If you're applying for an Australian visa, you may need to get a Health Assessment Program (HAP) ID. The Department of Home Affairs in Australia generates this ID, and the medical clinic you book an appointment with will use it to identify you if you need to get a health exam.
During the Australian visa application process, the form will include questions about your health and medical history to determine your health status. New residents to Australia are obliged to, as the Australian government puts it, "meet the health requirementâ€.
Examining the health status of visa applicants and ensuring they meet health requirements is done to prevent the spread of diseases that Australia has a low incidence of, like tuberculosis, or ones that pose a risk to public health. We'll explain what that means below, and tell you everything you need to know about getting a HAP ID for your Australian visa.
If you need to transfer money to Australia as part of your visa application and move, you should know that there are cheaper options than using your bank to transfer your savings. CurrencyFair is up to eight times cheaper than traditional banks when you need to send money abroad.
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What is a HAP ID?
A HAP ID is a Health Assessment Program identification number. It is a unique number given to you by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in Australia. You'll need one if the DHA has flagged that you need to undertake health exams after you've submitted your visa application and medical history. It's used to track your health exams and results.
You'll need the HAP ID to make an appointment for your health exams. The clinic won't be able to locate your case in the health processing system without your HAP ID.
Why do I need to meet a health requirement for an Australian visa?
There are a few reasons behind the health requirement for Australian visas. For one, the Australian government aims to limit the diseases or conditions that could pose a threat to the Australian community entering the country.
As an island, Australia is generally ready to pull up the drawbridge and restrict entry into the country to protect its inhabitants. It was one of the earliest and most aggressive respondents to the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing travel restrictions and quarantines for travellers early on.
The health requirement is also in place to determine if you have a condition that would cause a cost to the Australian health care and community services. It also allows the DHA to control spending on social security benefits, allowances and pensions by flagging conditions that would put an additional strain on these services.
With the exception of some applicants who are granted health waivers, all travellers into Australia have to meet the health requirement. And the Australian government requires some applicants to undertake health exams to confirm they do so. If you need these health exams, you'll need a HAP ID.
To check whether you need to have health exams, log in to ImmiAccount and select "View health assessment"in the "Applications Status"section.​​
Who needs health exams and a HAP ID?
If you plan on moving to Australia and applying for a permanent visa, you and any family members that apply with you will have to have health exams. In certain circumstances, even family members not coming to Australia with you will also have to have a health exam.
If you apply for a temporary visa, you might need to get a health exam depending on the visa you apply for, how long you plan to stay, the kind of work you plan to do, and the country you apply from.
You can find more details about the country restrictions and the type of health exams you need on the DHA website.
How to find your HAP ID
If you applied for your Australian visa online, you can find your HAP ID in the referral letter that you downloaded from your ImmiAccount when you applied. The referral letter will also list the health exams that you are required to undertake and the timeframes within which you must do so.
If you applied using a paper visa application, your HAP ID is in your Health Examination List or the equivalent document the DHA has provided you with.
Sending money abroad with CurrencyFair
When your medical affairs are taken care of, it's time to book flights and get excited about living in Australia. CurrencyFair can help save you money when you need to transfer the expenses related to relocation and setting up a new home abroad. Once you have set up your Australian bank account, you can also send money home from Australia with CurrencyFair. It's ideal for expats who need to:
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Send regular savings home.
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Make mortgage payments and other property expenses overseas.
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Remit the sale of shares abroad.
Remember that you can save up to eight times what you'd spend using a bank when you transfer money abroad with CurrencyFair. Our transparent fees and exchange rates end up saving you more, as seen in our comparison assessment.
You can access great exchange rates in Australia from any device, at any time, and send and receive international money transfers in over 20 currencies and 150 countries with a CurrencyFair account.
This information is correct as of June 2022. This information is not to be relied on in making a decision with regard to an investment. We strongly recommend that you obtain independent financial advice before making any form of investment or significant financial transaction. This article is purely for general information purposes. Please note that depending on your nationality and visa requirements some of the above options may not be choices which are available to you. ​​Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA.
