23 March 2021
There's a ban on overseas travel from Australia. You can’t leave Australia unless you have an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs, or are travelling to a destination that is exempt from the ban.
Our global travel advice remains at 'Do not travel' due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel. Some destinations were already set at Do Not Travel prior to COVID-19 due to the extreme risk to your safety.
If you’re overseas and wish to return to Australia, be prepared for delays and read our advice on trying to get home.
When you arrive in Australia you must quarantine for 14 days at designated facilities in your port of arrival, unless you have an exemption or are travelling on a quarantine-free flight from a green zone destination. 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. View State and Territory Government COVID-19 information for information about quarantine and domestic borders.
If you're staying overseas, make plans to stay for an extended period. Follow the advice of local authorities and minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19. Stay in touch with family and friends so they know you're safe.
Our network of embassies and consular posts around the world will provide you with up-to-date local advice and support throughout this difficult period. Be aware consular services may be limited due to local measures.
For the latest information, read and subscribe to our news and travel advice. Also see our COVID-19 information pages.
Call 999.
Call 999.
Call 999.
Do not travel to Eswatini.
Do not travel overseas due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel.
Full travel advice: Safety
Full travel advice: Health
Full travel advice: Local laws
Full travel advice: Travel
Full travel advice: Local contacts
Police resources are varied throughout Eswatini.
Petty crime is common in major towns, particularly Mbabane and Manzini. This includes pickpocketing and robbery.
Take care to protect your personal belongings.
Be particularly careful in major towns.
Violent crime, including armed assault and carjacking, can occur.
Safety risks are greater at night, including on roads and in rural areas.
There have been reports of car-jacking along major routes from South Africa and Mozambique, especially at night.
To protect yourself from violent crime:
Due to the high rate of HIV/AIDS, seek medical help straight away if you're a victim of violent crime, especially sexual assault.
Demonstrations occur periodically and can lead to violent clashes between protestors and security forces.
To protect yourself during periods of unrest:
More information:
Eswatini can experience severe weather including thunderstorms and heavy rains.
Severe weather can affect your travel plans.
If you're visiting an area that has recently had severe weather:
To protect yourself if a natural disaster or severe weather occurs:
Expect severe thunderstorms with lightning and heavy rains during wet summer months, October to April.
This advice predates COVID-19 and the Australian Government's travel ban for all Australians.
You need to make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance, and confirm what your policy covers in terms of health and travel disruptions. Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation: the Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Eswatini. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.
Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:
More information:
COVID-19 remains a risk in Eswatini.
More information:
The rate of HIV/AIDS infection is very high.
Take precautions if taking part in activities that put you at risk of infection.
Malaria occurs year-round in most areas except in Mbabane and Highveld (the Highlands).
To protect yourself from disease:
See a doctor if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.
Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases occur. This includes:
To protect yourself from illness:
To reduce your risk of rabies, don't go near dogs and other mammals. If you're bitten or scratched, seek medical help straight away.
See a doctor if you have a fever or diarrhoea.
More information:
The standard of medical facilities is low. There can be shortages of basic medicine.
Hospitals will ask you to confirm your insurance cover or pay up-front before treatment.
If you're seriously ill or injured, you could need treatment at a more suitable place. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Ask police or prison officials to contact the Australian High Commission in South Africa if you're arrested or detained.
Police resources are varied throughout Eswatini.
Serious offences, including murder and treason, carry the death penalty. Corporal punishment exists, including for children.
Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include mandatory prison sentences.
More information:
In Eswatini, it's illegal to:
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
Eswatini doesn't recognise dual nationality.
If you're a dual national, this limits the consular services we can give if you're arrested or detained.
More information:
Tourists can enter Eswatini for up to 30 days without a visa.
For other types of visits, you'll need to get a visa in advance.
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.
More information:
Entry into Eswatini
To enter Eswatini you'll need proof of a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test taken within the previous 72 hours of your arrival. If you can't present a negative COVID-19 test on entry or you display COVID-19 symptoms, you'll need to undergo testing at your own cost. You may also have to quarantine for 14 days. Expect to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and asked about your recent travel history.
Only essential approved cross border travel with special permits will be allowed. Information regarding the application process can be found on the Government of Eswatini website.
Staying in Eswatini
Eswatini implemented new lockdown restrictions on 9 January 2021;
If you're staying in Eswatini:
You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Eswatini if you arrive within 6 days of visiting a country with yellow fever.
More information:
Due to COVID-19, all airlines are reducing capacity and cancelling flights to and from South Africa. Contact your travel provider for details. Special rules apply if you're going to or from Eswatini through South Africa, including transiting.
South Africa has specific documentation rules for children and doesn't accept provisional travel documents. It also requires travellers to carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
More information:
Officials may refuse you entry to Eswatini if you try to enter as a same-sex married couple.
More information:
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
The Lilangeni (SZL) is the currency of Eswatini.
Declare all amounts over SZL15,000 on arrival. This covers all forms of currency, not only cash.
You can't convert SZL into another currency.
South African Rand notes are widely accepted.
Larger cities and tourist facilities accept international credit cards. ATMs are widely available. Contact your bank to ensure that your cards will work in Eswatini.
To drive in Eswatini, you need both:
You must get your IDP before leaving Australia.
You're 4 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident in Eswatini than in Australia.
Driving hazards include:
If you intend to drive in Eswatini:
Don't travel into or out of Eswatini by road at night due to the threat of carjacking. See Safety
More information:
Check with your travel insurer whether your policy covers you when using a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.
Always wear a helmet.
Use only registered taxis. Arrange them through your hotel if possible.
Avoid hailing taxis on the street, as they are poorly maintained.
Avoid travel by bus where possible. Buses are often over-loaded and poorly maintained.
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
More information:
Depending on what you need, you should contact your:
Call 999.
Call 999.
Call 999.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
Contact your provider with any complaints about tourist services or products.
Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Eswatini. You can get consular help from the Australian High Commission in South Africa.
292 Orient Street
Arcadia
Pretoria 0083, Republic of South Africa
Phone: +27 12 423 6000
Fax: +27 12 342 8442
Website: southafrica.highcommission.gov.au
Email: consular.pretoria@dfat.gov.au
Facebook: Australian High Commission in South Africa
Twitter: @AuHCSouthAfrica
Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
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