@zippyfox1148

491 Visa – Time to Relocate to Regional + Address Evidence While Offshore?

Hi everyone,

I lodged my 491 visa in December 2023, and received an s56 request in October 2023 for remedicals, which has since been cleared. I'm currently on a Bridging Visa A and living in a non-regional area for work reasons.

As you know, once the 491 visa is granted, the following conditions will apply:

• 8578 – Must notify of certain changes
• 8579 – Must live, work or study only in a designated regional area
• 8580 – Must provide evidence of residential addresses if requested
• 8581 – Must attend an interview if requested

I have a couple of questions I hope someone can help with:

• After the visa is granted, how much time is given to relocate to a regional area to comply with condition 8579? Is there a grace period, or is the expectation to move immediately?

• We have offshore travel planned for 2-3 months soon after the visa grant. To save on rent during that time, we’re planning to store our belongings at a friend’s place (which is in a regional area).

• What kind of address evidence does Home Affairs accept to show we are residing in a regional area? Would temporary storage at a friend’s place be sufficient?

• Do we need to show lease agreements, utility bills, or anything else to satisfy condition 8580?

Appreciate any guidance from others who have been through this or have insights.

Thanks in advance!

Visa Status Update in Immi Account→

Submitted Documents to comply with s56 Request for Further Information (RFI) from Visa Case Officer→

Clarification Regarding Re-Medicals and Health Assessment Status on ImmiAccount

I am seeking clarification regarding the status of the health examinations for my partner and myself, as displayed in our ImmiAccount. Below are the details and my queries:

Question 1: Health Assessment Status on ImmiAccount

• My wife and I received an S56 request for re-medicals, and additionally, my wife was requested to undergo an AFP check.
• My wife completed her re-medicals on 8th October, and I completed mine on 9th October. As of now, under the Health Assessment tab:

For myself, the status reads: "Health clearance provided – no action required. All health examinations required for the specified visa subclass have been finalised. Processing of this person's visa application can now continue. This will not occur until a case officer investigates the case in line with published processing times for the visa that has been applied for. Do not contact the department about health examinations in the meantime."

Question: Does this mean my medicals have been cleared by BUPA?

For my wife, the status reads: "Examinations ready for assessment – no action required. The required health examinations have been completed and submitted by the panel clinic to the department. This person's case will be processed or referred to the department's migration medical services provider, Bupa Medical Visa Services, for further assessment."

Question: Does this mean her medicals are still under assessment and not yet cleared by BUPA?

Question 2: “I confirm I have provided the information as requested” Button

I have uploaded the latest AFP on 10th October 2025. Under the Attach Documents section of our ImmiAccount, I still see a button labeled: “I confirm I have provided the information as requested.”

Question: Should I click this button, or is it only necessary after uploading specific documents?

Received s56 Request for Further Information (RFI) from Visa Case Officer→

Seeking Advice: Planning Childbirth in Australia vs India – Visa & Practical Considerations Hi everyone,

My wife and I received our 491 visa invitation about 2 years ago and lodged our application back in 2023. We're now expecting the visa grant in the coming weeks, as per current timelines. As we plan our future, we're also looking forward to starting a family. We’re thinking of planning for a baby during the Christmas holidays this year. Since we’re currently living in Australia just the two of us, and our families are offshore, we’re trying to weigh two possible scenarios for childbirth and postnatal care.

We’d really appreciate if anyone who has gone through similar situations – either from onshore or offshore experiences – could share their advice. Here are the two scenarios we’re considering:

Scenario 1: Delivery in India My wife will travel to India after completing 3 months of pregnancy. She will stay with our family for the rest of the pregnancy and deliver there. Family support will help with postnatal care. We plan to return with the baby when the child is 10-11 months old.

Questions: What are the visa implications for a baby born outside Australia to parents holding a 491 visa? What’s the process and cost involved in getting the baby a visa to return to Australia? Would this impact our residency pathway or future PR eligibility in any way?

Scenario 2: Delivery in Australia

We’ll invite my mother to come over when my wife is 5 months pregnant. She will stay through the delivery and provide postnatal care (for about 3-4 months). Once her visa ends, we’ll invite my mother-in-law to stay and support us for another 6 months.

Questions:

What kind of visitor visa would be best for each parent? (Duration, cost, medical insurance requirements, etc.) Is there a way to extend 3 months short stay visitor visas if needed? Would having the child in Australia be more beneficial in terms of citizenship, healthcare, and documentation?

If anyone has personal experience or insights – especially if you've had a baby while on a 491 visa, or brought parents over to support during childbirth – we’d love to hear how you managed it. Any tips on navigating the visa process, planning timelines, or even hospital recommendations would be very helpful!

Thanks in advance for your guidance and support.

How to update my email address on smartvisaguide.com website?

Regards,

Hi @gregormendel I lodged my 491 Visa in December 2023. I had my medical on 10th December 2023. It got expired now. Could I get my re-medical again?

Regards,

@gregormendel As per February FOI data https://smartvisaguide.com/static/dist/library/SmartVisaGuide_3MAR2025.xlsx 491 visas have been granted so far. The planning level allocation for this visa category is 33,000, meaning a significant number of spots remain unfilled.

At the current pace, it seems unlikely that the full quota will be utilized by the end of the financial year. If this happens, will these ungranted visas be forfeited due to the slow processing by Home Affairs, or is there a possibility of rollover into the next year?