Costs:
Blood Tests: If you're getting 6+ done it costs $150.30 Aus Normally they only test 2 (We think it was around $75 for the basics) They take credit, but not Amex.
X-Ray: 60.60 Aus, pay before it's done, no Amex
Dr. Millar: Credit accepted, and Amex, his fee is $121, time in the actual exam 20 min.

As always, this is just our experience, not the law nor anything more than just our experience.

So, my honey recommends arriving up to an hour early because they build in plenty of cushion room at Dr. Millar's office and you might be able to slip in early. He got there way early and the whole thing ended up taking about one hour for everything. Since he was early the receptionist sent him down to get the X-ray then to get the blood drawn. After that he went back to Xray to pick up the film, etc. and then back up to Dr. Millar's office. It went incredibly smooth for him, with basically no waiting between events, so don't take his time as a rule, but rather as the ideal. He even finished before another couple completing the same tests because the X-ray and blood was done before seeing Dr. Millar.

Since his body doesn't take well to vaccines, he's having extra tests done on his blood to check for antibodies before having more sticks than necessary. (Having 8 tests done on the blood, the fee maxes out at 6) This will take more time, but if you want to avoid sticks and are pretty sure you've had that MMR or whatever else as an infant, you can pay a little extra to have them look through the blood first.

The downside of going on Thursday afternoons -- The blood gets sent out to the lab on Thursday mornings so if you're in after that it will be a week before it's sent out and then up to another week for results.

Other gossip: According to the blood lab tech, Dr. English has been sick for the past 4 weeks and Millar's office is picking up the business. So, if you've had a rough time gettting a hold of English, that would be why.

According to the assistant: folks from out of NSW can get their vaccinations/bloodwork done ahead of time at home and then arrive for the medical on the morning of your interview (or day before or so) and get it all done there. Could be less expensive?

He also said there are only 4 chairs in the waiting room, so if it's busy, that could suck, and there's virtually no reading material, so bring something with you!

He was impressed by how efficient both the assistant and Dr. Millar were. His assistant really is stellar!

So . . . I get to go see him in 19 days!!!!! We'll file my part of the petition on March 30th and then wait for our interview date! Woohoo!

I was under the impression could get vaccinations/bloodwork done ahead of time even if in NSW I guess I better check on that as I had worked out a system to save myself money already on that presumption. I have a bulk billing medical center close by where I can get the prescription from the doctor and go across to the pharmacy to have it filled. All I would be up for is the vaccination costs at the pharmacy as would be no charge for the doctor to administer. There is also a bulk billing pathology clinic next door where I can get any bloodtests done without a fee.


So happy for you girl.....you are almost there already its good aye

You know, I'm sure you could do exactly that. I'm under the impression that the office was empty while he was there and so he chatted everyone up, as is his personality. (Love that about him, I'm such an introvert . . .) I think they were talking about how expensive it can be in other areas. (Is Perth really like $600+ for the exam?!) That's how the conversation regarding arriving early for your scheduled interview at the consulate and jumping in for your medical came about.

He was also told a story about a couple who met up in Sydney to file on a Thursday. (Male from NY, USA/ Female from Queensland?, don't qoute me) He flew in, she picked him up, and they went to Millar for her medical on Thursday morning. They then went to the Consulate for a Thursday drop-in day and found that it had been closed for a training session! Since they had purchased tickets several months in advance and he had to get back to work in the States quickly, they didn't know what they were going to do! Lesson: Check the consulate website to make certain they haven't closed for training or something similar before you actually board the plane if you're planning a drop-in Thursday! I guess the assistant said they had a happy ending -- she called over, randomly found someone stopping by their desk, explained the situation, and they were told to come in Friday morning and they could be the training demonstration!

So, anyway, I'm sure you can do the same thing there in Sydney, they just happened to be chatting about those from outside of NSW at the time and he wanted me to share that info with anyone out there who might find it useful.

Getting closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds fairly similar to my exam, I had it done in errr late January I think, at Dr Millar's. I'm not a fan of vaccs either so I had the blood test done in preference. For some reason they didn't find any rubella antibodies so I had to go get that done after the blood tests but other than that it was all straight-forward and efficient, as described. Millar's assistant is indeed efficient.