Lyla Lindsey
Australia's international travel ban was lifted on November 1, 2021, allowing vaccinated travellers to freely leave the country. The decision was made following the country's accelerating vaccination rollout and the government's decision to adopt a digital health passport concept. The ban was first imposed in March 2020, and the lifting of restrictions was expected to be well-received by the thousands of Australians who were previously stranded overseas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of lifting the ban | 1st November 2021 |
| Who can travel | Australians, permanent residents, citizens, and their families |
| Travel restrictions | Travel to and from certain low-risk countries like New Zealand, the USA, and Singapore |
| Vaccination requirements | Fully vaccinated |
| Testing requirements | Testing regime likely to apply |
| Quarantine requirements | Self-isolation at home |
| Arrival caps | Capped in some states due to vaccination levels |
| Travel bubbles | Australia working towards establishing "completely quarantine-free travel" for some countries |
| Proof of vaccination | Internationally recognised proof of vaccination document with a QR code |
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What You'll Learn
The ban was lifted on 1 November 2021
The lifting of the travel ban was welcomed by many Australians, who were finally able to travel overseas again. Qantas, for example, brought forward the resumption of international travel by two weeks. The airline planned to operate weekly flights from Sydney to London and Sydney to Los Angeles from 1 November.
The Australian government introduced an international digital vaccination certificate, called the Visible Digital Seal (VDS), which was made available to Australians and Australian visa holders with a valid passport and their COVID-19 vaccination recorded. The VDS could be downloaded through the Medicare Express Plus app and was compatible with COVID-19 travel apps such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass.
The Australian government also stated that it would continue to work towards establishing completely quarantine-free travel for some countries, such as New Zealand and Singapore. However, each Australian state and territory had its own cap arrangements for reopening international travel, and some states, such as Queensland and Western Australia, pushed back on reopening their borders until they reached their own vaccination targets.
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Australians can now leave the country
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the Commonwealth government would decide when the border opens and shuts at an international level. He said, "We will be allowing Australians, permanent residents, and citizens and their families, to leave Australia from wherever they live in Australia and return."
The decision was made after the state of New South Wales announced it would open itself to the world. Vaccinated travellers entering New South Wales will not be required to undergo quarantine, whereas unvaccinated travellers will be allowed entry on a limited basis and will have to quarantine at a hotel or a dedicated facility for two weeks.
The government intends to initially allow travel to and from certain low-risk countries like New Zealand, the USA, and Singapore. Qantas, which had planned a December 18 reboot for many international flights, brought forward the resumption of Sydney-London and Sydney-Los Angeles services to November 14.
Australians who want to travel overseas will be able to access an internationally recognised proof of vaccination document with a QR code that is readable globally.
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Vaccinated travellers don't need to quarantine
Australia's international travel ban was lifted in November 2021, allowing fully vaccinated travellers to enter the country without quarantine. This was an important step in the country's efforts to ease pandemic-related restrictions and resume international travel.
Prior to this, Australia had some of the strictest border measures in the world, with very limited flights available and mandatory quarantine requirements for incoming travellers. All travellers arriving in Australia, including Australian citizens, were required to quarantine for 14 days at a designated facility, such as a hotel, and cover the costs of their quarantine.
However, as the country accelerated its vaccination rollout, the government announced that fully vaccinated international travellers would no longer need to undergo quarantine in New South Wales (NSW) starting November 1, 2021. This decision was made after Sydney emerged from a 106-day lockdown, and it was expected to boost the state's tourism industry. NSW became the first state to open due to its high vaccination rate, with over 80% of its population aged 16 and older being fully vaccinated.
The lifting of the travel ban and the exemption from quarantine for vaccinated travellers applied to certain low-risk countries, such as New Zealand, the USA, and Singapore. Travellers were still required to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test before departure and may have been subject to additional testing and self-isolation requirements upon arrival. It's important to note that individual states within Australia had the autonomy to implement these measures based on their vaccination thresholds.
While the focus was primarily on allowing Australians to travel overseas freely, the changes also benefited vaccinated international travellers visiting Australia, who could enter the country without the need for quarantine in NSW. This marked a significant shift in Australia's approach to international travel during the pandemic and was welcomed by those eager to explore the world again.
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The Visible Digital Seal (VDS) is Australia's vaccination certificate
Australia's international travel ban was lifted in November 2021. The ban, which lasted 18 months, prevented Australian citizens from leaving the country. The lifting of the ban was expected to coincide with a fast-accelerating vaccination rollout and the government's adoption of the digital health passport concept.
The VDS is designed to be accessible through the MedicareExpress Plus app. To access the VDS, users must provide additional passport details and consent to share their immunisation history with the Australian Passport Office. The Australian government has also developed the VDS-NC Checker app, which can be used to verify the authenticity of a VDS-NC vaccination certificate. This app is intended for use by border authorities, airlines, travel agents, and other organisations that need to verify COVID-19 vaccination certificates.
The implementation of the VDS is part of Australia's efforts to facilitate international travel for fully vaccinated individuals. The VDS will be required for outgoing travellers from Australia, even if they have a valid passport. It is expected that international travel for fully vaccinated Australians will be possible by Christmas.
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New Zealand and Singapore will have quarantine-free travel
Australia's international travel ban was lifted in November 2021, allowing fully vaccinated travellers to enter the country without quarantine. This was a significant move that allowed families to reunite and travellers to visit the country again.
Before the official announcement, there were reports of Australia lifting its travel ban as early as November. This was good news for many Australians who were impacted by the ban and wanted to leave the country. Qantas, for example, welcomed the easing of Australia's travel restrictions.
Following the lifting of the ban, Australia opened its borders to New Zealand and Singapore for quarantine-free travel. This meant that fully vaccinated travellers from these countries could enter certain Australian states, such as New South Wales and Victoria, without the need to quarantine.
New Zealand and Singapore have had a strong relationship for decades, with Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand previously flying multiple times per day between the two countries. Singapore Airlines was keen to see progress in the travel sector and was ready to establish a travel bubble with New Zealand. The airline's Regional VP of South-West Pacific, Louis Arul, emphasised the importance of collaboration between governments and stakeholders to develop and agree on parameters for a successful travel bubble.
The establishment of the travel bubble between New Zealand and Singapore faced some challenges. One hurdle was building confidence in the safety and systems put in place, along with effective vaccination rollouts and management of community transmission. Additionally, the travel bubble between these countries was expected to make travel more complicated, with New Zealand focusing on ensuring smooth quarantine-free travel with Australia and the Cook Islands first.
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Frequently asked questions
The travel ban in Australia was lifted on November 1, 2021.
The lifting of the travel ban was dependent on individual states reaching an 80% vaccination threshold. New South Wales was the first state to reach this milestone in late October 2021.
Before the ban was lifted, Australians were banned from leaving the country, and there was a cap on international arrivals. Australians wishing to travel internationally had to apply for an exemption.
After the ban was lifted, vaccinated travellers were no longer required to undergo quarantine in New South Wales. However, arrivals were still capped in other states due to varying vaccination levels. Additionally, travellers from certain low-risk countries like New Zealand, the USA, and Singapore were allowed, and testing and self-isolation requirements were enforced.
