Travel restrictions
You can only travel to Australia if you are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, an immediate family member of an Australian citizen or permanent resident or are a New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia.
Travellers who have a compassionate or compelling reason to travel to Australia will need to have an exemption from the Australian Border Force Commissioner.
All travellers arriving in Australia must undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities (for example, a hotel), in their port of arrival. link
Additional exemptions as determined by the Commissioner
The Commissioner of the Australian Border Force (ABF) may consider an additional exemption in relation to the travel restrictions currently in place for:
- foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Australian Commonwealth Government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response or whose entry would be in the national interest
- critical medical services, including air ambulance and delivery of supplies, that regularly arrive into Australia from international ports
- people with critical skills (for example, medical specialists, engineers, marine pilots and crews) by exception
- diplomats accredited to Australia and currently resident in Australia, and their immediate family
- case-by-case exceptions for humanitarian or compassionate reasons.
Exemptions must be granted prior to travelling to Australia. The request for an exemption through Commissioner’s Discretion must be accompanied by:
- passenger details: name, DOB, visa type and number, passport number, Australian residential address, Australian telephone number)
- case information: why this case should be considered for Commissioner discretion/exemption
- supporting statement: the request should be accompanied by a statement and evidence of how the individual meets one of the grounds for an exemption or excise of the Commissioner’s discretion listed above.
It is important that all travellers provide evidence that they meet one of the exemptions above before travelling.
Depending on your reason for requesting exemption, evidence must be provided and could include:
- proof of ID
- marriage certificates
- birth certificates
- death certificates
- proof of relationship (for example, shared tenancy agreement, joint bank account etc.)
- visa status
- letter from a doctor or hospital indicating why the travel is necessary
- letter from an employer indicating why the travel is necessary or the work undertaken is critical
- letter from a related business or company
- any other proof you may have to support your claims.