Subclass 602

Medical Treatment Visa (602): Come to Australia for Treatment, or to Support Someone Who Is.

When health is the reason you need to be in Australia, an ordinary visitor visa often won't stretch far enough. The 602 is built for treatment - for patients, organ donors, and family members supporting someone through care. And unlike most visitor visas, it can be granted while you're already in Australia.

Can be granted onshoreExtends a stay for treatmentPatients and their support

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What the 602 Is

The visa for when a stay turns into something more serious.

The Medical Treatment visa is a temporary visa for people who need to be in Australia for health reasons. That covers coming for treatment or consultations, donating an organ to someone, or being the family member or carer who comes to support and accompany a patient.

What sets it apart from the other visitor visas is where it can be used. The 602 can be granted while you're already in Australia, not just from overseas. So if you came here on a different visa and your treatment needs to continue, the 602 can let you stay on lawfully while you finish the care you came for.

This is the visa for the unexpected. Someone arrives for a holiday and falls seriously ill. A parent comes to help with a new baby and needs ongoing care. A family member needs to stay on to nurse a relative through treatment. The 602 is designed for exactly these moments - when an ordinary visitor visa can't carry the load.

What You'll Need

The key requirements for a 602.

Evidence of the medical treatment or consultations being arranged in Australia
Confirmation of the arrangements from the treating hospital, doctor or clinic
The means to pay for the treatment and your stay - shown through your own funds or a supporter
For some applicants, that the treatment won't draw on public Australian health funding
The usual health and character requirements

We handle these applications with the sensitivity the situation asks for. If you're already in Australia, we move quickly so your stay stays lawful while care continues. The aim is to take the visa worry off your plate entirely.

Timing and Funding

How long it takes, and how the costs are met.

Two questions come up on almost every treatment matter: how long the visa takes to decide, and how the treatment will be paid for. The table below sets out the markers we work to. Treat the processing range as a guide rather than a promise - the Department assesses each case on its own evidence, and onshore matters where your stay needs to remain lawful are usually prioritised differently to offshore ones.

Marker	What to expect
Processing time	Generally around 8 to 16 months, depending on the stream and the strength of the evidence. This is a Tier 2 operational range that can shift, so we confirm the current guidance with you and time the lodgement around your treatment.
Application charge	A government application charge applies and is set by the Department. There is no charge locked on this page - we confirm the current figure with you before you lodge, and any professional fee from us is quoted in writing first. See how we quote.
Funding evidence	You must show the treatment and stay can be paid for - through your own funds, private health cover, or a supporter or guarantor who commits in writing. For many applicants the treatment must not draw on public Australian health funding.
Lawful stay onshore	If you apply from inside Australia, a bridging visa usually keeps your stay lawful while the 602 is decided. We lodge in good time so there is no gap.

Why funding sits at the centre of the decision. The 602 turns heavily on showing how the care will be paid for. Vague answers slow a case down. We help you assemble the funding picture - bank evidence, private health cover, or a written guarantor commitment - so the Department can see clearly that the costs are covered and, where it applies, that public health funding is not relied on. This is general information, not personal advice for your circumstances.

Common Questions

Medical treatment visa questions.

Can I apply for the 602 while I'm already in Australia?

Yes - and this is the key feature that makes the 602 different from most visitor visas. If you came to Australia on a different visa and your medical situation means you need to stay longer, the 602 can be applied for and granted onshore. We move quickly on these to keep your stay lawful while care continues.

What if I'm coming to support a family member, not as the patient?

The 602 covers you. The supporting and accompanying stream is specifically for family members or carers who need to be in Australia to support a patient. You don't need to be the person receiving treatment - being the primary support person is a qualifying reason.

Does Medicare cover the treatment costs?

The 602 requires that the treatment can be paid for - and in many cases, that it won't draw on public Australian health funding. Evidence of how the treatment will be funded is a central part of the application. We help you structure this clearly so there's no ambiguity about funding when the Department assesses it.

How long can the 602 last?

The 602 is granted for the period needed to complete the treatment or care, and it can be extended if circumstances require. The exact period is decided case by case based on evidence from the treating provider. We help you build a clear picture of the treatment timeline so the grant covers what you actually need.

How long does the 602 take to be decided?

As a general guide, the Subclass 602 Medical Treatment visa tends to take around 8 to 16 months, depending on the stream and how complete the evidence is. That range is an operational figure that can change, so we confirm the current guidance before you lodge. Where you are already in Australia and need your stay to remain lawful, we lodge in good time and rely on a bridging visa so there is no gap while the 602 is assessed.

What counts as evidence of treatment arrangements?

Typically a letter from the treating hospital, doctor or clinic that confirms the appointments or admission, sets out the treatment plan and timeline, and gives an indication of the costs. The stronger and more specific that picture is, the more clearly the case reads. We tell you exactly what the treating provider needs to put in writing, and pair it with your funding evidence so the arrangements and the means to pay line up.

Can private health insurance or a guarantor cover the funding requirement?

Often, yes. The funding requirement can be met through your own funds, an appropriate private health cover, or a supporter or guarantor in Australia who commits in writing to meeting the costs. For many applicants the key point is that the treatment will not draw on public Australian health funding. The right combination depends on your situation, so we work through the funding picture with you and assemble the evidence that suits your circumstances.

Do other family members visiting the patient need their own visa?

Generally yes. The 602 covers the patient and the primary carer or support person who needs to accompany them. Other relatives who simply want to visit usually need their own visa - most often a Subclass 600 Visitor visa. If several family members need to be here, we look at the whole group together so each person is on the right pathway. You can always talk to us about your treatment visa situation.

Related Help

Where to from here.

General visitingVisitor Visa 600For when the visit is personal rather than medical. Bridging visasBridging Visas ExplainedIf you're already here and need to stay lawfully. All visitor optionsVisitor Visas OverviewSee every short-stay visitor pathway.

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Need to stay for treatment?

We move quickly for onshore applications - so your stay stays lawful while care continues.