Immigration Process Step 3: Medical Exams

New Zealand has a national health care system, and so they require that all immigrants have an "acceptable standard of health." This was easily the most rigorous part of the application process. Because our visa is for longer than a year, Rob and I both had to undergo the full gamut of tests.  This meant that both of us had to do a full physical, complete with blood and urine tests, and chest x-rays.

We also had a huge stack of forms and papers that had to be filled out by the medical professionals.  You have to have passport photos signed and dated by each examiner, and the doctor has to initial every page.  At first the lab technician refused to sign anything - I had to explain to her multiple times what it was for. It was quite the process.

In the US, any MD is allowed to perform these tests, so I was able to go to my usual doctor. However, I had to go elsewhere to get the chest x-ray.  My doctor warned me that if I went to one of the big hospitals, there would be no way I could get a radiologist to sign my forms.  And it had to be a radiologist - not a radiographer. This x-ray is generally not covered by insurance, but I had a referral from my doctor, and so we're hoping it will be.

In googling the New Zealand immigration physical, I read that the liver test ends up being an issue for a lot of people. As a precaution, Rob and I quit drinking for the two weeks before our physicals and cut back on fatty foods and carbs a couple days ahead of time. As it turned out, a liver test is no longer part of the New Zealand, but I suppose the detox was good for us? They generally are testing for expensive or communicable conditions, such as tuberculosis, STDs and pregnancy (which was grounds for rejection until 2012).

Despite all this, immigrants do not have access to New Zealand's national health care system until they have been in the country for two years (we will have private insurance through work). If an applicant is pregnant, the birth will be covered by the national health care only under certain circumstances. Otherwise, she must demonstrate that she has enough money to cover the costs. However, unlike the US, where the average total price for pregnancy is $30,000 for a natural birth and $50,000 for a C-section (the most expensive in the world!), New Zealand requires evidence of $9,000 NZD to cover these costs, which is less than $7,500 USD.