Front loading of Meds

[Guest Shy Ted]

Hi guys,

 

An old favourite this I'm sure. I put an online application in, in December 2007. My application status is at "processing commenced" and there is a long list of medical requirements outstanding. The advice I have been given is to wait until you are asked to submit meds before going for them, but I was wondering how you go about front loading meds if you don't have a case number or case officer. I have a TRN only at present.

 

All advice gratefully received.

 

cheers,

 

Richie.

[Guest kmcd]

Hi Richie, We applied on line in December for the 475,(sorry our agent did) i dont know if you have an agent ? Anyway he sent us the downloaded medical forms along with our copy of application form which have a tracking reference on them. We went ahead on his advice and had police checks and medicals carried out in both sent off begining of February. Still waiting on news though everything is there waiting on being processed.

Hope this is helpful and good luck with your process.

Karen

[Guest Libby1971]

No desire to be funny but if the advice is given to wait to do your meds, then wait to do your meds. You are, from the sounds of it, using an agent and are paying them for their advice.

 

Your meds are only valid for a certain period of time, not sure how long, and if they aren't reached while the info is valid then you will have to pay to do them again. A very expesnive process.

 

I do understand the need to be doing something

 

Libby

[Guest graandjac]

:)Hi Richie, its all about timing , there is no reason not to do the meds in advance (front load) but the only confusion could occur if the meds get sent off and there is not reference no for them to be matched to, so as soon as you have your case reference no get them done no worries , Another thing to look at is that some medical centres get booked up a long way in advance so you might need to book them up to a few months early.

 

Good luck Cheers Graham

 

 

Re Libby....meds valid for 1 year....or visa will be valid from the date of meds or police checks which ever was done first

[Guest Lulujim]

Hi, This is copy and pasted advice from our agent (1st Contact) given today.

 

At present the online applications are taking 4-5 months to be allocated to a case officer which is when police checks/medicals and anything further are requested. You can complete medicals/police checks early to speed up the process if you prefer (bearing in mind your initial entry date of 12 months from the date of the earliest medical/police check). The processing times are increasing due to backlogs in the system and I cannot guarantee you when you will get your visa. I can only give you approximate timeframes based on current processing times. If you complete medicals/police checks prior to allocation/request then your visa may well be granted in 5-6 months. If you wait until they are requested your visa may well be granted in 7-8 months. The average times are between 6 and 9 months. It really depends on DIAC and is subject to change at any time.

Hope this helps!! Alexis

[Guest Libby1971]

graandjac :notworthy:

 

I knew there was something important about it! We wanted to get ours done asap.

 

What you def could be doing at the moment is getting all the letters from your docs/ consultants etc so that you have all the info ready for when you go for meds. This all needs to be taken with you if you are receiving treatment for any condition.

 

If not, then don't worry.

 

Libby

[Gollywobbler]

Hi guys,

 

An old favourite this I'm sure. I put an online application in, in December 2007. My application status is at "processing commenced" and there is a long list of medical requirements outstanding. The advice I have been given is to wait until you are asked to submit meds before going for them, but I was wondering how you go about front loading meds if you don't have a case number or case officer. I have a TRN only at present.

 

All advice gratefully received.

 

cheers,

 

Richie.

 

Hello Richie

 

and there is a long list of medical requirements outstanding.

 

What do you mean exactly, please? Has only one member of the family got multiple medical issues or have all of you got a few each? The reason I ask is beause if you are sure that the meds for one member of the family will take time to sort out but the rest of the family's meds should be OK without hassle, you could consider frontloading the meds solely for the family member in whose case they are likely to take time to finalise.

 

If they ask for specialist's reports then they sign off the meds on the date when the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth eventually gives the OK. If the rest of the family's meds come in at around the same date, then you save time plus maximise the amount of time left in which to validate the visas if you see what I mean.

 

The TRN number is all that you need for the meds.

 

Is yours an on-line application? If it is, I think you are supposed to download the two meds forms (e-26 & e-160) from within your own transaction with the TRN numer, visa type etc already listed on them?

 

I've no experience of on-line applications and I'm not a migration agent. From what I've read on the forums, the interactive computer is supposed to offer you your forms? Has it done so? If it has then DIAC are inviting you to get the meds done promptly.

 

If you have submitted a paper application, then you need the paper forms 26 & 160. Please see the link below, and scroll down below the list of Panel Doctors. The two forms are right at the bottom of the health page:

 

http://www.uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/health.html

 

As Libby has said, get all the specialists' reports etc and you need the most recent ones as well as any earlier ones. If you get the whole lot, the Panel Doctor will sift throough them and decide which ones need to go to Oz.

 

But I would urge caution about the idea that loads of different tests/specialists' consultations etc will be required because the MOC tends to take a much more robust view of your health than you do!

 

I'm always a bit dubious when people panic about the meds. If one person has so many different ailments or one very serious ailment that could be ashow-stopper, why wasn't a Panel Doctor consulted before the visa application was made and paid for? The PDs have no say in the MOC's decision, but they do work to a specifc set of guidelines. Experienced PDs usually have a pretty shrewd idea about which conditions could cause queries from the MOC and which ones probably won't.

 

Please see the link below and scroll down through the November 2006 post (not the newsletter link) to the medical stuff. It is an extract from the guidelines for the PDs.

 

http://www.pomsinperth.com/discussionboard/viewtopic.php?t=9627&highlight=iscah+newsletter

 

It is probably nowhere near as bad as you fear, my friend.

 

Please shout if I can help further.

 

Best wishes

 

Gill

[Guest Django]

I would normally say front load your application if done online. However, with the backlog I would now wait for a case officer to ask for PCs and meds. You could get into a situation where you may have weeks or even days to activate your visa. There are poeple on the forum that submitted their visa application last summer. They still haven't got a case officer. If they had front loaded they would be worrying, quite rightly, that they may run out of time. Don't forget the CO may ask for more stuff that could take a few months to get to them before they even pass the case over to the decission maker.

 

Pete

[Guest Shy Ted]

No desire to be funny but if the advice is given to wait to do your meds, then wait to do your meds. You are, from the sounds of it, using an agent and are paying them for their advice.

 

Your meds are only valid for a certain period of time, not sure how long, and if they aren't reached while the info is valid then you will have to pay to do them again. A very expesnive process.

 

I do understand the need to be doing something

 

Libby

 

I am not using an agent, the advice I received was from a successful Adelaide emigree. Just wanted to know if my TRN was good enough to use as a reference number to front load. But thanks for the other advice anyway.

[Guest Shy Ted]

Hello Richie

 

 

 

What do you mean exactly, please? Has only one member of the family got multiple medical issues or have all of you got a few each? The reason I ask is beause if you are sure that the meds for one member of the family will take time to sort out but the rest of the family's meds should be OK without hassle, you could consider frontloading the meds solely for the family member in whose case they are likely to take time to finalise.

 

If they ask for specialist's reports then they sign off the meds on the date when the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth eventually gives the OK. If the rest of the family's meds come in at around the same date, then you save time plus maximise the amount of time left in which to validate the visas if you see what I mean.

 

The TRN number is all that you need for the meds.

 

Is yours an on-line application? If it is, I think you are supposed to download the two meds forms (e-26 & e-160) from within your own transaction with the TRN numer, visa type etc already listed on them?

 

I've no experience of on-line applications and I'm not a migration agent. From what I've read on the forums, the interactive computer is supposed to offer you your forms? Has it done so? If it has then DIAC are inviting you to get the meds done promptly.

 

If you have submitted a paper application, then you need the paper forms 26 & 160. Please see the link below, and scroll down below the list of Panel Doctors. The two forms are right at the bottom of the health page:

 

http://www.uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/health.html

 

As Libby has said, get all the specialists' reports etc and you need the most recent ones as well as any earlier ones. If you get the whole lot, the Panel Doctor will sift throough them and decide which ones need to go to Oz.

 

But I would urge caution about the idea that loads of different tests/specialists' consultations etc will be required because the MOC tends to take a much more robust view of your health than you do!

 

I'm always a bit dubious when people panic about the meds. If one person has so many different ailments or one very serious ailment that could be ashow-stopper, why wasn't a Panel Doctor consulted before the visa application was made and paid for? The PDs have no say in the MOC's decision, but they do work to a specifc set of guidelines. Experienced PDs usually have a pretty shrewd idea about which conditions could cause queries from the MOC and which ones probably won't.

 

Please see the link below and scroll down through the November 2006 post (not the newsletter link) to the medical stuff. It is an extract from the guidelines for the PDs.

 

http://www.pomsinperth.com/discussionboard/viewtopic.php?t=9627&highlight=iscah+newsletter

 

It is probably nowhere near as bad as you fear, my friend.

 

Please shout if I can help further.

 

Best wishes

 

Gill

 

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez where do I start answering this! All I wanted to know was whether the TRN was good enough to front load meds! No, we're all as fit as a butcher's dog, no specialists required, no consultation to a panel doctor, no advice needed about where I get forms from, nor anything else. I am not panicking about anything, I don't fear anything being bad my friend, I just wanted to know if I could prepare and submit meds in advance of a formal request from DIAC. I know about timescales and everything like that, I just wanted advice on the TRN. Nothing else.

 

But thanks for taking the time to write your expansive piece.

[Gollywobbler]

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez where do I start answering this! All I wanted to know was whether the TRN was good enough to front load meds! No, we're all as fit as a butcher's dog, no specialists required, no consultation to a panel doctor, no advice needed about where I get forms from, nor anything else. I am not panicking about anything, I don't fear anything being bad my friend, I just wanted to know if I could prepare and submit meds in advance of a formal request from DIAC. I know about timescales and everything like that, I just wanted advice on the TRN. Nothing else.

 

But thanks for taking the time to write your expansive piece.

 

Hello Richie

 

and there is a long list of medical requirements outstanding.

 

Your own words my friend, not mine.

 

There is no long list of medical requirements outstanding for any fit, healthy family. It is a simple matter of arranging chest x-rays and an appointment with a Panel Doctor, plus doing no more than some very basic completion of the medical forms. I fail to understand how something so simple could amount to "a long list of medical requirements outstanding," therefore.

 

Best wishes

 

Gill

[Guest Shy Ted]

Hello Richie

 

 

 

Your own words my friend, not mine.

 

There is no long list of medical requirements outstanding for any fit, healthy family. It is a simple matter of arranging chest x-rays and an appointment with a Panel Doctor, plus doing no more than some very basic completion of the medical forms. I fail to understand how something so simple could amount to "a long list of medical requirements outstanding," therefore.

 

Best wishes

 

Gill

 

I don't do internet squabbling. I just wanted an answer to my question. In fact I wish I'd never posted it in the first place now. I never said the process wasn't simple, me and my wife work in medicine for heavens sake, I just wanted advice on one point of interest. I'll find out elsewhere in future.

[Guest Libby1971]

Shy Ted

 

I have no desire to become involved in anything unnecessary. But, I have taken offence at what I perceive to be the tone of your posts.

 

It reads as angry and rude. In which case my response is to ask you if you didn't want detailed info back, why post on an internet forum about a specific issue? In the original posting you said, and I quote, "All advice greatfully received" which seems to translate as nothing of the sort.

 

I remain confident however that you will be shocked to discover this and will want to apologise in particular to Gollywobbler who has done nothing other than give you the information she has.

 

 

Libby, Smack Fairy Extraordinaire

[Guest Shy Ted]

I have no desire to become involved in anything unnecessary.

 

Me neither.

[Guest Django]

I have a TRN only at present.

 

This is all we had when we did our meds. We printed off the forms and they had our names and TRN number already on them. Can't remember where we printed them off from. It was either a link that appeared on the status page or it was from an received email.

 

Pete

[Gollywobbler]

Hi Libby

 

I just wanted advice on the TRN. Nothing else.

 

Seems to me, this now having emerged, that the original question could have been framed as,

 

"I have a TRN number. Is this all I need for the medical forms, please?"

 

Best wishes

 

Gill

[Guest Stu&Jo]

Evening all,

 

When I did our 475 visa application on 02 Feb 08, we got an e-mail the next day telling us to attach all paperwork within 28 days, including meds and feds. We got our medicals sent out by DHL to arrrive before the 28 days and the police checks came back to us in time to attach them as well.

 

Oh boy, this could get interesting and expensive!!! Mind you, I read last night that they'd started shifting the backlog and 475 online visas from 10th Nov were being looked at, it's been 1 Nov for weeks.

 

 

Later peeps

Stu

[Guest Lulujim]

Evening all,

 

When I did our 475 visa application on 02 Feb 08, we got an e-mail the next day telling us to attach all paperwork within 28 days, including meds and feds. We got our medicals sent out by DHL to arrrive before the 28 days and the police checks came back to us in time to attach them as well.

 

Oh boy, this could get interesting and expensive!!! Mind you, I read last night that they'd started shifting the backlog and 475 online visas from 10th Nov were being looked at, it's been 1 Nov for weeks.

 

 

Later peeps

Stu

 

 

Hi there,

 

we applied online for our 475 visa a week ago. We've decided to go ahead and front-load our medicals - although whether or not it'll work out like that in the end I'm not sure... I'm pregnant now so the soonest we can all have them done together is July anyway.

 

Does the request mean you were given a CO? Or was it your agent requesting the checks and medicals? I have heard some people don't ever get a CO. I'm just worried that they're going to be requested within 28 days now, and obv July is a way off still....

 

Great news about clearing backlog though, where did you hear this? Let's hope they've got more staff in and will whip through them now - superfast!!!

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Alexis

[Guest Stu&Jo]

Hi Alexis,

was reading on another forum (shhhh) about updates, but I'm sure the info is on here as well somewhere, I keep forgetting to make a note of where I find stuff so end up finding it at 1 am and then I'm so knackered I forget to make a note of where I found it!!!

 

The request doesn't mean you have a CO assigned, it was via an automated e-mail, our online update says medicals finalised and application is being processed, it said it was being processed the day after I applied!!