COVID-19: Re-entry and quarantine measures

A COVID-19 test result QR code on a mobile phone screen held in a hand

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Travel restrictions are now in place for people who have been in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa or Zimbabwe in the last 14 days.

See the Department of Home Affairs for information on the travel restrictions in place.

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

Read this page to learn about:

For general information about arriving in Australia, see our page on Australia's biosecurity and border controls.

Who can travel to Australia?

You can travel to Australia if you’re

  • an Australian citizen
  • an Australian permanent resident or
  • in an exempt category

Temporary visa holders need to apply for an exemption to enter the country.

The Department of Home Affairs look after entry to Australia.

More information:

Quarantine after arrival

State and territory governments manage quarantine for overseas arrivals. You need to comply with the quarantine requirements of the state or territory you’re arriving in, and any other state or territories you plan to travel on to. Contact the relevant state or territory authority for more information about quarantine arrangements.

It’s your responsibility to ensure you meet entry and quarantine requirements.

You must quarantine on arrival for 14 days unless

You’ll be required to quarantine at a designated facility in the city you first arrive in. A negative COVID-19 test before boarding your flight doesn’t change quarantine requirements.

  • You don't need to book your place in quarantine. You'll be allocated a place when you arrive in Australia. 
  • You may have to pay for your place in quarantine.
  • You can't travel domestically until you’ve completed the 14-day mandatory quarantine period.
  • You may be tested for COVID-19 during your quarantine period. If you don’t agree to be tested, you may have to quarantine for longer.

Quarantine is an unfamiliar experience for most people and can be challenging. If you need to quarantine on arrival, the Department of Health provides a guide on getting ready for quarantine. It includes what to expect, what to do before you depart and how to manage your time in quarantine.

Modified quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers

Modified quarantine measures may apply to you from 1 November 2021 if you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19, depending on the state or territory you arrive in. 

If you’re planning to travel on domestically to another state or territory after arrival, check their entry and quarantine requirements. You may not be able to enter or may be required to quarantine, regardless of your vaccination status.

Proof of vaccination

You need to provide evidence of your vaccination status for modified quarantine measures to apply to you.

  • If you got vaccinated in Australia, you can use your International COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
  • If you got vaccinated overseas and haven’t registered your vaccinations in the Australian Vaccination Register (AIR), you can use a foreign vaccination certificate. The certificate must meet certain requirements to be accepted. To use your foreign certificate at the Australian border, you must complete the Australia Travel Declaration with your vaccination status before you check in at the airport.

Be aware that airlines and transit points may have different vaccination requirements. Always check with them before you book your flights.

More information:

If you don’t qualify as fully vaccinated

  • If you can’t be fully vaccinated for medical reasons, you’ll be treated the same as a vaccinated person for the purposes of travel. You’ll need to provide proof that you can’t be vaccinated. Your proof must meet certain criteria.
  • 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.

You may face more difficulty finding flights if you don’t meet vaccination requirements.

Pre-departure COVID-19 testing

You must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR or RT-PCR test when checking in for your flight to Australia (exemptions apply). Rapid antigen tests and self-administered COVID-19 tests taken at home without supervision are not acceptable.

  • You must get tested within 3 days of the scheduled departure of your first international flight.
  • You don’t need to be re-tested at transit points unless your airline or transit point requires it.
  • If you’re travelling from an exempt destination, different rules may apply.

If you or a primary close contact of your travelling group tests positive, you won't be allowed to travel to Australia.

Get tested at an accredited testing facility. Scammers are taking advantage of travellers by charging for fake tests. If you're unsure where to get tested, contact the local health authority for advice.

Local authorities, airlines and transit locations may have more rules in place for departures. We recommend you check these before arriving at the airport. If you're transiting during your trip, check the local requirements at each transit destination. Confirm any specific rules for onward travel with your airline.

More information:

Testing for vaccinated travellers

You'll still need to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test if you’re fully vaccinated.

Carry your vaccination certificate with your COVID-19 test results while travelling to Australia. Especially if you have one or more transit stops. Some destinations may ask for proof of testing and vaccination before allowing you to transit through.

More information:

Exemptions to testing requirements

Children 4 years old and younger are exempt from the pre-departure testing requirement. Children 5 years or older must provide a negative test result.

Some destinations are exempt. In places where the testing capacity may be limited, a PCR / RT-PCR test done within 4 days before flight departure may be accepted.

A full list of destinations that are exempt or have an extended testing time frame is on the Department of Health website.

More information:

Australia Travel Declaration

You need to complete the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) before travelling to Australia. It should be done at least 72 hours before your international flight. If you don’t complete the ATD before you board your flight, you’ll be delayed when you arrive in Australia.

The ATD collects your

  • contact details in Australia
  • flight details
  • vaccination information
  • quarantine requirements
  • health status

When filling out the ATD, you need to

  • provide your contact details, including a contact phone number in Australia
  • make a legally binding declaration about your vaccination status
  • make a declaration regarding your travel history over the last 14 days
  • make a declaration that you’re aware of the quarantine and testing requirements that apply in the State or Territory you’re landing, and the penalties for non-compliance.

The declaration about your vaccination status is considered to be critical health information. You must be able to provide evidence that you made this declaration before boarding your flight. This is an enforceable requirement if you’re more than 12 years and 3 months old when your flight departs. You may be liable for a fine if you don’t complete this information.

More information:

State and territory COVID-19 information

Each state and territory manage their own borders, international passenger arrival caps and quarantine programs. Before you return to Australia, read about the COVID-19 restrictions in place for the state or territory you'll be flying in to.

Travel zone with New Zealand

You can travel from New Zealand to Australia quarantine-free, if:

  • you have been in New Zealand for 14 days or more and not been in a designated COVID-19 outbreak location, and
  • you are travelling to Australia on a quarantine-free flight.

Check the New Zealand travel zone status page for up-to-date information on the status of quarantine-free travel.

More information:

 

Read more:

See also:

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