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Border reopening for eligible visa holders

This is a good news story……an announcement was made today that Australian borders will reopen on 1 December 2021 to allow travel to Australia for those who are fully vaccinated * without the requirement to apply for and be granted a travel exemption. 

Other requirements for Australian Travel declarations and pre-flight COVID testing will continue.

Who will be able to travel to Australia without applying for the travel waiver from 1 December 2021 ?.

Note: Additional visa subclasses may be added over time. 

This is in addition to the exemptions outlined on: Travel restrictions and exemptions. 

You will note that bridging visa and tourist visas are not on this list which means that currently most holders of these visas will not be permitted to enter Australia or return to Australia.

The 1 December changes do not extend to tourists wanting to come to Australia unless they are from Singapore, South Korea, Japan or New Zealand.  For further information on these exemptions please contact your Visa Executive partner. 

Travel preparation List

A useful travel preparation list is also available on the website detailing each step required in planning to come to Australia.

*Who is classed as fully vaccinated ?

For travellers to qualify as fully vaccinated, their certificates must show vaccines approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Current approved and recognised vaccines and dosages are:

• Two doses at least 14 days apart of:
  • AstraZeneca Vaxzevria
  • AstraZeneca COVISHIELD
  • Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty
  • Moderna Spikevax
  • Sinovac Coronavac
  • Bharat Covaxin
  • Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (for ages 18-60 only)
• Or one dose of:
  • Johnson & Johnson/Janssen-Cilag COVID Vaccine.

Seven days must have passed since the final dose of vaccine in a course of immunisation. Mixed doses count towards being fully vaccinated as long as all vaccines are approved or recognised by the TGA. Doses of Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV only count towards being fully vaccinated if administered when the traveller was aged from 18 to 60 years. 

Travellers who have not been vaccinated with the above doses or schedule do not meet Australia’s definition of fully vaccinated and should not attempt to travel to Australia.

Travellers who cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 because of a medical condition need to provide evidence. They should also check any requirements, particularly quarantine requirements, in the state or territory to which they are travelling.

So will you have to still quarantine ?. 

If the first destination on arrival to Australia is Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra you will not have to quarantine.

If your first destination will be another city then you will still be subject to the specific quarantine requirements for the Australian arrival destination. Each state's and territory's quarantine requirements are available at the Australian Government's website.

So, we are on the move, Australia is starting to reopen and summer holidays are on their way. Please remember that we like to talk so if you are looking at sending staff to Australia or want to clarify the information in this newsletter please don’t hesitate to contact us.