Subclass 200 health and character requirements in 2026: PIC 4001 and 4007
What the Subclass 200 health and character rules require in 2026, who must meet them, and when the health requirement may be waived.
Both apply, and both extend beyond the main applicant. As at the August 2026 version of the Department of Home Affairs page Refugee category visas (Subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204), you and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement; family members who do not apply with you might also have to meet both. The health requirement is the one that carries a waiver pathway: if you have compassionate and compelling circumstances, the department states it might waive your health requirement. This article is general information only and is not personalised professional advice — health and character outcomes turn on individual medical findings, police records and the current official guidance, so those should govern any decision you make.
Who has to meet the health requirement?
The main applicant, every family member included in the application, and possibly family members who are not included. For this visa the department defines family as your partner, your dependent children, your partner's dependent children, and another relative who is a dependant. A child who is not dependent on you must apply for their own visa.
Three consequences follow from that structure:
- Non-immigrating family members are still in scope. The official page states that family members who do not apply with you might also have to meet the health requirement, and separately that family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet it.
- Declaration is mandatory. You must declare all family members even if they will not be applying with you. If you do not declare a family member, the page warns you may not be able to propose them for a Humanitarian visa after you arrive in Australia.
- Health can affect timing. Processing times vary with individual and family circumstances, and the department lists health conditions that might require testing or treatment among the reasons a decision can take longer. Officially, the decision process takes many months, even years.
Can the health requirement be waived?
Possibly, but it is discretionary rather than automatic. The department's wording is conditional: if you have compassionate and compelling circumstances, it might waive your health requirement. Nothing on the official page converts that into an entitlement, and the waiver language is attached only to health — the character requirement is presented without a comparable compassionate-circumstances exception.
Assume an applicant with a dependent child who has a condition that would normally fail the health requirement. On the official framing, the question is not whether the condition exists but whether the compassionate and compelling circumstances are accepted; the health criterion remains PIC 4007 (below), and the department decides the waiver on the facts of the case.
What does the character requirement involve?
The character requirement applies to the same group as health: you, family members applying with you, and potentially family members who do not apply with you. The official document list for this visa asks for specific character-related material:
- Military service records or discharge papers, if you served in the armed forces of any country.
- Character documents for your partner, as part of the partner document set.
- Character documents for each dependant aged 18 or over who applies with you.
- Character documents for dependants under 18, where applicable, alongside identity and relationship evidence.
Two further requirements appear in the eligibility list. If you are 18 or over, you must sign or accept the Australian Values Statement, confirming you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. And if you or any family member — including one who does not apply with you — owes the Australian Government money, it must have been paid back or arrangements made to pay it back.
Which public interest criteria does Subclass 200 actually list?
The criteria are set out in Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994. PIC 4001 is the character criterion and PIC 4007 the health criterion; compiled text and effective status should be confirmed against the Federal Register of Legislation, which is the authoritative version.
| Public interest criterion | Who it covers | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4007, 4009, 4010 | Primary applicant | 200.226 |
| 4019 | Primary applicant who was 18 or over at the time of application | 200.226 |
| 5001 (special return criterion) | Applicants who have previously been in Australia | 200.227 |
| 4015, 4016 | Family members under 18 included in the application | 200.228 |
| Same criteria as the primary applicant | Secondary applicants | 200.323 |
| 4017, 4018 | Secondary applicants under 18 | 200.322 |
What happens to health and character checks after you apply?
The department tells you what it needs; you do not book assessments on your own initiative. After lodgement, it advises whether you are required to undertake a medical examination and/or have biometrics (fingerprints and photo) collected, and Toll — the department's Assisted Passage service provider — assists applicants with those appointments. Toll also assists with travel to Australia if a visa is granted.
Two practical points matter while waiting. The department states it cannot give status updates, so keeping your contact details and circumstances current is what triggers the next step. If it receives information that could result in a refusal, it will usually give you an opportunity to comment before deciding; if the visa is refused, the notification explains why and whether you have a right to review.
What follows if you sign a health undertaking?
A signed health undertaking becomes a visa obligation you must comply with. You must also enter Australia before the initial arrival date specified in your grant letter. If that date has passed, the department may issue a travel facilitation letter — and it may first ask you to undergo another medical examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Subclass 200 health requirement be waived in 2026?
The Department of Home Affairs page states that if you have compassionate and compelling circumstances, it might waive your health requirement. The wording is discretionary, so a waiver is assessed on the facts of the individual case rather than granted on request.
Do family members who are not coming to Australia still have to meet the requirements?
They might. The official page states that family members who do not apply with you might also have to meet the health requirement and the character requirement. You must still declare them; failing to declare a family member can mean you cannot propose them for a Humanitarian visa later.
Which public interest criteria cover health and character?
PIC 4007 is the health criterion and PIC 4001 the character criterion. Subclause 200.226 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 lists 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4007, 4009 and 4010 for the primary applicant, with 4019 added where the applicant was 18 or over at the time of application.
Am I required to provide military service records?
Yes, if you served in the armed forces of any country — the document list asks for military service records or discharge papers. Character documents are also listed for your partner and for each dependant aged 18 or over who applies with you.
Who arranges the medical examination?
The department advises you if a health examination is required, and Toll, the Assisted Passage service provider, assists applicants in attending health appointments. Biometrics may be requested at the same stage, and the department will tell you if they are needed.
Is there a visa application charge for Subclass 200?
No. The official page states there is no visa application charge for this visa. Travel to Australia is also arranged by the department at no cost to you.
Can a health condition slow the decision down?
It can. The department lists health conditions that might require testing or treatment among the individual and family circumstances that affect processing time, alongside incomplete forms, missing documents and verification delays.