Almost every Australian visa requires you to meet health and character requirements, and these can genuinely affect the outcome — but a medical condition or a past police matter doesn't automatically mean refusal. What matters is understanding the rules and being completely honest. Here's how both requirements work.
What is the health requirement?
Most visa applicants must meet the health requirement, which usually involves a health examination (a medical and sometimes a chest x-ray and other tests) by a Department-approved panel doctor. The purpose is twofold: to protect public health (for example, screening for active tuberculosis) and to consider the potential cost to Australia's healthcare and community services.
Can a medical condition cause a visa refusal?
It can, but it's more nuanced than people fear. A condition may affect your application if it's assessed as likely to result in significant healthcare or community-service costs above a defined threshold, or to prejudice the access of Australians to services in short supply. Crucially, having a health condition is not an automatic bar — many people with managed conditions are granted visas. For some visas, where a condition would otherwise cause a problem, a health waiver may be available, where the Department weighs the costs against other factors. This is a genuinely complex area where good advice matters.
What is the character requirement?
All applicants must satisfy the character requirement under section 501 of the Migration Act. You're generally required to declare all criminal history (charges and convictions), answer all questions truthfully, and provide police clearance certificates from countries where you've lived for significant periods. A substantial criminal record is the most well-known trigger, but the character test covers a broader range of conduct.
Will a police record stop me getting a visa?
Not necessarily — it depends on the nature, seriousness, and recency of the matter. Minor or old matters are treated very differently from serious or recent offending. The Department assesses character against Ministerial Direction guidance, with the protection of the Australian community as the paramount consideration. A note for 2026: the character rules were tightened, and the test now extends beyond convictions to certain conduct (such as inciting hatred or involvement with prohibited groups), so it's more important than ever to be transparent and seek advice if you have any history at all.
Why honesty is the most important rule here
The single biggest mistake people make is failing to declare something — a past charge, a prior visa refusal, a health matter — hoping it won't surface. It almost always does, and providing false or misleading information is itself a serious problem that can lead to refusal and long-term bans (and can affect future applications for years). Declaring an issue honestly and addressing it properly is far better than concealing it. If you have any health or character complexity, get advice before you lodge — not after a problem arises.
This article is general information only and does not constitute migration advice. Health and character matters are highly fact-specific — if you have any history that concerns you, book a consultation with Sirat before lodging.