Lexi Webster
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian citizens and permanent residents are currently banned from leaving the country without a travel exemption. Exemptions are granted to those with a compelling reason for needing to leave Australia, with reasons including urgent medical treatment, travel in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and travel for essential work or business. Applicants must provide sufficient supporting documentation, and applications may be prioritised in the case of a close family member's death or critical illness. Applications can be made online, and must be submitted at least two weeks before travel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can apply? | Australian citizens or permanent residents |
| Who is exempt from applying? | Foreign citizens |
| When to apply | At least 2 weeks but not more than 3 months before travel |
| Priority applications | Death or critical illness of a close family member |
| Application fee | Free |
| Where to apply | https://travel-exemptions.homeaffairs.gov.au/tep |
| Application requirements | Supporting documents, evidence, and a compelling reason for travel |
| Supporting documents | Proof of visa, medical treatment, job offers, leases, etc. |
| Supporting documents size | Up to 25 attachments per request, maximum file size 15MB |
| Application processing time | Majority of applications are finalised within 48 hours |
| Application approval rate | About one in three requests are granted |
| Application re-submission | Allowed if the request is refused |
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What You'll Learn
- You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to apply for a travel exemption
- Exemptions are only granted if your travel falls into specific categories
- You must apply at least two weeks before your intended departure date
- You must provide supporting documents to prove your claims
- If your application is rejected, you can reapply with additional documentation
You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to apply for a travel exemption
Australian citizens and permanent residents are currently banned from leaving the country due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you must apply for a travel restriction exemption to be allowed to exit Australia. Foreign citizens, however, are able to depart at any time.
To apply for a travel exemption, you must do so at least two weeks before travelling, but no more than three months prior to your intended departure date. Exemptions are rarely granted less than two weeks before travel, and you may be rejected if you apply too early. If your travel is due to the death or critical illness of a close family member, you can apply within this timeframe and your application will be prioritised.
Your application must fall under one of the following categories:
- Part of the COVID-19 response (e.g. providing aid overseas)
- Essential for the conduct of critical industries and business (including export and import industries)
- Travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia
- Travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business
- Travelling on compassionate or humanitarian grounds
You must provide evidence to support your claims, which must be officially translated into English. This may include:
- Proof that you are moving to another country on a long-term basis, such as leases, job offers and evidence your goods are being transported
- Proof of your current valid visa, including in Australia and/or overseas
- A letter from a doctor or hospital about any medical treatment/condition with statements on why travel is necessary
- A doctor's certificate to support your claim that you are travelling to provide care for sick family members
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Exemptions are only granted if your travel falls into specific categories
Exemptions to the Australian travel ban are only granted if your travel falls into specific categories. The Australian government has implemented these outbound travel restrictions to protect the health and well-being of its citizens due to the threat of COVID-19.
To be granted an exemption, you must have a "compelling reason" for needing to leave Australian territory, and your travel must fall into one of the following categories:
- Your travel is part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing aid overseas.
- Your travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business, including import and export industries.
- You are travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia.
- You are travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business.
- You are travelling on compassionate or humanitarian grounds, such as the death or critical illness of a close family member.
- You are leaving Australia for three months or longer, and your travel is for a compelling reason.
If you are seeking an exemption to travel to a high-risk COVID-19 country, your application will only be approved under the following very limited circumstances:
- Critical workers providing assistance to the country of destination's COVID-19 response.
- People undertaking travel in Australia's national interest.
- People seeking urgent medical treatment for a critical illness that cannot be treated in Australia.
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You must apply at least two weeks before your intended departure date
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a ban on overseas travel from Australia. This means that Australian citizens and permanent residents cannot leave Australia unless they receive an exemption to travel or are travelling to a destination that is exempt from the ban. Foreign citizens are able to depart Australia at any time.
If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident and are seeking to leave the country, you must apply for a travel exemption at least two weeks before your intended departure date. This can be done by applying online (which is free) and then bringing the approved exemption to the airport. Exemptions are only granted if you have a "compelling reason" for needing to leave Australia, and your travel must fall into one of the following categories:
- Your travel is part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing aid overseas.
- Your travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business, including export and import industries.
- You are travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia.
- You are travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business.
- You are travelling on compassionate or humanitarian grounds.
When applying for an exemption, you must provide evidence to support your claims. This can include proof that you are moving to another country on a long-term basis, such as leases or job offers, proof of your current valid visa, or a letter from a doctor or hospital about any medical treatment or condition and why travel is necessary. It is important to note that your application may be rejected, and if it is, you will not be allowed to leave Australia. However, you can choose to apply again with additional supporting documentation.
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You must provide supporting documents to prove your claims
To apply for a travel exemption to leave Australia, you must provide supporting documents to prove your claims. This is because your application will be finalised without further consideration if you do not provide sufficient evidence.
If you are applying for a travel exemption on the basis of urgent and unavoidable personal business, you must provide evidence to show that you are truly moving to another country and not returning to Australia for a while. This can include proof such as leases, job offers, evidence that your goods are being transported, and a letter from your overseas employer showing why your travel is necessary.
If you are applying for a travel exemption on compassionate grounds, you must provide relevant documentary evidence. This can include a doctor's certificate to support your claim that you are travelling to provide care for sick family members, attending the funeral of a close family member, or visiting a close family member who is seriously or critically ill. You can also provide a letter from a doctor or hospital about any medical treatment or condition, with statements on why travel is necessary.
If you are a student, you may need endorsement from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) and support from the relevant state or territory government health and education authorities. If you are in your final two years of study of a health profession university degree, you will need evidence of a confirmed placement in an Australian hospital or medical practice that begins within the next two months.
If you are a temporary visa holder, you do not need to obtain a travel exemption to depart Australia. However, you may not be allowed to return to Australia without a valid travel exemption. It is highly recommended that you obtain a return travel exemption before leaving Australia to avoid any issues with re-entering the country.
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If your application is rejected, you can reapply with additional documentation
If your application for a travel exemption to leave Australia is rejected, you can reapply with additional documentation. This is because, in some cases, exemption applications are rejected due to insufficient evidence. Therefore, when reapplying, you should provide as much supporting documentation as possible. This evidence must be in English or officially translated into English.
When reapplying, you should also ensure that you meet at least one of the exemption criteria. For instance, your travel could be part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing aid overseas. It could also be essential for the conduct of critical industries and business, or you could be travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is unavailable in Australia. Other reasons include urgent and unavoidable personal business, as well as compassionate or humanitarian grounds.
If your travel is due to the death or critical illness of a close family member, your application will be prioritised. However, even in such cases, there have been reports of significant delays. Therefore, it is advised that you apply at least two weeks before your intended departure, but not more than three months in advance.
If you are applying based on the “travel for more than three months" category, you will need to provide a compelling reason for your extended travel. This could include proof of a job offer or a doctor's certificate to support your claim that you are travelling to care for a sick family member.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian citizens or permanent residents can apply for a travel exemption to leave Australia. Foreign citizens are able to depart Australia at any time.
You can apply for a travel exemption at https://travel-exemptions.homeaffairs.gov.au/tep. You must apply at least two weeks, but not more than three months, prior to travel. You must provide evidence to support your claims, which may include: proof that you are moving to another country on a long-term basis, proof of your current valid visa, or a letter from a doctor or hospital about any medical treatment/condition with statements on why travel is necessary.
Your travel must be part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, essential for the conduct of critical industries and business, or for urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia. You can also apply on urgent and unavoidable personal business, or on compassionate or humanitarian grounds.
