For some visa applications, you will have to provide Medical Reports and X-rays

To prove that you are of acceptable health, you may have to submit a medical report a chest x-ray certificate with your visa application.

Your Licensed Immigration Adviser will let you know if you and your family will be required to submit medicals. This will depend on the type of visa you wish to obtain.

Different requirements for different visa applications:

As a rule of thumb, you must provide a medical certificate if you’ll be staying in New Zealand for more than 12 months or if you are applying for residence.

Residence class visa applications

If you are applying for residency, you will have to supply medicals at some stage of your visa application process, depending on the policy you have chosen for your application.

Applicants under the Skilled Migrant Category have to declare any health issues right at the start of their process, in their Expression of Interest.

Only if their EOI is successfully selected, each family member included in the application process must provide a medical and chest X-ray certificate with their subsequent residence application.

Exception: Children under 11 years of age and pregnant women are also not required to have an X-ray unless a special report is needed.

Temporary entry class visa applications

Whether you need to provide a medical certificate with your temporary visa application depends on the type of temporary entry class visa you are applying for, whether you have provided one with a previous application and how long you intend to stay in New Zealand.

Temporary entry class visas include work, student, visitor, working holiday, military, diplomatic, consular, or official visa, limited visa applications and visas related to the Antarctic Treaty.  

Temporary entry class visa applications that do not require medicals:

Medical and chest X-ray certificates do not need to be provided for temporary visas - including work, student, visitor, working holiday, military, diplomatic, consular, or official visas, limited visa applications and visas related to the Antarctic Treaty - unless requested by the immigration officer in charge of your application, if you

• intend to be in New Zealand for less than six months, or

• are applying for a Working Holiday Extension visa, or

• have been recognised as a refugee or protected person in New Zealand and are eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa, or

• are applying for a military visa, diplomatic, consular or official visa.

Again, children under 11 years of age and pregnant women are also not required to have an X-ray, unless a special report is needed.

If you are already in New Zealand, the time you have already spent here is included when determining whether you stay more or less than six months.

There are four different types of medical certificates:

• General Medical Certificate

• Limited Medical Certificate

• Chest X-ray Certificate

• Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme Supplementary Medical Certificate

There are also tailored medical certificates for mandated refugees and Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category applicants, who are outside New Zealand.

What you have to provide depends on which category you are applying under, how long you intend to stay in New Zealand, and whether you have provided a medical certificate with any previous application.

A Limited Medical Certificate and Chest X-ray Certificate must be provided by applicants who:

• are applying under the Partnership Category as the partner of a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder and who meet the requirements of the Partnership Category, and any dependent child(ren) included in their application; or

• are applying under the Dependent Child Category as the dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder and who meet the requirements of the Dependent Child Category, or

• have been recognised as having refugee or protection status in New Zealand and are applying for a permanent resident visa, and their partner and dependent child(ren), or

• are a UNHCR mandated refugee who has been selected as a candidate for New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme, or

• are applying under the Refugee Quota Family Reunification (RQFR) Category.

A General Medical Certificate and Chest X-ray Certificate must be provided if you:

• are applying for residence under any other category; or

• are the partner or dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident and you were eligible to be included in your partner or parent’s residence application and were not, or were withdrawn from their application before it was approved; or

• are applying as a partner or dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident and you do not meet the requirements of the residence category that you are applying for at the time you lodge your application.

Where can you get a medical certificate?

You have to see a recognised medical practitioner to obtain your medical clearance.

In New Zealand, any medical practitioner holding a current annual practising certificate issued by the New Zealand Medical Council may conduct the medical examination and complete the medical certificate.

If you are overseas, you need to see a Panel Doctor.

In most countries outside New Zealand, there is a panel of medical practitioners, called panel doctors, or institutions which must be used for your medical examination.

Only doctors and radiologists approved by Immigration New Zealand, so-called Panel Physicians,  can certify your standard of health.

There are 639 approved doctors worldwide:

To find your nearest approved Panel Doctor in your country of residence or in New Zealand search the register on www.https://www.immigration.govt.nz.

The eMedical

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has now established eMedical in New Zealand.  A total of 133  New Zealand-based medical and radiology clinics are now able to use the electronic health processing tool to record immigration medical examinations.

What will Immigration New Zealand do with information about your health?

When you have submitted your visa application, Immigration New Zealand will assess your health status, using the information that you have provided in your application form and your medical certificates. In some cases, your immigration case officer may refer your medical certificates to an Immigration New Zealand medical assessor for advice.

How long are medical certificates valid for?

It is important to note that General Medical Certificates, Limited Medical Certificates, or Chest X-ray Certificates (and associated reports) must be less than three months old at the time you lodge your application. After that, they will not be accepted by Immigration New Zealand.

However, there are a few exceptions, too numerous to list here.

Our advice: Medicals are expensive. Talk to our Licensed Immigration Adviser about the right timing for obtaining your medicals.

They will know by when you will be able to fulfil all other visa eligibility requirements and when the time is right to submit your visa application.  

What happens if you have already provided a medical?

You generally do not have to provide a new medical certificate if you have provided one with an earlier application

Do you need a Medical Waiver?

If you or any family member included in your application do not have an acceptable standard of health, your application will be declined, unless Immigration New Zealand will grant you a medical waiver.

If you have any health problems and think that you might have difficulties demonstrating that you have an acceptable standard of health, please talk to one of our Licensed Immigration Advisers. They are experienced in assisting our clients with applying for medical waivers.