The four key things you need to do before travelling to Australia for Christmas
For many people who have been waiting to return home to Australia, this holiday season can't come quick enough. This is also the case for those who will be travelling to Australia to see their family and friends, to commence their studies or to start working. If you’re one of the fully vaccinated travellers who hold eligible visas or if you are exempt from Australia’s travel restrictions, it’s essential to know what else needs to be done to ensure that you are not prevented from travelling to Australia.
Confirm that you are eligible to enter Australia
The following groups of people are eligible to enter Australia under the current travel restrictions:
Australian citizens
Permanent Residents of Australia
New Zealand citizens who usually reside in Australia
Holders of the following provisional visas:
Subclass 309
Subclass 820
Subclass 445
Subclass 188
Fully vaccinated citizens of Singapore
Immediate family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents who hold a valid visa and have been approved a travel exemption
People undertaking critical work in Australia who hold a valid visa and have been approved a travel exemption
People who need to travel to Australia for compassionate or compelling reasons who hold a valid visa and have been approved a travel exemption
From 15 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders
From 15 December 2021, fully vaccinated citizens of South Korea and Japan
Get your COVID-19 vaccination certificate
If you are a temporary visa holder or if you are looking to access reduced quarantine arrangements, you will need to show proof that you are fully vaccinated to airline staff when you check in for your flight. This can be proved by providing a hard copy or electronic copy of your COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
Your vaccination certificate must be issued by a government authority or agency, or by an approved vaccination provider. If the certificate is not in English, it must be accompanied by a certified translation. It must also state your full name, date of birth or passport number, the name of the vaccine and the date of each dose administered. The vaccine must also be an approved and recognised vaccine.
Take a pre-departure COVID-19 test
Three days before your planned flight to Australia, you will also need to undertake a COVID-19 PCR test and obtain a negative result. The test result record must contain your name, date of birth or age and passport number, the test result (such as ‘negative’ or ‘not detected’), the test method used and the date that the test was taken.
There are some medical exemptions for having to take the pre-departure test including children aged 4 and under and those who have provided a medical certificate confirming a medical condition.
Complete the Australia Travel Declaration form
At least 72 hours before your scheduled flight to Australia, you will need to submit an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD). This can be done on the ATD website or on the ATD app which can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store. The declaration collects information relating to contact details in Australia, passport details, vaccination information and travel history to determine quarantine requirements, and assists health authorities with identifying close and casual contacts when someone who has travelled with you tests positive for COVID-19.
Australia’s borders are reopening and more people are now eligible to travel to Australia. If you would like to visit Australia or want more information about what is required, you can book a consultation with us.
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About Peter Chang
Peter Chang is a registered migration agent based in the Western Sydney hub of Parramatta, Australia. He is the co-founder of Titan Migration, a consultancy specialising in providing Australian immigration advice and visa assistance services.