Skilled-Independent VISA health requirement

A medical assessment is required for a skilled-independent immigrant VISA application.  An applicant will be notified to take the medical assessment once his application reaches a case officer.  DIAC publishes its list of panel doctors who are authorized to perform the medical assessment of an applicant.  In the Philippines, the list is here.


If you submitted an online visa application, you can take advantage of the eHealth medical assessment system.


A skilled-immigrant visa has two health forms to fill-out.  Form 26 is for the Medical Examination, it contains what tests will be required for an applicant to submit.  It contains the usual requirement for physical examination and some blood tests.  Form 160 is for a chest  x-ray requirement.  Bring these forms along with the letter of request from your case officer that you are required to undergo a medical assessment.  


Fortunately, there is an eHealth enabled clinic in Cebu.  An eHealth clinic can submit an eVISA applicant's medical assessment results online.  As such, results reach the Health Operations Center within a day after all results are available.  This helps speed up the VISA assessment process.  

I went to Nationwide Health Systems Cebu on a friday, 3 days after I received a request from my case officer.  This clinic is on the 3rd floor of a Jose Borromeo building, opposite of Cebu Doctor's emergency entrance which is at the back.


Medical Clinic 
Nationwide Health Systems Cebu Inc.
Room 302 Jose C.Borromeo Building
Governor Roa Street, Capitol Site
Cebu City 6000
Philippines
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8 am to 5 pm
Telephone: +63 32 238 6053
Fax: + 63 32 238 6053
Doctor(s):
Dr Odette Basal
Dr Julieta R G Coruna


If you choose to pursue with an eHealth application,  you must have lodged an online visa application.  If so, forms are available for download directly from your electronic application status page.  The forms will automatically bear your TRN (Transaction Reference Number), your passport number, date of birth, and the country where your passport was issued.  


This clinic accepts applicants on a first-come-first-serve basis.  As soon as the building opens at around 6.30 in the morning. write your name on a piece of paper outside the clinic's door.  That's the priority list.  After 8am, the clinic will no longer accept more applicants.


My experience.  I had to wait until 8am for the clinic to open.  There were plenty of applicants in a single day and the clinic is in a very warm spot, so be prepared get lots of sweat.  After submitting forms 26 and 160, I paid 2,800 Php - the standard rate for skilled-immigrant VISA medical assessment.  Since a urinalysis is required, I was asked not to take anything sweet before the specimen was taken.  So I brought along with me a bottle of water just to keep that pee clean and clear. 


The physical exam and urine sample are taken in the clinic.  After, a gentleman will guide you to Cebu Doctor's Hospital to have your chest x-ray taken.  We were asked to go back at 1.30pm to the clinic for the blood extraction.  A laboratory rep will take your blood sample.

I was done by 2pm.

What's your medical assessment day like?