Being vaccinated when you travel is important to keep you healthy. Many destinations are also putting different entry and exit rules in place for vaccinated travellers. Read this page to learn about:
- Australia’s approved and recognised COVID-19 vaccinations
- Proof of vaccination including foreign vaccination certificates
- Vaccination for travelling children
- Registering a vaccination received overseas
- Getting vaccinated overseas
- ATAGI advice on the use of a different COVID-19 vaccine as the second dose
If you’re looking for information on using vaccination certificates for travel, see our advice on
Approved and recognised COVID-19 vaccinations
COVID-19 vaccines are approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) after a rigorous assessment and approval processes. This includes assessment of its safety, quality and effectiveness. The TGA has also recognised vaccines for the purposes of travel to Australia.
Currently, TGA approved or recognised COVID-19 vaccinations are:
- Comirnaty (Pfizer)
- Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca)
- Covishield (AstraZeneca)
- Spikevax (Moderna)
- Takeda (Moderna)
- Janssen-Cilag (Johnson & Johnson)
- Coronavac (Sinovac)
- BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) (for 18-60 years old)
- Covaxin (Bharat Biotech)
The TGA is reviewing other COVID-19 vaccines that may be recognised for the purposes of inbound travel to Australia in future.
More information:
- COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Australia by the TGA (Department of Health)
- COVID-19 vaccines recognised by the TGA for the purpose of travel to Australia (Therapeutic Goods Administration)
- Accepted Sinopharm brands (Australian Passports Office)
Proof of vaccination at the Australian border
From 1 November 2021, fully vaccinated Australians can travel overseas without an exemption.
If you were vaccinated in Australia, use your International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC) at the Australian border.
If you were vaccinated overseas and can’t get an ICVC yet, when travelling to Australia you can use your foreign vaccination certificate.
If you can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons you’ll be able to travel overseas without an exemption as long as you can provide proof. However, you may be required to quarantine on return to Australia, depending on what state or territory you arrive in.
More information:
- Read more about travel for vaccinated Australians (Department of Home Affairs)
What does fully vaccinated mean?
The vaccine you received must be approved or recognised by the TGA.
To qualify as fully vaccinated in Australia, you need to have had either
- 2 full doses at least 14 days apart of
- Comirnaty (Pfizer)
- Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca)
- Covishield (AstraZeneca)
- Spikevax (Moderna)
- Takeda (Moderna)
- Coronavac (Sinovac)
- BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) (for 18-60 years old)
- Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) or
- one dose of Janssen-Cilag (Johnson & Johnson)
At least 7 days must have passed since you completed your full course of vaccination.
Mixed doses count towards being fully vaccinated as long as all vaccines are approved or recognised by the TGA.
Other vaccination policies
Airlines and foreign governments are imposing their own vaccination policies. While your proof of vaccination and vaccine types may meet Australian requirements, that’s no guarantee they’ll be accepted everywhere.
It’s your responsibility to check vaccination requirements with your travel agent, airline, accommodation, transit locations and destinations.
Medical exemptions to vaccination
If you can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons, you’ll be treated the same as a vaccinated person for the purposes of travel.
You’ll need to provide evidence showing you’re unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccination because of a medical condition.
- If you’re in Australia, your exemption must be added to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) by a qualified medical professional. You can then generate an ICVC showing your exemption.
- If you’re overseas, you must provide a medical certificate clearly stating your medical exemption. The medical certificate must meet certain criteria.
If you’ve received a non TGA approved or recognised vaccine, you can’t be certified in this category and won’t be treated as vaccinated for the purposes of travel.
More information:
- Proof of vaccination when leaving or travelling to Australia (Department of Home Affairs)
- Vaccination requirements for travellers to Australia (Department of Health)
Foreign COVID-19 vaccination certificates
You can use a foreign certificate as evidence you were vaccinated overseas. Most foreign vaccination certificates will be accepted, both digital and paper.
If your vaccination certificate doesn't meet specific criteria, you won’t qualify as fully vaccinated.
More information:
Vaccination for travelling children
Departing Australia
Children under 12 can travel overseas from Australia without an exemption.
Children 12 and older who aren’t fully vaccinated will need an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs.
Returning to Australia
Children under 18 years old who don’t qualify as fully vaccinated may be eligible for modified quarantine and testing requirements, depending on the state of arrival. Check the requirements for the state or territory you’re arriving in.
- Learn about returning Australian children (Department of Health)
Registering a vaccination received overseas
If you receive an approved COVID-19 vaccine while overseas, you can register your vaccination on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) when you return to Australia. Only TGA approved vaccines can be registered in the AIR.
To register your vaccination in the AIR:
- get proof of vaccination from your provider when you receive the vaccine
- bring the proof of vaccination to Australia when you return. The proof must be translated to English if it’s in another language.
- make sure your Medicare online account is up to date (if applicable).
- give the proof of vaccination to a recognised vaccination provider in Australia. They’ll verify your vaccination status and add the record of vaccination to the AIR.
Once your vaccination is registered on the AIR, you can apply for an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate for the next time you go overseas.
More information:
- For more on registering an overseas COVID-19 vaccination (Services Australia)
Getting vaccinated overseas
The Australian Government can’t provide advice on the safety, quality and efficacy of vaccines that have been approved for use outside of Australia’s regulatory process. You should consult your local health professional for advice on vaccine options, including assistance that may be available locally.
Australia’s global network is working with foreign governments to allow Australians in country to access vaccines through their local vaccination programs. This is consistent with the approach in Australia that vaccines are available to all people living in Australia.
If available, a link to information on your location's vaccination program is in our travel advice. Refer to the 'Health Risks' heading in the 'Health' section.
If you choose to get vaccinated locally, make sure to only go through the official vaccination program for the destination you’re in. Ignore offers of vaccines from unverified sources. Scammers are selling products claiming to prevent or treat COVID-19 without proof of what they contain or whether they work.
ATAGI advice on the use of a different COVID-19 vaccine as the second dose
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has provided advice about receiving two different COVID-19 vaccines.
You can receive an alternative vaccine brand for your second dose to complete your primary course, if
- you’ve received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine overseas that’s not available in Australia, and
- you’re due for a second dose in Australia.
Visit the Department of Health website for more information.
Read more:
- Read our advice on vaccinations and preventative health
- Learn about how to get medical assistance overseas
- See our information on reciprocal health care agreements
- Read more about International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates
See also:
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines (Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet)
- COVID-19 vaccines (Department of Health)
- COVID-19 vaccines (Therapeutic Goods Administration)
- The Australian Immunisation Register (Services Australia)
- How to add immunisations you’ve had overseas to the Australian Immunisation Register (Services Australia)