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hi

Bridging visa will start after Visitor visa expires.

I have applied and waiting...for Medicare card

Thanks
Hi Nitukkr,

I have received the bridging visa today. Did you apply for Medicare online (via email) or did you go to a Medicare office? Just wondering if it would be faster if we go to Medicare office. Because we have submitted Medicare re-enrollment (we were overseas for more than 1 year after our initial entry) via email and we have received an auto-generated reply that says application process may take up to 28 days. I remember it was fast when we first applied, but we went to an office then.
 
People who have recently travelled to Australia, how has you experience been?
1) Did you call the airline and confirmed the itinerary considering the limited number of arrivals that are being allowed into the country?
2) How many time were you flight cancelled/rescheduled?
3) How was your quarantine experience? What additional preparation helped you during quarantine, or what do you wish you knew before that would have made it easier?
4) Do you know of anytime since March last year that the borders were closed even for Citizens/Permanent Residents.
 
People who have recently travelled to Australia, how has you experience been?
1) Did you call the airline and confirmed the itinerary considering the limited number of arrivals that are being allowed into the country?
2) How many time were you flight cancelled/rescheduled?
3) How was your quarantine experience? What additional preparation helped you during quarantine, or what do you wish you knew before that would have made it easier?
4) Do you know of anytime since March last year that the borders were closed even for Citizens/Permanent Residents.
1,2. Hi recently travelled to Australia through DFAT flight so very less chances of cancellation.
3. Quarantining in Darwin right now. Facility is quite good.
4. Borders were never closed for PRs/Citizens. Just that weekly capping keeps on changing and some states stop accepting international arrivals if there is an outbreak.
 
People who have recently travelled to Australia, how has you experience been?
1) Did you call the airline and confirmed the itinerary considering the limited number of arrivals that are being allowed into the country?
2) How many time were you flight cancelled/rescheduled?
3) How was your quarantine experience? What additional preparation helped you during quarantine, or what do you wish you knew before that would have made it easier?
4) Do you know of anytime since March last year that the borders were closed even for Citizens/Permanent Residents.
1. Yes, we were on waitlist so I had to call airline for updates/confirmation. I called them every day for a week and got no confirmation. I received a text message a day before the flight that we got in :-|
2. Twice, but this is because we booked with not so reliable airline. Singapore Airlines I think is the most reliable based from what I have been reading.
3. We arrived in Melbourne and was placed in Parkroyal airport hotel. Experience was generally good. We had no problems except for the food. But this is more because we are not yet used to Australian food wherein lunch is usually some cold sandwich or salad. We were given interconnecting rooms since we have a toddler. I specifically requested in Victoria quarantine form (you fill this out days prior to departure) for a spacious room for our toddler. I think they are extra lenient if you have a kid with you.
4. Same answer with IamWinner, borders never closed for PRs and citizens. But it is a bit difficult to secure a flight due to the cap they place on international arrivals.
 
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1. Yes, we were on waitlist so I had to call airline for updates/confirmation. I called them every day for a week and got no confirmation. I received a text message a day before the flight that we got in :-|
2. Twice, but this is because we booked with not so reliable airline. Singapore Airlines I think is the most reliable based from what I have been reading.
3. We arrived in Melbourne and was placed in Parkroyal airport hotel. Experience was generally good. We had no problems except for the food. But this is more because we are not yet used to Australian food wherein lunch is usually some cold sandwich or salad. We were given interconnecting rooms since we have a toddler. I specifically requested in Victoria quarantine form (you fill this out days prior to departure) for a spacious room for our toddler. I think they are extra lenient if you have a kid with you.
4. Same answer with IamWinner, borders never closed for PRs and citizens. But it is a bit difficult to secure a flight due to the cap they place on international arrivals.
Thanks for the info
 
Hi Nitukkr,

I have received the bridging visa today. Did you apply for Medicare online (via email) or did you go to a Medicare office? Just wondering if it would be faster if we go to Medicare office. Because we have submitted Medicare re-enrollment (we were overseas for more than 1 year after our initial entry) via email and we have received an auto-generated reply that says application process may take up to 28 days. I remember it was fast when we first applied, but we went to an office then.
Hi , Cool . You got it fast.

I applied for medicare for Kids via e-mail but when i applied for myself and my wife i visited MEdicare office.
What i observed is that ppl at counter at medicare office also dont do anything extra , they will simply scan and send the docs to same e-mail id which we can send.
Also, i had not so good experience at Parramatta Medicare office, They simply didnt want to work and we wasted our time visiting medicare office. So this time i just sent email and it will anyway take 4-6 weeks .
 
Hi , Cool . You got it fast.

I applied for medicare for Kids via e-mail but when i applied for myself and my wife i visited MEdicare office.
What i observed is that ppl at counter at medicare office also dont do anything extra , they will simply scan and send the docs to same e-mail id which we can send.
Also, i had not so good experience at Parramatta Medicare office, They simply didnt want to work and we wasted our time visiting medicare office. So this time i just sent email and it will anyway take 4-6 weeks .

Oh, that's sad to hear. I remember when we first applied (2 yrs ago), we were already given Medicare number after our initial visit. Though the cards came via mail weeks afterwards. So you still do not have Medicare number as well for you and your wife up to now?
 
Oh, that's sad to hear. I remember when we first applied (2 yrs ago), we were already given Medicare number after our initial visit. Though the cards came via mail weeks afterwards. So you still do not have Medicare number as well for you and your wife up to now?
I also had the same experience
The medicare number was given to us on the spot to tide us over till the physical cards came by post
Cheers
 
Oh, that's sad to hear. I remember when we first applied (2 yrs ago), we were already given Medicare number after our initial visit. Though the cards came via mail weeks afterwards. So you still do not have Medicare number as well for you and your wife up to now?

I got the medicare card in post mail after 6 weeks for me and my . I asked them the temporary number but they didn't give and asked to wait and call medicare helpline if needed.
For kids still waiting...
 
I got the medicare card in post mail after 6 weeks for me and my . I asked them the temporary number but they didn't give and asked to wait and call medicare helpline if needed.
For kids still waiting...
Oh, process is a lot longer now. Just checked and during our initial enrollment, we got the cards 2 weeks after our visit to Medicare office.

I don't want to be cancelling the private insurance until we get at least a Medicare number for our kid.
 
Hey,

Sorry I didn't get it. If we can't avail medicare services for kid on visitor visa, why do we need to cancel private insurance?
Apologize in case I missed anything, but need some clarity on this.

Thanks.
I think what Nitukkr meant was you cannot apply for Medicare if you're only on visitor visa. But if you already have the bridging visa, then you can already do so. In the Medicare website, it says that you can enroll if you have applied for permanent residency. To prove that, you'd need the acknowledgment of visa application which comes with bridging visa.
 
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Just wondering, anyone here who recently arrived and still looking for work? Have you applied for Centrelink Family Tax Benefit since you have child/children?
 
Thanks Nitukkr..

Can we also avail Child Care Subsidy for kid's childcare while on bridging visa?
Anyone has any idea?

Also, I would be applying for 802 soon. As I read your and shellady's comments, we don't need to certify soft copy of documents right?

Thanks.
Hi

I have applied for medicare and waiting for it. But i am not sure about child care as i am not availing yet. So better refer to official page.

For your second question - I didn't certify soft copies, as it didnt make any sense to me.
 
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