence force. However, they can enrol in Medicare together with their spouse and dependants if from a country that has an RHCA with Australia. They are then covered under Medicare for medically necessary treatment to the extent of the RHCA that applies.

British defence force personnel

British defence force personnel and their dependants on exchange transfer with Australian defence services are eligible for enrolment under the RHCA.

British defence force personnel must provide the following documents:

• Completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• UK passport for each person
• VEVO confirming visa 945, and
• Letter from the British High Commission

Entitlement to Medicare:

• Start Date: date of arrival in Australia
• End Date: expiry date of visa
• Entitlement Type: RHCA UK

Note: if the customer does not provide a VEVO, Service Officers must action a VEVO to confirm visa subclass 945.

See Register a customer for Medicare in the CDMS.

Visa issued outside Australia

A person entering Australia with a Medical Treatment visa subclass 602 who is a resident from an RHCA country can enrol in the Medicare program but is not entitled to claim benefits for treatment related to the medical condition for which the visa was issued.

Visa issued in Australia

If a person residing in Australia is issued with a medical visa (commonly subclass 602) and they are from an RHCA country, they remain eligible for Medicare enrolment. There is no restriction to benefits for this group as they are generally elderly and too ill to return to their home country. To enrol, a current passport and valid visa are required.

Action required by Service Officers

If it is identified that an applicant holds a medical visa, advise the applicant they will be asked when lodging claims to produce a letter from a doctor or provide other evidence of the condition they are seeking treatment for. This advice is to be given at the time of enrolment.

Service Officers must key the details of the medical condition relating to the issue of the visa in the Comments field on CDMS.

Australian citizens are eligible to be enrolled under Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, if they:

• have been residing outside of Australia for 5 years or more
• have been residing in a RHCA country, and
• are visiting Australia

Applicants must provide:

• a completed Medicare enrolment form (MS004)
• a current passport
• proof of valid health insurance (if required)

Australian citizens who are travelling on an Australian passport are not issued with a visa.

Service officers must:

• verify identity documents in DVS
• confirm the applicant’s initial departure date from Australia
• amend entitlement details in CDMS

Note: the applicants initial departure date from Australia can be confirmed from Q16 and Q17 on the MS004 or may be recorded in Personal comments

Amend existing entitlement details, under Eligibility Status:

• Select Eligibility Status
• Select Amend Option tab
• Entitlement End Date: the date should be 5 years from the applicant's initial departure date from Australia
• Entitlement End Reason: Entitlement ceased
• Select Validate and Update

If only one person is changing their entitlement type to RHCA, they must be transferred to a Medicare card of their own.

Under New/Additional Entitlement:

• Entitlement type: select relevant RHCA country from the dropdown menu
• RHCA country: select relevant country from the dropdown menu
• Entitlement Start Date: date of arrival in Australia
• Entitlement End Date: departure date from MS004 (must not exceed 6 months)
• Entitlement End Reason: select Entitlement Ceased from the dropdown list
• select Validate
• select Documents
• add all the eligibility documents provided
• select Return
• Validate and Update
• add Group comment: 'Australian citizen/s residing in RHCA country'
• Validate and Update

Note: Australian citizens travelling on an Australian passport may not be able to provide proof of health insurance or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). In this situation, 2 residency documents from the RHCA country must be provided.