How to add your newborn to your Medicare card
One form from your Parent Pack, signed by your midwife or doctor, enrols your baby in Medicare and the immunisation register at the same time.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
To add your newborn to Medicare, use the Newborn Child Declaration from the Parent Pack your hospital or midwife gives you, signed by a midwife or doctor. Submit it with your Parental Leave Pay or Family Tax Benefit claim, or through your Medicare online account in myGov. Your new card arrives in about 3 to 4 weeks.
The form that does it all
Before you leave hospital, or after a home birth with your midwife, you receive a Parent Pack with a Newborn Child Declaration. A doctor or midwife must sign its last page. For a baby under 52 weeks, this declaration is your proof of birth for Medicare. Submitting it:
- enrols your baby in Medicare and adds them to your card;
- adds your baby to the Australian Immunisation Register, which records every vaccine;
- lets you register your baby for My Health Record (only the birth mother can do this with the declaration) and add them to your Medicare Safety Net family.
Three ways to enrol
| Your situation | How | Where |
|---|---|---|
| You are claiming Parental Leave Pay or Family Tax Benefit (including Newborn Upfront Payment) | Upload the declaration in your claim, at the "Add Newborn" step | Centrelink online account in myGov, or the Express Plus Centrelink app |
| You are not claiming a family payment | Select "Enrol a newborn" and upload proof of birth | Medicare online account in myGov, or the myGov app |
| You prefer paper | Follow the instructions on the form | By post or at a service centre |
Online enrolment through your Medicare account only works for babies born in Australia. Services Australia has separate instructions for babies born overseas, adopted, or born through surrogacy (once the arrangement is finalised).
Step by step in your Medicare online account
- Sign in to myGov and select Medicare, then Enrol a newborn.
- Say whether you will claim family assistance: if yes, you will enrol your baby in that claim instead.
- Confirm your baby was born in Australia and your relationship to the baby.
- Enter the date of birth, family name and sex. You can enrol several babies at once (twins), or babies from 2 births in the last 12 months.
- Choose whether to create a My Health Record and add your baby to your Safety Net family.
- Upload proof of birth (PDF, JPG, GIF, PNG or BMP, under 5 MB).
- Add your baby to another person's card if you wish; that person must consent.
- Review and submit.
When will the card arrive?
About 3 to 4 weeks. In the meantime you can use the digital version of your updated card in the myGov app.
If you do not have the declaration
If you lost the Newborn Child Declaration, or your baby is over 52 weeks old, you need your child's birth certificate and a Medicare enrolment form, sent by mail or email. Supporting documents do not need to be certified. That is one more reason to register the birth early.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
You can use the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medicare enrolment and amendment form, signed by a referee (the form explains who can be one). The Indigenous access line is 1800 556 955.
Useful numbers
- Medicare: 132 011
- Immunisation history statements: 1800 653 809, or through myGov
- Centrelink families line: 136 150
Checklist
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to add a newborn to Medicare?
About 3 to 4 weeks for the new card with your baby's name. A digital version of the updated card is available sooner in the myGov app.
Can I enrol my baby in Medicare before naming them?
Yes. Online you can select that you have not named your baby yet; the card shows NEWBORN and your family name until you add the first name.
What if I lost the Newborn Child Declaration?
You need your child's birth certificate and a Medicare enrolment form, which you can mail or email to Medicare. You do not need to certify the documents.
Can my baby be on both parents' Medicare cards?
Yes, a child can be listed on 2 cards. Use the Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form, or add the other person during online enrolment.
Sources
- Services Australia — Enrolling your baby in Medicare checked October 13, 2026
- Services Australia — Enrol your baby in Medicare only checked October 13, 2026
- Services Australia — Medicare online account help, enrol a baby in Medicare checked October 13, 2026
- Pregnancy, Birth and Baby — Adding your newborn to Medicare checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.