How to Apply for a Medicare Levy Exemption on a Temporary Visa (Step-by-Step MES Guide)

This walkthrough follows the scenario shown in the video. Answer questions based on your own circumstances and provide any documents requested.

Follow these 21 steps

1. Log in to your myGov account.

2. On the myGov home page, click "View and link services."

3. Find "Individual Healthcare Identifiers service" in the list and click "Link."

4. On the Individual Healthcare Identifiers (IHI) service page, click "I need an IHI."

5. Under "Select your identity document," choose "your passport, with your valid Australian Visa" and click Next.

6. Enter your personal details: first name, middle name (optional), last name, date of birth and gender. Click Next.

7. Enter your contact details: email address, mobile number and preferred contact method (optional). Click Next.

8. Enter your passport details: passport number and date of birth as shown on your passport. Tick the consent box and click Continue.

9. On the Success screen, select Continue to finish the linking of the service.

10. On the IHI welcome page, click "Go to MES dashboard" under Medicare Entitlement Statements (MES).

11. On the MES Dashboard, click "Apply for a MES."

12. On the "Before you start" page, click "Get started."

13. Under "Claiming period," select the financial year you need the exemption for and click Next.

14. Under "Your details," select Passport as your travel document and enter your passport number and passport country. Enter your name as it appears on your passport: title (optional), family name and first name. Then enter your gender and date of birth. Tick the consent box for the Department of Home Affairs and click Next. Your details will show as "Verified."

15. Under "Your contact details," enter your best contact number, email address and Australian residential address. Tick "My postal address is the same as my residential address" and click Next.

16. Under "Letter delivery preference," select myGov Inbox and click Next.

17. Under "Before coming to Australia," fill in the following, then click Next:

    • the country where you last lived for 6 months or more before coming to Australia
    • how long you lived there, in years and months
    • whether you hold current or expired health insurance in Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden or the United Kingdom
    • whether you are from Finland, Malta or Norway and came to Australia on a student visa

18. Under "Have you applied for permanent residency," select No and click Next.

19. On the "Supporting documents" page, you don't need to provide any supporting documents. Click Next.

20. On the "Review and submit" page, check all your details, read the declaration and click Submit.

21. Go to the MES Dashboard to see the status of your application. It will show as "In progress."