What Medical Evidence Do I Need for an Australian Carer Visa (116) in 2026?
For a Carer visa (Subclass 116), the core medical evidence is a certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services stating that your Australian relative — or the family member living with them — has a medical condition and requires a certain amount of care for it. The assessment must have at least started before you lodge: the Department of Home Affairs says it will not accept the application unless there is evidence the process has begun. This reflects the Department's official Carer visa (Subclass 116) page, as of July 2026.
Who is actually being assessed?
Not you. The Bupa assessment covers the person who needs care — your sponsoring relative in Australia, or a member of their family who lives with them. The Department's step-by-step instructions say this person "must be assessed by and get a medical certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services."
That distinction matters, because applicants often assume their own medical check covers the caring side. It does not; your own health requirement is a separate item discussed below.
What does the certificate have to say?
The Department states the certificate must include a statement that the person has a medical condition and requires a certain amount of care because of it. Two elements, then:
- A medical condition — the certificate has to identify the condition, not merely describe general frailty or old age.
- The amount of care required — the certificate has to quantify or describe the care the condition calls for, which is what links the medical evidence to the care you say you will provide.
If a document covers the diagnosis but says nothing about how much care is needed, it does not match what the Department describes on the official page.
Can I lodge before Bupa finishes the assessment?
Yes, but only with proof that the process has started. The Department's own wording is that it will not accept the application without evidence "this process has at least begun."
If the assessment has started but has not yet finished, the Department asks for a letter from Bupa Medical Visa Services confirming that, and then the medical certificate as soon as you receive it. So the realistic lodgement options are:
| Situation at lodgement | What the Department asks for |
|---|---|
| Bupa assessment completed | The Bupa medical certificate itself |
| Bupa assessment started, not finished | A letter from Bupa confirming the assessment has begun |
| Nothing started | The application is not accepted |
Assume a person has booked and started the Bupa assessment in the same month they post the paper application: they lodge with Bupa's confirmation letter and send the certificate when it arrives.
How long do I have to send the certificate after applying?
Three months. The Department says that if you did not give the certificate when you applied, you should provide it within three months of applying — and if it has not arrived by the time the decision is made, the visa will not be granted. The same instruction is repeated after lodgement: provide the Bupa certificate as soon as you receive it.
Do I need anything besides the certificate?
Yes, two things sit alongside it.
First, the Department requires written evidence that your Australian relative or their family member does not have reasonable access to care options in Australia. The official page requires this evidence but does not prescribe a document format.
Second, the carer definition itself. Under the Migration Regulations 1994 (regulation 1.15AA), being a carer turns on the relative's long-term or permanent health condition, the care it requires, whether that care can reasonably be obtained in Australia, and whether you are willing and able to provide substantial and continuing care directly. Practical factors commonly cited for the "cannot reasonably obtain care" element include services not being available, cost, and waiting times. Because regulatory detail can be amended, read the current official text of the Regulations before relying on any specific element.
Is there a threshold for how serious the condition must be?
Regulation 1.15AA's carer definition is built around function rather than diagnosis: the condition should be long-term or permanent, and it refers to the person being unable to carry out at least four daily living activities — bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, moving about, and communicating are the examples given. Check the current text of regulation 1.15AA on the Federal Register of Legislation to confirm the exact wording.
This is general information about published requirements rather than advice on an individual case, so check the current official material or get qualified professional advice before deciding how it applies to your own circumstances.
Do I need to understand the condition myself?
Yes. The Department's eligibility section says that to show you are a carer, you should fully understand your sponsor's medical condition and what their care needs are. The Bupa certificate is therefore not just a hurdle to clear — it is also the document you are expected to have engaged with, since you will be the one delivering the care.
Is my own health examination the same thing?
No. You and any family members applying with you must meet the health requirement separately, and the Department tells you after you apply whether health examinations are needed. That check concerns you; the Bupa certificate concerns the person being cared for. Mixing the two up is the most common way applicants misjudge how much medical paperwork a 116 application involves.
How is the evidence actually submitted?
The 116 application is a paper application, made and decided while you are outside Australia, using Form 47OF and sent to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth. Send certified copies rather than originals, keep your own copy of everything, and after you receive the acknowledgement letter you can import the application into ImmiAccount to upload later documents such as the Bupa certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to be assessed by Bupa Medical Visa Services?
The person who needs the care — your sponsoring relative in Australia, or a member of their family who lives with them. The applicant's own medical checks are a separate requirement handled through the health requirement process, not through Bupa.
Can I submit my application before the Bupa assessment is finished?
Yes, provided you can show the process has at least begun. The Department asks for a letter from Bupa Medical Visa Services confirming the assessment has started, and the certificate itself as soon as you receive it.
How long after lodging do I have to provide the certificate?
Three months from applying. If the Department reaches a decision without the certificate, the visa will not be granted, so the practical deadline is whichever comes first.
Is a report from my relative's own doctor enough instead of Bupa?
No. The Department's official page specifies a certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services, which is the body that carries out the assessment. A specialist's report may help you understand the condition, but it does not replace the certificate the Department asks for.
Do I need separate evidence about care options in Australia?
Yes. Alongside the certificate, the Department requires written evidence that your Australian relative or their family member does not have reasonable access to care options in Australia. The official page requires this evidence without prescribing a single document format.
Does passing my own health examination cover the medical evidence requirement?
No. Your health examination goes to the health requirement for you and any family members applying with you. The Bupa certificate goes to the care needs of the relative in Australia, and both are needed.
What if the certificate arrives after three months?
Send it anyway, as soon as you receive it, since the Department asks for it by the time it decides the application. The safer course is to start the Bupa assessment early enough that the timing gap never becomes the reason the evidence is missing.