Medicard timeline

I am moving from the UK to Melbourne and trying to get as much as as possible before I leave. I wanted to apply for my Medicare card before I left the UK but it looks like I have to do it in Aus. About how long does it take to get?

It all seems really confusing.

Any idea of timelines and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

why did you post the same question 6 times?

You only need to ask the same question once.

Getting a medicare card is simple - walk into a Medicare office with all your documents and apply (you can download the form on line and have it filled in and there is a list of the evidence you need to take with you). IIRC they give you a temporary card while you wait for the proper one to arrive. Chances are you aren't going to need it within that time period anyway, not really something to be getting your knickers in a knot about

What Quoll said.

Its really easy. Just sometimes the Centrelink offices can be busy so pick a quiet one or go to one that opens on a Saturday morning to deal with Medicare only and the rest of the Centrelink stuff is closed. We were in and out in 15 minutes going at that time to a big one.

It would be a Medicare office, not CentreLink. Assuming you have a visa that entitles you to a Medicare card, the Medicare number can be provided at time of registration (that is all you need). The card can take upto 21 days, possibly longer during holiday periods.

If you have UK nationality, and have not resided elsewhere in transit, emergency care in a public ED is free under the reciprocal rights agreement anyway. As it is for about another dozen countries. Some locations will require you to provide proof of nationality with a passport.

In Queensland I think all public sexual health clinics are also free (certainly Cairns is) without any evidence of entitlement to healthcare.

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To clarify, I posted about Centrelink as our Medicare 'office' was located within a busy main Centrelink. It opened on Saturday mornings while all the Centrelink side of things was closed and made getting our Medicare stuff sorted in really quick time as only one or two people waiting for Medicare stuff and 3 staff on.