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Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

COVID-19 and travel

Find out about travel requirements and steps you can take to stay safe.

Domestic travel within Australia

Domestic travel requirements are determined by state and territory governments. Check the websites of local health departments for information about travel to:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• South Australia
• Western Australia .

Travelling overseas

The Australian Government does not currently have any COVID-19 requirements in place for travellers entering and departing Australia.

COVID-19 however continues to pose a health risk in Australia and overseas. We strongly encourage wearing masks and being vaccinated while travelling internationally. You should practice good cough and hand hygiene, and physically distance from others where possible.

Some countries, airlines and vessel operators may have COVID-19 travel requirements in place. Check the requirements of any:

• countries you are travelling to, or transiting through
• airlines or vessel operators.
• Smartraveller website
• Australian Government – international travel information .

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is important if you become sick with COVID-19 overseas. Make sure your insurance includes:

• transit destinations
• inclusions for COVID-19
• other add-ons like cruise specific insurance.

Some destinations also require travellers to hold travel insurance as a condition of entry.

Cruise travel

Check with your cruise provider or travel agent for up-to-date travel requirements for your ship and destination/s. You can also contact the relevant state or territory government to find out if any requirements apply for your destination.

Outbreaks onboard a cruise

Cruise ships carry a higher risk for spreading disease compared to other types of travel. COVID-19, influenza, and other infectious diseases spread easily between people living and socialising in close quarters.

If an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs on your cruise, you may need to:

• quarantine on the ship
• disembark and follow the local rules in the state or territory or country you are in.

Before you travel, check the  Smartraveller advice on cruises . Contact your travel agent or cruise operator for specific information on their COVID-19 safety protocols.

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CLIFFTOP WALKWAY UPGRADE WORKS

From April 2023, Waverley Council is upgrading sections of the boardwalk along the Clifftop Walkway at Dover Heights and Vaucluse to make it safer and more enjoyable for all users. This area forms part of the Federation Cliff Walk. The Diamond Bay Boardwalk will be upgraded first, followed by Eastern Reserve. These areas will be completely closed to the public during construction.

CLOSED AREAS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

A number of areas – including picnic grounds and walking tracks – in the Blue Mountains region are currently closed following sustained wet weather, subsequent geological instability and infrastructure upgrades.  Please avoid these areas until further notice. For more information on the affected locations, visit the NSW National Parks website .

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Australia Covid border restrictions: what you need to travel interstate

Some states and territories have tightened restrictions while others have loosened them – or dropped them all together. Here is what you need to know

As the Omicron variant causes Covid case numbers to surge across Australia, state governments have made a number of changes to rules for interstate travel .

While many states relaxed their border restrictions after achieving high levels of vaccination, some have reintroduced certain rules in the wake of the Omicron outbreak and the rapid rise in case numbers.

Others have announced domestic travellers will be allowed to use rapid antigen test results before travelling instead of strictly requiring PCR tests. The changes have come as testing sites have been overwhelmed, with drive-in queues stretching around blocks and wait times ballooning across much of the country.

Here’s a rundown of each state’s current domestic travel requirements.

Domestic travellers to Victoria are no longer required to quarantine or have a permit to enter, regardless of vaccination status.

• New South Wales

Interstate travellers entering NSW do not need to apply for permits . There are, however, some requirements for people who are close or casual contacts after visiting “ places of high concern ” in the 14 days before travelling.

Unvaccinated close contacts may not enter NSW; if they are identified as a close contact and have already travelled to NSW, they will need to complete 14 days of self-isolation.

Fully vaccinated visitors who have been identified as close contacts interstate in the 14 days before arrival can enter NSW, but will need to self-isolate for seven days from the date of exposure. Close contacts who are already in NSW will also need to self-isolate for seven days from exposure.

Casual contacts may enter if they have received a negative Covid test, and will need to complete an entry declaration form.

Returning NSW residents who are close contacts interstate can come back to NSW to self-isolate.

From 1 January, those travelling into Queensland from declared Covid hotspots will be able to cross the border with a negative rapid antigen test instead of a PCR test.

Declared hotspots include all of NSW, ACT and Victoria, as well as all of greater Adelaide in SA and Katherine and Robinson River in the NT.

Authorities have recommended that travellers complete a test on the same day they are due to travel, but will accept results up to 72 hours prior to arrival.

“What that means is someone today who wants to come to Queensland , because it is within the 72 hours [before] 1 January, you can go and get a rapid antigen test and that will be the valid test for you to come into Queensland from today,” said police minister Mark Ryan in a press conference on Wednesday.

From 28 December, Queensland will also no longer require hotspot travellers to get tested on day five after arrival. Chief health officer John Gerrard said he recommended the change after only 0.6% of interstate travellers returned positive tests on day five.

All travellers, including those from non-hotspot areas, will still need an entry pass .

People who have been required to isolate as close, casual or secondary contacts of a confirmed Covid case or interstate exposure site in the past 14 days cannot enter Queensland.

Restrictions for travel into the ACT have been removed entirely, except for close contacts, who are required to complete an exemption form before travelling regardless of vaccination status. Once granted, the exemption will detail quarantine and testing requirements.

There is no requirement for people who are not close contacts to provide proof of a negative Covid test.

Returning ACT residents who are identified as close contacts may seek an exemption and, depending on vaccination status, complete their required seven or 14 days of isolation in the territory.

Those who are notified of close contact status while already in the ACT will need to complete a declaration form .

• South Australia

Fully vaccinated travellers from any state or territory can enter SA and will need to complete an application through EntryCheck SA .

As of 26 December, arrivals from NSW, the ACT or Victoria no longer need to be tested after entry or on day six, but will need to have completed a negative PCR or rapid antigen test in the three days before travelling.

Unvaccinated travellers will need to apply for an exemption.

Western Australia

WA’s border remains under tight travel restrictions , with visitors from every other state or territory barred from entry unless they belong to a narrow set of approved travellers.

Under current rules, travellers from jurisdictions deemed medium, high or extreme risk are not permitted into the state. All seven other states and territories fall into one of these risk categories. The ACT, NT and Tasmania are classified as medium risk; Queensland and SA are classified as high risk; and NSW and Victoria are classified as extreme risk.

Approved travellers from medium and high risk jurisdictions will need to complete 14 days of self-quarantine upon arrival and undergo PCR testing on days two and 12. Those coming from extreme risk jurisdictions will need to quarantine for 14 days in government-approved quarantine facilities, with testing on days one, five and 13.

The hard border also applies to residents of WA looking to return, although residents returning from medium risk jurisdictions may be eligible for an exemption on compassionate grounds .

All travellers to WA must have a G2G pass , proof of double-dose vaccination and proof of a negative PCR test in the 72 hours before arrival.

Plans to ease border restrictions on 5 February are still in place.

Northern Territory

Fully vaccinated travellers are able to enter the NT provided they fill out a border entry form , have proof of vaccination and have completed a negative PCR test in the three days prior to arriving. If an interstate visitor does not have proof of a negative PCR test, it is required that they complete one within 24 hours of arriving.

Travellers will also be given two rapid antigen tests when they arrive in the NT; the first is to be administered within three days and the second on day six.

Unvaccinated visitors may not enter the territory. Unvaccinated NT residents or those with an exemption can enter, but will need to complete 14 days of supervised quarantine at their own cost

Travel is allowed from all other states and territories for those who are fully vaccinated. All travellers to Tasmania are required to complete registration and have proof of vaccination.

If coming from an area deemed high risk , fully vaccinated travellers must have a negative PCR test in the 72 hours leading up to arrival. This rule also applies to Tasmanian residents who have spent more than seven days in a high risk area.

Tasmanians who have spent less than seven days in a high risk area will need to be tested within 72 hours of returning.

Tasmanian premier, Peter Gutwein, has indicated that there will be an update on the possibility of allowing rapid antigen tests for travellers alongside PCR tests after Thursday’s national cabinet meeting.

Update from Tasmania’s Premier on PCR tests required for travellers into the state from high-risk areas. He says he’ll likely have an update on the use of rapid antigen tests after National Cabinet tomorrow #covid19tas #politas pic.twitter.com/7ORo9m1HVN — Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) December 29, 2021

Unvaccinated travellers are currently not allowed to enter Tasmania unless approved; they will need to quarantine for up to 14 days after entry, but may leave quarantine after five days if tests completed on days one and five are negative.

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Can you bring it in? What can you bring on a plane?

A guide to what you can and can't bring in to the country​​​​​​.​ When you’re travelling overseas​ or importing items, you need to know that some items can’t be brought back with you and for others you need to get permission.

​ There are limits on how much powders, liquids, aerosols and gels you can carry onto an airplane. If in doubt, pack these items in your checked-in bags.

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Looking to travel interstate? Here's what restrictions you can expect in each state or territory

This week Queensland and Tasmania will ease their border restrictions, opening up to parts of the country where COVID-19 has been spreading in the community.

However, while domestic travel is becoming more possible, each state and territory's rules and restrictions differ. 

Below is a guide on what restrictions you may currently face as a domestic traveller:

New South Wales 

There are currently no restrictions on entry to NSW, unless you have been been to these places of high concern in the ACT or Queensland . 

If you are a non-resident of NSW and a  close contact  in one of these places, you must not enter NSW until 14 days have passed or seven days if you are fully vaccinated.

Should you already be in NSW and a close contact, you must self isolate for seven days if fully vaccinated, and 14 days if you are not.

If you are a non-resident and have been a  casual contact  in one of these places you cannot enter NSW unless you have received a negative COVID-19 PCR test.

Should you already be in NSW and a casual contact, you must isolate until you receive a negative PCR test. 

NSW residents who are a close contact of places of high concern must isolate at home or a suitable location until it has been 14 days since you visited the place of concern. If you are fully vaccinated, you only need to self isolate for seven days from the time visited.

And NSW residents returning home who are casual contacts are required to get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Domestic travellers no longer require a permit to enter Victoria.

Domestic travellers can enter the state without needing to quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status, as long as they have not been overseas in the previous 14 days.

Australian Capital Territory

Travellers who have not been in a high-risk geographical area or a close contact exposure location  in the past 14 days can enter the ACT without restrictions.

That means people from NSW and Victoria must apply for and complete an exemption form within 72 hours of their intended arrival in the ACT.

Further restrictions also apply for travellers from close contact locations in Queensland and South Australia. 

Until Wednesday, fully vaccinated travellers to Tasmania must register with the e-Travel system and have evidence of a vaccination certificate. 

Travellers with medical exemptions, or who are under 12 years and two months of age are considered vaccinated. 

People from high-risk areas — which currently include parts of NSW, the ACT and Victoria  — are not able to enter Tasmania unless approved as an Essential Traveller . 

From Wednesday , Tasmania's borders will open to all fully vaccinated travellers .

Anyone who is coming to Tasmania from a high-risk zone  from Wednesday, regardless of whether they are a resident or not, needs to  test negative to COVID-19 in the 72 hours before arrival .

South Australia

South Australia has opened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers . Travellers and returning South Australian residents must complete an EntryCheck SA application 14 days prior to arrival in the state. 

If you are unvaccinated and do not have an approved exemption, you cannot travel to South Australia.

Travellers from the ACT, NSW and Victoria are subject to further restrictions, including: 

• negative PCR test result received within 72 hours before arrival
• test upon arrival and quarantine until this test is taken
• test on day 6 after arrival
• symptom checking for 14 days after arrival.

Travellers from Katherine in the Northern Territory are also subject to the restrictions above, as well as:

• quarantine, as directed, for seven days after arrival
• COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours of arrival in South Australia
• PCR test again on days 6 and 13.

Northern Territory

Currently, vaccinated travellers from "green zones" with minimal COVID-19 risk can enter the Northern Territory without any testing or quarantine requirements.

Unvaccinated Northern Territory residents can travel into the territory from a green zone, but they are required to quarantine until they receive a negative test.  

Double-vaccinated arrivals from "red zones" must home quarantine for seven days and be tested.

Everyone travelling to the Northern Territory is required to complete an online Border Entry Form . 

From December 20, these rules will change , and there will be no distinctions between hotspots.

But PCR tests will be required for vaccinated travellers and arrivals will be required to stay within Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs for their first 14 days in the territory.

From 1am AEST on Monday, Queensland's travel rules will change , with people from hotspots (as declared by Queensland authorities) allowed to travel into the state without quarantining as long as they:

• are fully vaccinated
• have a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to arriving in the state
• have a PCR test on day five after their arrival.

If you don't meet these requirements, you need to arrive by air and will be required to complete 14 days' quarantine.

Should you not be travelling from a hotspot, there are no restrictions on your entry and no quarantine is required.

Western Australia

On Monday, the West Australian government is expected to announce when the state will reopen its border to the eastern states and to overseas travellers.

Until then,  Western Australia restricts travel into the state based on the level of COVID-19 spread in states or territories where you have been  for 14 days prior to entry.  

Very low risk

People travelling from Tasmania — and Queensland today only — can enter Western Australia as long as they complete a registration and declaration before travelling and complete a health screening at Perth Airport.

People travelling from the Northern Territory —  and Queensland from Monday  — must be fully vaccinated, except those aged under 12 years and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. These travellers then must self-quarantine for 14 days and get a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours of arrival and on day 12 of their quarantine.

Medium risk

People travelling from ACT and South Australia cannot enter Western Australia without prior approval through a GTG Pass and must show proof of vaccination. Approved travellers must get a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure and are also subject to quarantine and testing restrictions as outlined for low-risk travellers.

Travellers from New South Wales also need approval to enter Western Australia and are subject to the same restrictions as travellers from medium-risk jurisdictions but they also must get a PCR test if symptoms develop during their quarantine. The use of the G2G Now app is mandatory in quarantine for these travellers.

Extreme risk

Travellers from Victoria need Western Australia government approval to enter the state, and are subject to the same restrictions as travellers from high-risk areas, but must quarantine at a government-approved hotel quarantine facility and also must get a COVID-19 PCR test on days 1, 5 and 12 of quarantine. 

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Stay up to date with vaccinations

​Vaccination is important to protect you against diseases.

You should be up to date with all routine vaccinations on the NSW immunisation schedule .

Reducing your risk while overseas

Some travel associated diseases can be prevented by vaccination.

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your travel plans early so they can give advice. This is because vaccines take some time (usually 2-4 weeks, but up to 6-8 weeks for some vaccines) to provide protection.
• Check what vaccines are recommended for certain areas or travellers. This includes vaccines against typhoid, hepatitis A or rabies. You may also need yellow fever and polio vaccinations, or proof of immunity, for travel to or from certain countries.
• Check if booster doses of any routine vaccinations are recommended before you travel. This includes diphtheria, tetanus, and polio.
• Check you have received two doses of the measles vaccine if you were born during or after 1966. If you haven’t, get vaccinated before you travel – the vaccine is free in NSW but some providers may charge a fee for consultation or to administer the vaccine.
• Discuss travel plans with your GP if your child is aged 6-18 months and is going to areas at high risk for measles. The measles vaccine schedule can be adjusted
• If you are travelling to the northern hemisphere during their winter flu season (usually October to May) you can receive a second flu shot within the same year. Read the Australian Government’s Immunisation Handbook for current flu vaccination recommendations.
• Check you are up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations for all overseas travel.
• Get your mandatory meningococcal and COVID-19 vaccinations as a pilgrim to the Hajj.

Find out more

Routine vaccination.

• Meningococcal disease
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Polio (poliomyelitis)

Vaccines recommended for certain places or travellers

• Hepatitis A
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Yellow fever