870 visa refusals in 2026: no evidence of adequate health insurance

A subclass 870 (Sponsored Parent (Temporary)) application can be refused because the applicant never showed adequate arrangements for health insurance — but that refusal should not be the department's first move. The requirement is set out on the Department of Home Affairs' Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) page and in criterion 870.224 of the Migration Regulations 1994; the accompanying policy guidance tells case officers to ask for the insurance evidence before they decide. This article is general information about published rules rather than advice on any individual case, so read it alongside the current official pages and, if your situation is contested, a professional opinion.

What does the 870 visa actually require on health insurance?

You must have and maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance from an Australian Health Insurance provider, to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need while you are in Australia. That is the wording on the official visa page, and it is the same obligation carried into criterion 870.224, which frames it as adequate arrangements for health insurance during the period of the applicant's intended stay in Australia.

Two features of that wording matter. First, it is an obligation to have and maintain — it is not discharged by a policy bought for the application and cancelled a month later. Second, the cover has to come from an Australian health insurer; a policy issued by an insurer outside Australia is not what the criterion describes. The official page also points to Home Affairs' separate "adequate health insurance" page and to the Australian Government's private health insurance site for overseas visitors.

The phrase "adequate arrangements" is not defined in the legislation, and Home Affairs policy guidance makes clear that case officers decide adequacy on the facts of each application. That is why a refusal on this ground is usually an evidence problem rather than a dispute about medicine: the applicant either documented cover that plainly matches the stay, or did not.

Why does missing insurance evidence turn into a refusal?

Criterion 870.224 sits in Schedule 2 to the Regulations, so it must be satisfied at the time of decision. Where it is not, departmental policy guidance describes refusal under subsection 65(1)(b) of the Migration Act 1958. The official visa page says the same thing in plainer terms: incomplete applications might be delayed or refused if there is insufficient information to show you meet the requirements, and the application fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.

Stage	What the published material says	Effect on an insurance gap
Application lodged with no insurance documents	Incomplete applications may be delayed or refused if information is insufficient (official page)	The criterion is not yet evidenced, not yet failed
Case officer assesses criterion 870.224	Policy requires the officer to ask the applicant for the evidence before deciding (Home Affairs policy guidance (PAM3))	You get a request for that evidence
Evidence provided	Criterion can be assessed on the documents	Gap usually closes
Evidence not provided	Decision made on the material available; refusal notified in writing	Refusal, no fee refund, review rights stated in the notice

Does the case officer have to ask for the evidence first?

According to Home Affairs policy guidance (PAM3), yes: where no health insurance evidence has been provided, the case officer must request it before making a decision. The official visa page is consistent with that practice from the applicant's side — it says the department will let you know if you need to provide anything further, and that you can check ImmiAccount for requests.

Two cautions. PAM3 also states that policy guidance has no legal force and that officers may depart from it on the facts of a case after discussion with a supervisor, so a request is the expected step rather than a guarantee. And the procedural detail above comes from the Regulations and policy guidance as published on the Federal Register of Legislation, which should be checked against the current legislative and official text before you rely on it.

What happens if you miss that request?

Suppose an applicant lodges with no insurance documents at all, receives a request for them, and does not provide them. The decision is then made on the material already held, and the criterion is not satisfied. Home Affairs notifies the refusal in writing, explains why the visa was refused, and states whether there is a right to review; PAM3 refers to merits review by the Administrative Review Tribunal, and the Department of Home Affairs' own pages are the authority on which review body applies. The application fee is not refunded.

Non-payment has the same shape elsewhere in the process. The official page says you must pay a second instalment before the visa is granted, that an invoice is sent when it is due, and that the application will be refused if you do not pay it. So an insurance refusal is rarely the only thing that can go wrong on a 870 application — it is simply one of the easier ones to prevent.

What evidence answers the insurance request?

The official visa page does not publish a fixed insurance checklist, so the practical test is whether your documents identify the insurer, the person covered, the cover, and the dates — and whether those dates span the stay you have told the department you intend. Because the criterion is framed around the intended period of stay, a policy that expires halfway through the planned visit leaves the same gap as no policy at all.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements are a different subject. The official visa page lists them separately and refers to Services Australia for details, so treat them as information about accessing care rather than as insurance arrangements, and read both together with the current official visa requirements.

How do you avoid this refusal before you lodge?

Confirm your Parent Sponsor is approved before you apply — you cannot apply or be granted the visa without one.
Arrange cover with an Australian health insurance provider before you lodge.
Keep the policy document and confirmation of cover showing the insurer, the covered person, and the dates.
Upload those documents with the application in ImmiAccount.
Check ImmiAccount after lodging for any request for further information.
Answer any request you receive for further information, using the same documents.
Keep the cover running for the whole stay, because the requirement is to have and maintain it.

If you have already applied without the documents, the official page's post-lodgement section is the answer: attach the documents you did not provide into ImmiAccount rather than waiting to be asked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a 870 visa be refused just because health insurance evidence is missing?

Yes. Criterion 870.224 requires adequate arrangements for health insurance during the intended stay, and the official visa page warns that an application may be refused if there is insufficient information to show the requirements are met. The application fee is not refunded on refusal.

Does the case officer have to ask before refusing on this ground?

The Regulations and policy material say the officer must request the health insurance evidence before making a decision where none has been provided. Policy guidance has no legal force, however, so treat the request as expected practice rather than a right you can rely on.

Does travel insurance from an overseas insurer count?

The official visa page specifies cover from an Australian Health Insurance provider. A policy issued outside Australia does not match that wording, which is why overseas travel policies are a common source of this refusal.

Do I need the cover for the whole stay or only at lodgement?

Both. The criterion refers to the period of intended stay, and the official page says you must have and maintain the arrangements — so cover that lapses partway through the visit leaves the criterion unmet.

What if I have already lodged without insurance documents?

Attach them through ImmiAccount as soon as you can; the official page invites applicants to add documents they did not provide with the application. Doing it before a request is issued avoids relying on the request arriving at all.

Does a reciprocal healthcare agreement replace the insurance requirement?

The official visa page treats reciprocal healthcare agreements as a separate item and refers to Services Australia for details. They are not the same thing as holding insurance arrangements with an Australian health insurer, so do not assume one substitutes for the other.

Will I get my money back if the visa is refused?

No. The official visa page states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused, and also that it is not refunded if you withdraw the application yourself.