Vaccinations and AIR record support, Medicare or not
New arrivals, visitors and returning Australians can ask about vaccination and record review. The clinician checks your age, health, records, service availability and funding. Confirm any review fee before work begins. Bring original records and available English translations.
Without Medicare
Ask which services you can access. Suitability, age and funding rules are checked individually.
Record review
Bring your overseas records and confirm the review fee before work begins.
IHI guidance
Use current Services Australia guidance to check identifier and record arrangements.
Language support
Tell us your preferred language. Interpreter availability, eligibility and costs need confirmation.
Vaccinated overseas? Bring your records for review.
AIR is Australia’s immunisation register. A recognised vaccination provider can assess overseas vaccination records and add acceptable entries. It may not contain every earlier dose. Read Services Australia’s overseas immunisation guidance.
Confirm the record-review fee with the pharmacy before work begins. Processing times vary. Ask the organisation requesting evidence which record it accepts; an AIR statement is not a universal international certificate or proof of immunity.
How the AIR upload works
- 1
Bring your records
Original immunisation card, government health-portal printout, or doctor’s letter, printed copies are fine for digital records.
- 2
We verify the entries
The recognised provider checks the records, dates, ages, intervals and which overseas doses can be recorded.
- 3
We submit to the AIR
The provider checks your identity and record details before submitting acceptable entries. Ask about the expected process.
- 4
You download proof
Use an available Services Australia pathway to obtain the statement after the record is updated. Timing and evidence requirements vary.
Missing or unclear records need assessment. Do not assume a dose is invalid because the vaccine is not supplied in Australia, or that every missing record means repeating vaccination. The provider may need more documentation, translation or clinical advice.
No Medicare? No problem.
You can ask us about vaccinations and record support without a Medicare card. The pharmacist confirms which services are suitable and available for your age and circumstances.
Our pharmacist checks your eligibility and suitability. Eligible Victorian adult MMR services here have no patient charge, including for people without Medicare. Private vaccination has a $20 service fee per dose, with any medicine cost confirmed separately. See our pricing page.
Common situations we see
- International students arriving for the academic year who need MMR proof for university enrolment.
- Working-visa holders whose employer requires proof of hepatitis B vaccination.
- Recently arrived permanent residents catching up on missed childhood vaccinations.
- Asylum seekers and refugees who need their existing overseas record formally documented.
- Visiting family from overseas who want a flu shot during a southern-hemisphere winter visit.
- Australian expats returning home and bringing partners who don't yet have Medicare.
How to get an IHI number
An IHI is a healthcare identifier managed by Services Australia. If you do not have Medicare, check the current IHI information for eligibility, identity documents and application options. We do not promise a processing time.
1
Phone Services Australia
Use the current contact details on the Services Australia IHI page. Ask which identity documents and application pathway apply.
2
Visit a Services Australia centre
Use the Services Australia service-centre finder and confirm whether the centre can assist with the service you need.
3
Apply via myGov
Follow Services Australia’s current online IHI application instructions. Do not apply through an unrelated service or share your myGov credentials.
No IHI yet? Ask about the next step.
The provider checks whether vaccination can proceed and what identification and record arrangements are required. Confirm any later record-review fees and follow-up; there is no blanket same-day vaccination or 90-day free-upload promise.
What to bring to your appointment
For a standard vaccination
- Photo ID (passport, visa or driver licence)
- Any previous immunisation record you have
- Medicare card if you have one
- IHI number if you have one
For overseas-vaccination AIR upload
- Original overseas immunisation record
- Printed copy if your record is digital
- Photo ID (passport)
- Medicare or IHI number
For IHI application help
- Passport
- Visa documentation
- Proof of Australian address (if any)
- Any prior healthcare ID you may have
Ask about language support
Tell us your preferred language before booking. Staff language availability and professional interpreter arrangements vary. Automatic website translations may contain errors.
- Tell us your language
- Confirm availability
- Ask about costs
Ask about TIS National on 131 450 or another suitable professional interpreter. Eligibility and costs depend on the service and circumstances; interpreter support is not universally free.
FAQs about overseas vaccinations & AIR upload
Can I ask about care without Medicare?
Yes. The provider checks available services, clinical suitability and funding. Eligible Victorian adult MMR services have no patient charge without a Medicare requirement. NIP generally requires Medicare eligibility. Private vaccination has a $20 service fee per dose, with any medicine cost confirmed privately.
What overseas records should I bring?
Bring original certificates, official digital records and any other evidence of doses. A recognised provider assesses dates, ages, intervals and which entries can be recorded. A translation may be needed; missing records do not automatically mean doses must be repeated.
How much does record review cost?
The fee for reviewing and recording overseas vaccinations must be confirmed with the pharmacy before work begins. No fixed fee, same-day upload or instant statement is promised.
What if I do not have an IHI?
Services Australia explains how to obtain an Individual Healthcare Identifier if you are not eligible for Medicare. Apply through the current official pathway. The provider checks which identifier and record arrangements apply to you.
Can the pharmacy vaccinate my child?
The service starts from age five within the applicable authorisation and program scope. Younger children need an appropriate GP, council or other authorised provider. Record-review and vaccination age rules are separate.
Will an AIR statement meet an enrolment or employment requirement?
Ask the receiving organisation which evidence it needs. No Jab No Play applies to specified early-childhood services and uses AIR evidence, with support provisions. It does not apply to primary or secondary school enrolment. An AIR statement is not proof of immunity to every disease.
What if I need an interpreter?
Tell the pharmacy your preferred language before booking. Staff language availability, interpreter eligibility and costs need to be confirmed. Automatic translations can contain errors and are not a substitute for a clinical conversation.
Useful Services Australia links: IHI information · About the AIR · myGov · TIS National (interpreters)
For guidance about obtaining your AIR statement, see our AIR record helper page.
New to Australia? Welcome.
Contact the pharmacy to confirm availability. Bring your records and discuss the appropriate next step, costs and any referral needs.