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  2. Before you go

Before you go

The better prepared you are, the safer and more enjoyable your travel will be. Browse our general advice pages on a range of travel topics, to learn what you need to know before you go.

Explore these for:

  • the basics to know before you go
  • advice for who you are
  • advice for the activities you're planning
  • advice on taking care of your health
  • advice on staying safe
  • advice on staying within the law
  • advice for getting around safely

If you're looking for information or advice for a specific country, see our destination travel advice. If you're already overseas and need help, see our general advice while you're away.

The basics

  • The basics to know, before you go
  • Research your destination
  • Travel advice explained
  • Passports
  • Visas
  • International travel insurance
  • Getting around

Advice for who you are

  • Advice for who you are
  • Dual nationals
  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex travellers
  • Mature and older travellers
  • People travelling with children
  • School leavers (schoolies)
  • Women travellers

Advice for the activities you're planning

  • Advice for different activities you're planning
  • Going on a cruise
  • Adventure travel
  • Backpacking and budget travel
  • Business and professional travel
  • Medical procedures (medical tourism)
  • International surrogacy
  • Overseas adoption
  • Major cultural or religious events
  • Getting married overseas
  • Living and working overseas
  • Studying overseas
  • Volunteering

Advice on taking care of your health

  • Taking care of you health
  • Infectious diseases
  • Vaccinations and preventative health
  • Medication and medical equipment
  • Reciprocal health care agreements
  • Disability
  • Mental health
  • Travelling while pregnant
  • What happens if you die overseas

Advice on staying safe and avoiding danger

  • Staying safe and avoiding danger
  • Partying safely
  • Demonstrations
  • Kidnapping
  • Natural disasters
  • Piracy
  • Road safety, driving and riding
  • Scams
  • Sexual assault
  • Theft, robbery and muggings
  • Terrorism

Advice on staying within the law

  • Staying within the law
  • Carrying or using drugs
  • Child sex offences
  • Female genital mutilation (FGM)
  • Forced marriage

Advice for getting around safely

  • Getting around safely
  • Air travel
  • Cruising
  • Boat travel
  • Road safety
  • Public transport

Read more

  • Learn how and when the Australian Government can help overseas though our consular services
  • See our advice about what to do when things go wrong when you're overseas
  • Read our travel advice for your destinations and learn about our advice levels
  •  Subscribe for updates for your destinations, so you know when we update the travel advice or advice level

Related content

Advice for mature and older travellers

This page provides mature travellers with information to prepare for a hassle-free journey. Properly preparing before you travel will help you have a safe trip.

View details
CHOICE travel insurance guide

If you're leaving Australia, travel insurance is just as essential as your passport. The CHOICE buying guide makes finding the right travel insurance easy.

View details
Reciprocal health care agreements

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries. These countries provide some emergency care to Australians.

View details

Main navigation

  • 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
    • Hajj
    • Ramadan
  • 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
  • Before you go checklist (PDF 146.23 KB)

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
      • Hajj
      • Ramadan
    • 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
      • Returning home
      • Staying overseas
      • Overseas financial assistance
      • Overseas financial assistance FAQs
      • General FAQs
      • Registration FAQs