When Can Australians Travel Overseas? International Flights On The Horizon!

Viv Tan Wei Wen

Last updated 29 Nov 2021

When Can We Travel Overseas from Australia?

Image credits - right image @Pietro.spagnulo on Instagram

*Please note that this information is last updated on 22 November 2021

Vaccination rates are on the rise in Australia and we’re definitely beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel! It's time to dust off your passport and get ready to book that (very overdue) overseas trip.

Australia has opened its borders and we’re allowed to travel overseas again - yay! But quarantine and pre-flight Covid tests may still be required depending on what country you're travelling to. We get it, all these new prerequisites can be a bit confusing, but we've got your back, fam! Here’s the download on international travel from Australia:

Can Australians Travel Overseas?

It's the news we've all been waiting for - as of November 1st, fully vaccinated Aussie citizens and permanent residents aged 12 and over can travel overseas without needing an exemption! It has also been announced that fully-vaxxed visa holders will no longer need a travel exemption to enter Australia from December 1st.

Some top destinations are also opening travel bubbles with Australia! Here's the latest:

Singapore

As of November 8, Singapore will welcome back quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Aussies under a "travel lane" agreement.

Thailand

Thailand's border will reopen to tourists on November 1, but travellers will need to spend their first night in a government-approved quarantine hotel.

Fiji

Fiji will be open to Aussie travellers from December 1, but visitors will have to self-isolate for two days upon arrival.

But what about quarantine in other countries? We know all the different quarantine rules can be confusing, so we've done the hard work for you! Below are the quarantine updates for key destinations so you know what to expect when planning that long-overdue overseas holiday.

Country	Update Date	Quarantine on arrival	Quarantine on return to Aus
Fiji	Dec 1	2 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Hong Kong	Nov 8	14 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Singapore	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Taiwan	Nov 8	CLOSED	NSW, VIC, ACT- No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
China	Nov 8	14 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Philippines	Nov 8	7 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
South Korea	Nov 8	14 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Thailand	Nov 8	1 day	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Phuket	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Malaysia	Nov 8	CLOSED	NSW, VIC, ACT- No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Vietnam	Nov 8	CLOSED	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
New Zealand	Nov 8	SUSPENDED	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Japan	Nov 8	10 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
USA	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
UK	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Germany	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
France	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Italy	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Canada	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
Bali	Nov 8	5 days	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel
UAE	Nov 8	No	NSW, VIC, ACT - No (for fully vaxxed Aus residents from Nov 1st) Rest of Aus - 14 days in hotel

Pre-flight Covid-19 PCR test

Before jumping on that long-awaited overseas flight, you'll need to book a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test. Most countries require travellers to present a negative PCR test before they're able to board their flight. This test needs to be taken within 48 to 72 hours of departure so make sure to add it to your pre-flight to-do list!

You'll also need to take another PCR test when returning back home. Australia requires a test no more than three days before your scheduled flight. Check out this article for more info on PCR test requirements.

What will the Quarantine Look Like?

At the moment, if you are entering Australia from overseas, you must complete a 14-day quarantine at a designated hotel. However, New South Wales scrapped hotel quarantine from November 1st for fully vaccinated Australian citizens, residents and their families (yay!).

Victoria has also scrapped hotel quarantine for fully vaxxed Aussie's from November 1st, so long as they have their vaccine status or medical exemption validated by the Commonwealth government, apply for a permit to enter Vic from Service Victoria and get a COVID-19 test within 24 hours after arrival.

Vaccinated travellers returning from overseas can also enter the ACT without undergoing hotel quarantine as of November 1st, so long as they have a Covid-19 test within 24 hours of arrival, and a second Covid-19 test during days 5 and 6 after arrival.

What Is the Vaccine Passport?

Currently, vaccinated Aussies can access their COVID-19 digital certificate through MyGov or the Express Plus Medicare app.

The government has also announced the exciting news that they are working on vaccine passports, a system that can enable recognition of vaccination, which will be linked to holders of Australian passports.

Official COVID-19 Resources

Stay up to date with the latest -

Smart Traveller – Providing Australians with the latest information and advice to stay safe overseas.

Sydney Morning Herald COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker - Track the national as well as state-level vaccination progress

Health Direct – Provides health information and contacts. This website also has a restriction checker for every state and territory in Australia, so you can check what activities you can and can’t do.

Department of Home Affairs – Provides support and information for Australian citizens needing to travel or return home.

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