Even if you completed every vaccination in your home country, you'll be treated as 'not immunised' if there's no record on the AIR. This guide walks through transferring records, translation, GP entry and catch-up, plus family payment and childcare requirements.
Australia runs a national immunisation register, the AIR (Australian Immunisation Register). Vaccines given in Australia are automatically recorded on the AIR by the provider, but vaccinations given overseas are not transferred automatically. The problem is that assessments for family payments and child care subsidies are based on AIR records, not on whether your child was actually vaccinated. Even a child who completed every vaccination in your home country will be treated as 'not immunised' unless the records are added to the AIR, which can lead to a reduced Family Tax Benefit Part A and loss of the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), and in some states even restrictions on childcare enrolment. This guide is not medical advice — it covers the record transfer and registration process; which vaccines to have and when is for your GP to decide.
No Jab No Pay is a federal policy. If your child does not meet the immunisation requirements (one of: fully immunised, on an approved catch-up schedule, or medically exempt), FTB Part A is reduced and you cannot receive CCS. No Jab No Play refers to state-level childcare enrolment rules, with some states restricting enrolment of unvaccinated children altogether. Both are assessed against AIR records, and being on an approved catch-up schedule is generally accepted as meeting the requirements — check the details with Services Australia and your state's health authority.
Transferring records proceeds in this order: 1) obtain the records from your home country → 2) English translation (if not in English, NAATI certified) → 3) visit a GP and request AIR entry → 4) set up a catch-up schedule for any missing doses. The key point is that only recognised vaccination providers such as GPs can enter records into the AIR. No matter how well you prepare the documents, registration cannot be completed without a GP visit.
The GP reviews the records you submit, enters the vaccine types and vaccination dates into the AIR, and compares them against the Australian immunisation schedule to identify anything missing. Vaccine names often differ from how they are written in your home country, so the more detailed the record — with verifiable components and timing — the smoother the registration. If any doses are missing, the GP prepares a catch-up schedule, and the GP decides the intervals and order of vaccinations.
You cannot enter AIR records yourself through myGov. It must be done through a recognised vaccination provider such as a GP, and after registration, check your Immunisation History Statement to confirm the records have been added.
The essential item is a verifiable vaccination record. If you haven't left yet, having an English certificate issued in your home country is the most efficient route; if you're already in Australia, look into remote issuance through family or institutions back home. If your visa allows Medicare enrolment, completing your child's Medicare registration first will make it easier to view the records afterwards.
AIR registration itself is possible even on a visa without Medicare. However, how you view your records (contacting the AIR directly) and what you pay for vaccines and consultations will differ, so check with the clinic and Services Australia before your visit.
What you need to focus on differs depending on your family members and situation. Cases where child payments or childcare are at stake are the most urgent, and adults can also be catch-up candidates.
For missing vaccinations, the GP prepares a catch-up schedule. NIP catch-up vaccines are free for under-20s (any age for refugees and humanitarian entrants) — verify eligibility through official sources. Being on the schedule is generally accepted as meeting the payment requirements.
Pertussis (whooping cough) boosters, MMR and others can be catch-up candidates for adults too. Adding your own overseas records to the AIR also makes future verification easier. Your GP decides what is needed.
Requirements vary by state. Some states restrict childcare enrolment of unvaccinated children altogether, and schools may require an Immunisation History Statement at enrolment — always check your state's official guidance.
FTB Part A and CCS assess the immunisation requirements from AIR records (No Jab No Pay). Completing AIR registration before applying for payments helps you avoid reductions or blocked payments.
The process itself isn't complicated, but getting the order wrong can cost you — redone translations or reduced payments. Work through these five points in order.
These are mistakes that actually happen often. Most stem from assuming 'the records are fine' and skipping verification.
The official Services Australia AIR page — how to view your records and get an Immunisation History Statement.
Official guidance on the immunisation requirements (No Jab No Pay) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
National Immunisation Program (NIP) — official information on who is eligible for free vaccines and the immunisation schedule.
The Australian Department of Health's comprehensive immunisation information — catch-up vaccination and recommended vaccinations by age.
The official NAATI website — finding a certified translator and how the certified translation process works.
Vaccinations that cannot be verified with records cannot be added to the AIR. First, try requesting an immunisation certificate from the medical facility or public health office in your home country (many countries can issue them remotely); if you cannot obtain one, talk to your GP. Depending on your situation, your GP will decide how to proceed — for example, antibody testing or revaccination.
It is a federal policy under which, if your child does not meet the immunisation requirements (fully immunised, on an approved catch-up schedule, or medically exempt), your Family Tax Benefit Part A is reduced and you cannot receive the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Whether the requirements are met is determined from AIR records, so even if your child completed their vaccinations overseas, they will be treated as not meeting the requirements unless the records are on the AIR. Check Services Australia for the detailed criteria.
Catch-up vaccines under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) are provided free to people under 20 and to refugees and humanitarian entrants (of any age). However, even when the vaccine itself is free, a GP consultation fee may still apply (whether a clinic bulk bills varies), and the eligibility and age requirements can change, so check the latest criteria at health.gov.au.
Yes. Medicare enrolees are automatically included on the AIR, but people without Medicare can also be added using their personal details. However, you won't be able to view your records through a Medicare online account, so you will need to request your Immunisation History Statement directly from the AIR (Services Australia), and your costs for vaccines and consultations will also differ depending on your visa type — check before your visit.
Records that are not in English need to be translated so your GP can accurately verify the vaccine types and vaccination dates. In Australia, the generally accepted standard for translations submitted to institutions is a translation by a NAATI certified translator. For finding a translator and the process involved, see the official NAATI website and AUWith's NAATI certified translation guide.
It varies by state. Some states only allow children who are fully immunised or on an approved catch-up schedule to enrol in childcare (so-called No Jab No Play), while other states simply require an Immunisation History Statement to be submitted at enrolment. Always check the official guidance from the health authority in the state where you live.
Adults can be affected too. Pertussis (whooping cough) boosters and MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), among others, can be catch-up candidates for adults, and your GP will decide what is needed after reviewing your records. Recommended vaccinations during pregnancy follow separate guidelines, so check AUWith's pregnancy and birth guide together with the official information at health.gov.au.
