Australia Entry and Travel Requirements
Australian entry and travel requirements define all the rules for travelers entering and leaving Australia, including the necessary documents they must prepare before their planned trip.
Some of the most important requirements for entering Australia include holding a valid passport and visa. Each visitor must ensure that their passport is valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry into Australia.
Depending on the traveler's nationality, reason for trip and length of stay, different types of visas are required to enter Australia.
Under Australia's visa policy, most foreign visitors must apply for a visa before their trip, with the exception of New Zealanders who are granted a special visa on arrival. Passport holders from any European country can apply for an e-visa online, while citizens of Canada, Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States are eligible Australian ETA receipts can be issued via mobile phone. application. ETA and eVisitor allow you to travel to Australia for tourism or business purposes.
Visitors from other countries will need to apply for an embassy visa at one of Australia's diplomatic missions. All those planning to stay longer than 3 months must apply for an embassy visa, regardless of nationality.
Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia's immigration regulations are among the strictest in the world, allowing almost no one to enter. The country's borders were reopened to fully vaccinated international travelers in February 2022.
Before your trip, check the required immigration procedures to get to Australia without any problems. Different states and regions of Australia may have their own entry regulations, including testing and quarantine requirements.
Important update! :
Recent changes to Australia's entry requirements include the removal of pre-departure testing in April 2022. Additionally, from 6 July, Australia will no longer require arriving travelers to declare their status vaccination and complete the digital passenger declaration.
Who can enter Australia?
Currently, travelers from the following groups can enter Australia:
- traveler with a valid visa;
- Australian permanent residents and citizens.
From 6 July 2022, unvaccinated travelers no longer need a travel exemption to enter Australia.
Document checklist for entry to Australia
Before heading to the airport to board your flight to Australia, make sure you have the following:
- valid visa
- Travel insurance (optional)
Australian Visa
Visitors permitted to travel to Australia must have a valid visa. During the Coronavirus pandemic, visa processing times may take a little longer than usual.
Visitors to Australia with a valid visa should remember that they must meet other entry requirements. Otherwise, their visa may be canceled upon arrival in Australia if the holder:
- do not meet the travel requirements under the Australian definition of a fully vaccinated person for the purposes of international travel;
- are not fully vaccinated and do not have a medical reason not to get vaccinated against COVID-19;
- not be exempt or receive a personal travel exemption to enter Australia.
Types of visas
European passport holders can apply for an Australian eVisitor visa (subclass 651), while passport holders from other countries may be eligible for a visitor visa (subclass 600).
Citizens from eight countries can apply for an Australian ETA using the mobile app. The list of ETA eligible countries includes passport holders from the following countries:
- Brunei
- Canada
- Hong Kong (SAR of China)
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- the United States of America
APEC business travel card
Business travelers from certain countries are allowed to visit Australia visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, provided they hold an APEC Business Travel Card. The card must have the code “AUS” on the back.
The list of countries eligible to apply ABTC is as follows:
- Chile
- Brunei
- China
- Indonesia
- Hong Kong
- South Korea
- Japan
- Mexico
- Malaysia
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Peru
- Singapore
- Russia
- Thailand
- Taiwan
- Vietnam
Digital Passenger Declaration
All passengers traveling to Australia must complete a digital Passenger Declaration. Since all information must be up to date, you can start filling out your DPD 7 days before your scheduled departure date and submit it within 72 hours of your flight.
Passengers who fail to provide evidence that vital health information was provided before boarding the flight will be subject to a civil penalty of AUD 6,660.
On completion of the Australian DPD, you will need:
- provide your contact details, including an Australian contact phone number
- declare your vaccination status (false information will be penalized by law)
- Declare your travel history, including the past 14 days
- declare that you are aware of the testing and quarantine requirements after arrival in a certain state or territory in Australia (failure to comply may result in applicable penalties)
The following information is required to fill out the DPD:
- valid passport
- flight number
- travel history (14 days before scheduled flight)
- Arrange arrival and quarantine (if any)
- COVID-19 vaccination records (or proof that you cannot be vaccinated for specific medical reasons)
Each traveler aged 16 and over must complete their own digital passenger declaration. For travelers under 16 years of age, a parent or guardian must fill out a declaration form.
G2G card
Western Australia has launched its own passenger announcement: the G2G Pass. Completing it is required to be allowed into the state. G2G cards will be verified upon arrival in WA. To complete, travelers can use the G2G Pass or ServiceWA app.
COVID-19 Testing requirements
To enter Australia, each passenger must have a negative test result for Corona virus.
Australia accepts the following COVID-19 tests:
- negative PCR test or other NAAT test taken within 3 days before scheduled flight departure;
- medical certificate confirming a negative RAT result performed under medical supervision 24 hours before scheduled flight departure.
In the event of a flight delay, passengers must still meet pre-departure testing requirements. Retesting is not required as long as your test report is still valid (72 hours before the scheduled flight for PCR testing and 24 hours for RAT testing).
Most Australian states and territories may also require travelers to take a COVID-19 test on arrival. Check the specific requirements of the Australian state you visit.
Also, be sure to check testing and vaccination requirements for any countries on your travel itinerary you plan to visit or transit through.
Vaccination requirements
To be recognized as fully vaccinated to enter Australia, travelers must provide evidence that they:
- have received full Australian government approved coronavirus vaccines;
- are children under 12 years old;
- are children between 12 and 17 years old who will be accompanied by at least one fully vaccinated adult traveler; Or
cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Vaccines accepted in Australia
Currently, the list of vaccines and doses approved for international travel includes the following manufacturers:
Two-dose vaccine given at least 14 days into travel:
- AstraZeneca Vaxzevria
- AstraZeneca Covishield
- Pfizer/BioNTech Committee
- Moderna Spikevax or Takeda
- Sinovac Coronavac
- Bharat Covaxin Biotech
- Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV is for people under 60 years old when entering Australia
- Gamaleya Sputnik V Research Institute
- Novavax/Biocelect Nuvaxovid
- One dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen-Cilag COVID vaccine (given at least 7 days before travel)
Unvaccinated tourists
Travelers who do not meet Australia's definition of a fully vaccinated person for the purposes of international travel must be granted an immigration exemption to enter Australia.
Passenger entry restrictions apply to unvaccinated travelers and are subject to specific state or territory requirements when they arrive in Australia.
Quarantine and local requirements
Quarantine requirements in Australia are determined by certain state and territory governments. If travelers plan to travel interstate, they may be denied entry or required to quarantine before being allowed to explore the territory.
Restrictions can change at short notice and Australian states and territories have their own entry and travel regulations. Before arriving in Australia, check quarantine and other entry requirements for the area(s) you plan to visit:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Queensland
- South Australia
- western Australia
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Australian Capital Territory
Transit through Australia
Transit 72 hours or less
A person who is only transiting through Australia for up to 72 hours is automatically exempt from travel restrictions (and does not need to be granted a travel exemption).
Travelers transiting through Australia must obtain their flight ticket no later than 72 hours after first entering Australia.
If you plan to spend more than 72 hours in Australia while waiting for a connecting flight, you will not be recognized as a transit traveller. In such a situation, you must meet all applicable requirements for entry and travel to Australia, including vaccinations, testing, visas, health declarations, etc.
Visa and health declaration
Travelers who only plan to transit through Australia must have a valid transit visa unless they are from a country that qualifies for visa-free transit. Transit passengers are also required to complete a digital Passenger Declaration and submit it within 72 hours of flight departure to Australia.
COVID-19 testing
A negative COVID-19 test report is required for transit through Australia. This can be a PCR/NAAT test taken within 72 hours before departure or a RAT taken within 24 hours before departure.
State and Territory requirements
Each traveler must comply with the applicable transit entry requirements for a given Australian state or territory. Depending on the region, travelers may need to book hotel accommodations while waiting for their connecting flight.
Entry Rules for Children
Children under 12 years old or children 12 to 17 years old traveling with at least one fully vaccinated adult are subject to the same travel regulations as vaccinated travelers. They must have a valid passport which will also serve as proof of age.
Families traveling in groups with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children should also check the applicable self-isolation or quarantine requirements for some of the territories and states they plan to travel to. travel or transit.
Children 4 years old and younger are exempt from the pre-departure testing requirement, while children 11 years old and younger are not required to wear masks on board.
Travel Insurance
Australia does not require visitors to have travel insurance, but they are strongly advised to purchase one. Medical treatment in Australia can be very expensive for overseas visitors. Hospital costs can run up to several thousand dollars and sometimes more.
As there are no specific travel requirements for purchasing travel insurance for your trip to Australia, you should tailor it to suit your personal travel goals. Before signing up to a plan, consider your intended activities in Australia. For example, choose insurance that covers adventure sports if you plan to go scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Also, be sure to choose an insurance plan that includes coverage for possible COVID-19 treatment costs.