Quarantine is no longer required for returning vaccinated Australian residents, citizens, and their immidiate family memebers
From Nov. 1, 2021, fully vaccinated people will be able to travel to Australia without quarantining if they are:
- An Australian citizen
- An Australian permanent resident or
- In an exempt category
Vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents are also now exempt from outbound travel restrictions. Exemption requirements for fully vaccinated Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents have been officially dropped as of November 1, 2021. These same individuals may now return to Australia without needing to quarantine.
Unvaccinated Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents seeking to either leave Australia or re-enter Australia are still subject to the restrictions that have been in place since March 2020. For further details, visit the updated information at: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia
In addition to the elimination of quarantine requirements, immediate family members will not need special permission to enter Australia. The definition of immediate family members of adult Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents has been expanded to include:
- Biological parents
- Legal (including adoptive) parents
- Step-parents
- Parents in-law.
However, be aware that even though this category of traveller is free from inbound restrictions, you will still need to have the relationship verified through the exemption process. More information on this process can be found at: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/immediate-family-australian-citizens-or-permanent-residents-or-new-zealand-citizens-usually-resident-australia
Requirements for international travel to Australia for citizens, residents, and immediate family members
- You must provide evidence that you are fully vaccinated. If you got vaccinated in Australia, you can use your International COVID-19 vaccination certificate. If you were overseas for your vaccination, you either can register your vaccination in the Australian Vaccination Register or you can use a foreign vaccination certificate.
- You must complete the Australian Travel Declaration.
- Even if vaccinated, you will need to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR or RT-PCR test upon check-in at your airline. You must get tested at least 72 hours before the scheduled departure of your first flight. You don’t need to be re-tested at transit points. There are some exemptions to the testing requirements.
- If you are unvaccinated, you will be required to quarantine at a government-mandated hotel at your expense for 14 days upon your arrival. Testing requirements are the same as above.
For further information, visit the following sites:
About The Author
Melissa Vincenty is a U.S. Attorney, a registered Australian Migration Agent and the founder and managing director of Worldwide Migration Partners. Melissa has over 25 years of experience in U.S. Immigration Law, including practising at the world’s largest U.S. Immigration Firm and more than 15 years as a Country Specialist (China and Tibet) for Amnesty International USA.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is general in nature, may not, and is not intended to constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information, and is for general informational purposes only. It does not represent legal advice specific to any individual/s situation, and should not be relied on as such. Please contact us to schedule a legal consultation for advice specific to individual circumstances.