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COVID-19 and travel

Do not go overseas. A travel ban is in place. View details
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COVID-19

Advice for Australian travellers
  • Leaving Australia

  • Trying to get home

  • Returning home

  • Staying overseas

Read our COVID-19 travel information in another language: العربية, 中文 简体, 中文繁體, Bahasa Indonesia, ภาษาไทย, Tiếng Việt.

There's a ban on overseas travel from Australia. You can’t leave Australia unless you get an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs.

  • See Leaving Australia (Home Affairs) for information about the ban and applying for an exemption
  • See our general advice page on leaving Australia

If you’re overseas and wish to return to Australia, be prepared for delays and disruptions due to travel restrictions, closed transit hubs and limits on the number of arrivals allowed into Australia.

  • See our general advice page for those trying to get home
  • Read more about financial assistance for those trying to return from overseas
  • Register with DFAT if you're currently overseas and wish to return home but haven't been able to

When you arrive in Australia you must quarantine for 14 days at designated facilities in your port of arrival, unless you have an exemption. At this time, vaccination against COVID-19 does not change this quarantine requirement. You may be required to pay for the costs of your quarantine.

  • COVID-19 and the border (Department of Home Affairs)
  • New Zealand safe travel zone (Department of Home Affairs)
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for travellers (Department of Health)
  • States and territories COVID-19 information (Australia.gov.au)
  • See our general advice page on returning home

If you're staying overseas, make plans to remain for an extended period. Read and subscribe to our news and travel advice, follow the advice of local authorities and minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

  • See our general advice page for those staying overseas

Need urgent consular help overseas?

If your situation becomes life-threatening, or you have very serious concerns for your welfare, contact the nearest embassy or high commission or call the Consular Emergency Centre in Australia on +61 2 6261 3305.

Travel advice level changes

See a list of the changes we made to the travel advice levels for individual destinations and globally as a result of COVID-19. This may help those seeking to make travel insurance claims.

Quick links

  • Urgent consular help
  • COVID-19: Overseas financial assistance
  • COVID-19 vaccinations
  • Applying for an exemption to the ban on leaving Australia
  • Our embassies, high commissions and consulates overseas
  • States and territories COVID-19 information
  • Subscribe for Smartraveller updates
  • Travel advice explained - includes information on the difference between our travel advice and the travel bans

Related content

COVID-19: Registering with DFAT

This page provides information on the DFAT COVID-19 registration portal. Read on to learn more about:

View details
COVID-19: Re-entry and quarantine measures

Australia has strict border measures in place to protect the health of the Australian community.

View details
COVID-19: Facilitated commercial flights

DFAT's highest priority at this time is helping vulnerable Australians overseas return to Australia.

View details

Main navigation

  • COVID-19
    • Leaving Australia
    • Trying to get home
    • Staying overseas
    • COVID-19 vaccinations
    • General FAQs

Contact us

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For non-urgent enquiries, visit the contact page

About us

Smartraveller is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

For more information go to about us.

Resources

View resources for travel industry and media.

Feedback

To provide feedback on our website or subscription service, email us at smartraveller@dfat.gov.au

To provide feedback on consular services that you have recently received, email consular.feedback@dfat.gov.au

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Main navigation

  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Cultural events
      • Religious events
      • Sporting events
    • Health
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Mental health
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health
      • Vaccinations
      • Death
    • Staying safe
      • Assault
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
      • COVID-19 portal
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
      • Passports in Australia
      • Passports overseas
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • (Tiếng Việt) Vietnamese
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
      • Malaysian community
    • Resources
      • Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Before you go checklist
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19
      • Leaving Australia
      • Trying to get home
      • Staying overseas
      • COVID-19 vaccinations
      • General FAQs