Partner Visa Medicals and Police Checks: The Process Stage Explained

Health examinations and the HAP ID

Every partner visa applicant (and often the sponsor's dependants included in the application, if any) needs to complete a health examination through Home Affairs' eMedical system. You're issued a HAP ID (Health Assessment Processing identifier) that links your medical results to your specific visa application — you generally can't complete the exam without one, and Home Affairs generates it either automatically once your application reaches the relevant stage, or on request.

The exam itself is done by an approved panel physician, and typically covers a general health assessment, chest X-ray (age-dependent), and sometimes further tests depending on what the initial results show.

When medicals are requested — no fixed rule

There's a genuine timing question here and no universally fixed answer: some applicants generate a HAP ID and complete their medicals relatively early after lodging, while others wait until Home Affairs specifically requests it closer to when the case is being finalised. Results are generally valid for only 12 months from completion, so completing the exam too early on a case that ends up taking longer than expected can mean paying for it again.

A reasonable approach for most applicants is to wait until Home Affairs actually requests the health examination, rather than front-loading it — unless there's a specific reason to have it on file earlier, like an unusually time-sensitive travel plan. If you're unsure which approach suits your situation, this is worth raising with a migration professional handling your case.

Police checks — code 33 is essential

For any police certificate submitted with a partner visa application, the purpose code needs to be 33 (Immigration/Citizenship) — an ordinary employment-purpose police check is not the same thing and will not be accepted, which causes real delays when applicants unknowingly submit the wrong one. If you're getting an AFP check for an Australian address history, request it specifically for purpose code 33.

You'll also generally need a police certificate from any country (other than Australia) where you've lived for 12 months or more, cumulatively, since turning 16, within the last 10 years. These need to be obtained from the relevant overseas authority, which can take considerably longer than the Australian AFP check depending on the country — this is worth starting early if your history includes countries with slower certificate processes.

Like medicals, police certificates are generally treated as valid for around 12 months from the date of issue for immigration purposes.

Does a grant follow quickly after medicals clear?

There's no fixed rule that a decision follows quickly once medicals and police checks clear — plenty of applicants report a grant within weeks of finishing health checks, and plenty of others wait considerably longer because other parts of the file (relationship evidence review, sponsor checks, or a general processing queue) are still moving. Health and character checks are necessary conditions for a grant, not the final step that automatically triggers one.

If you're specifically trying to understand what 'processing time after medical' means for your case, our tracked processing-times study explains the methodology behind these published figures and why individual cases vary from the headline numbers Home Affairs publishes.

Keeping certificates valid through a long process

Because partner visa processing can span well over a year, and both medical clearances and police certificates are generally valid for roughly 12 months, there's a real possibility of needing to redo one or both if your case runs longer than that window. Home Affairs will generally notify you if a renewed check is needed rather than expecting you to track the expiry yourself, but keeping a rough note of your own completion dates avoids surprises.

A MARA-registered agent managing your file can help time these steps against your case's likely trajectory — Migratio matches you with one free.

What is a HAP ID for a partner visa?

A Health Assessment Processing identifier that links your medical examination results in Home Affairs' eMedical system to your specific visa application. You need one before completing your health exam.

How long is a partner visa medical valid for?

Generally around 12 months from the date of completion. If your case takes longer than that, you may need to redo the examination.

What police check code do I need for a partner visa?

AFP purpose code 33 (Immigration/Citizenship). A standard employment-purpose police check will not be accepted and can cause delays if submitted by mistake.

Do I need an overseas police certificate for a partner visa?

Generally yes, if you've lived in a country other than Australia for 12 months or more (cumulatively, since turning 16) within the last 10 years. Certificates are needed from each such country.

Does the visa get granted quickly after the medical is done?

Not necessarily — there's no fixed rule that a grant follows shortly after medicals clear. Health and character checks are required conditions for a grant, but other parts of the file can still be under assessment.