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Qatar has updated an exceptional travel red list, adding six countries based on international and local health risk indicators and COVID-19 epidemiology. The update, announced by the Ministry of Public Health, comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal and Egypt. The list will come into effect on Sunday, 30 January, at 7pm, the ministry said. According to procedures related to arrivals from the exceptional red list countries, fully vaccinated passengers from Qataris, foreign residents and nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations will be subject to a home quarantine for two days upon arrival. As for the unvaccinated travellers, they will be subject to a home quarantine for seven days upon arrival in Qatar. They are required to do a negative PCR test within 72 hours before arrival and a rapid antigen test on the seventh day of quarantine after arrival.

​​The Australian Government has reviewed the requirements for pre-departure testing for international arrivals to Australia and will make changes to provide more flexibility for people to demonstrate they have a negative COVID-19 test result prior to departure. Under the Biosecurity Act 2015 the Government will change the requirements for a pre-departure test of any nucleic acid amplification test (such as PCR tests) within three days, to allow the flexibility for passengers to instead show a negative test result through a rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of the flight departure time. These changes came into effect from 1.00am Sunday 23 January 2022.

Overnight, Smart Traveller has updated its advisory to do not travel to Ukraine due to the risk of conflict. It also advised that anyone in Ukraine at the moment should look to leave when it is safe to do so.

The planned reopening of Western Australia's border to the rest of the country on February 5 will be delayed indefinitely. WA has announced a new hard border from February 5, 2022 but allows for more safe compassionate travel and return of Western Australians. Under the new border settings, approved travellers are permitted to enter WA, or leave WA and return, with testing and quarantine requirements under the new expanded exemption criteria

Vaccinated international travellers will be allowed to enter Queensland without needing quarantine from this weekend. The rule change will come into effect from 1am on Saturday, 22 January, and only require those entering from overseas to do a rapid antigen test on entry - in line with national cabinet guidelines. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she hoped the announcement would give certainty to the travel industry and those travelling.

At home tests for travel must be proctored. That means the traveler must perform the test during a live telehealth video call with an authorized technician supervising the procedure in real time. The free rapid tests the government is distributing are not the type that are proctored.

Domestic travellers entering Queensland are no longer restricted by the Chief Health Officer, with the Border Restrictions Direction being revoked at 1:00am on 15 January 2022. International entry to Queensland is still subject to restrictions and International Arrivals arriving directly into Queensland, or in another state or territory and are a direct on transit to Queensland, are required to complete a Queensland International Arrivals Registration and quarantine in accordance with Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction

Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island) entered a seven-day lockdown from 2pm on Monday, 17 January 2022. Yirrkala entered a 72-hour lockdown from 2pm on Monday, 17 January 2022.

Tasmania's border restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers will further ease from midnight on Tuesday, 18 January 2022. Under the newly relaxed rules, those who are double jabbed no longer need to register thier travel or pass a COVID-19 test to enter. Restrictions remain in place for travellers who aren't fully vaccinated and are still required to register their trip, quarantine and return a negative Covid-19 test on day five of their isolation. Premier Peter Gutwein on Tuesday and said the border rules for the unvaccinated would be reviewed in future.

WA will elevate the Northern Territory to an "extreme" risk category from tomorrow (13 January 2022) morning. The measure will take place from 12:01am Thursday. It means travel into WA from the Territory will not be permitted, except for specific official functions and extraordinary circumstances. Premier Mark McGowan says the move was made to reduce the risk of more Omicron cases in self-quarantine.

Germany has now classified Australia as a COVID-19 high-risk country. Travellers entering Germany from a high-risk country are required to submit a digital registration form before travelling. All travellers over the age of 6 years of age must provide a negative COVID test (PCR or antigen), proof of vaccination, or evidence of having recovered from COVID-19. Incoming travellers from a high-risk country are required to quarantine for 10 days unless evidence of vaccination or recovery is provided with the digital registration. Alternatively, quarantine can be ended by submitting a negative test result taken after five days at the earliest.

As of 10 January South African travellers can once again enter Turkey. Travellers will be required to submit a negative PCR test taken within a maximum of 72 hours before arrival in Turkey and must complete a Passenger Locator Form on https://register.health.gov.tr/ within 72 hours before travel. Documented proof of 2 doses of vaccine approved by WHO ( except 1 dose for Johnson & Johnson ) will be required – a minimum of 14 days must have passed since receiving the 2nd dose. Travellers under the age of 12 years are exempt from submitting a PCR test and travellers who are between 12-18 years old, travelling with their parents and cannot provide vaccination certificate, will be required to provide a negative PCR test result before travel and will be asked to have another PCR test upon arrival. Travellers who cannot provide vaccination documents must enter quarantine for 7 days at their place of residence or at an address that they declare, with an option to test to release on day 5.

On 7 January 2022, the Covid-19 travel ban imposed by the Republic of Mauritius on the Republic of South Africa has been lifted and commercial passenger flights from these countries to Mauritius can resume. Travel for fully vaccinated travellers can be undertaken without the 14-day quarantine that would apply to unvaccinated travellers. Covid-19 insurance health cover will be mandatory (Mauritian Citizens, resident permit holders and occupational permit holders are exempted). Travellers must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure. Covid-19 testing will be required upon arrival (day 0) and on day 5 of your stay. All travellers will be required to complete the mandatory health forms before the flight to Mauritius, printed and signed.

Thailand will lift entry ban for African countries as of 11 January with two options when entering Thailand. Travel will be allowed into Thailand under either the Sandbox initiative, covering travel into Phuket/Krabi/Phang-Na/Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan, Ko Tao). Or under the Alternative quarantine option, whereby travellers can enter at any point in Thailand, however, must undergo government quarantine for minimum of 7 days before moving on. Under the Sandbox initiative travellers must arrive direct at Phuket Airport with no BKK transits allowed. All travellers must be fully vaccinated, not applicable to children under 18 traveling with vaccinated parents. Further detailed requirements in terms of testing and stay apply.

With effect from 00:01am on 06 January, the additional international travel requirements applied in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant have been removed. Vaccinated or recovered travellers into Ireland are required to present evidence of a valid Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) or other acceptable proof of vaccination/previous infection prior to travel. Travellers that are not vaccinated or recovered (with the exception the exemptions specified on gov.ie, including children aged 11 and under) are required to present evidence of a not detected RT-PCR test carried out no more than 72 hours before their arrival into Ireland.

In light of continued Covid concerns, the carrier has issued fresh notices for travellers from 15 countries in Africa. According to the latest update on the Emirates website, customers originating from the following destinations will not be accepted for travel to or through Dubai: Angola, Guinea, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and Ethiopia. While customers originating from Conakry to Dakar will not be accepted for travel, outbound passenger operations from Dubai to these destinations remain unaffected. But flights to and from the following points will not be accepted for travel: Core d’Ivoire, Lusaka, Harare, Lagos, Abuja and Casablanca. A statement said: “Affected customers do not need to call us immediately for rebooking. Customers can simply hold on to their Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with their travel agent or booking office to make new travel plans.”

Changes and relaxations in UK regulations will be in effect from 4am on 09 January, whereby eligible fully vaccinated travellers and under 18 year olds, will no longer have to take a pre-departure test or self-isolate on arrival in England. A lateral flow test can be used instead of PCR test for eligible fully vaccinated travellers and over 5 year olds to take on or before day 2. This will only be in effect for arrivals after 4am on Sunday 9 Jan. The lateral flow test will be bookable on the UK government website from 7 Jan. Unvaccinated travellers must continue to take a pre-departure test, PCR test on or before Day 2 and on or after Day 8 and self-isolate for 10 days. ‘Test to release’ remains an option for unvaccinated people to shorten their self-isolation period. A Passenger Locator form is still be completed within 48 hours of travel, and the after-arrival test must still be pre-booked before departure.

The Norwegian government has ended the special entry restrictions for arrivals from South Africa and travellers will no longer have to quarantine on arrival, should they be able to present a Covid-19 certificate approved and linked to EU systems. All travellers arriving in Norway must complete an entry registration declaration prior to arrival (children under the age of 16 and selected groups are exempt from this requirement). A test to be taken before travel (PCR or a rapid antigen test) will be required within less than 24 hours before arrival in Norway, as well as a test after arrival (within 24 hours after arrival). Full vaccination or recovery certificates (as per accepted list) will have to be presented. For travellers over the age of 18 who are unable to provide an approved Covid-19 certificate quarantine, 10 days of travel quarantine has to be completed after arrival. Quarantine can be complete at home or at other suitable accommodation. All people can now end travel quarantine early, following a negative PCR test taken no sooner than 3 days after arrival.

As of 06 January 2022, South Africa will be listed as a high-risk country for entry into Spain for fully vaccinated or recovered travellers. Travellers will be considered fully vaccinated, if all doses are received at least 14 days before departure. A Covid-19 recovery certificate can be presented (valid from day 11 after the first positive NAAT and up to 180 days after the sample date). Negative PCR test result is required, for tests taken 72 hours before arrival or Antigen Test 48 hours before arrival. Health Control Form completed on https://www.spth.gob.es/ and QR code printed out. The form is to be completed by all persons travelling, including children of any age, travellers in transit and residents in Spain returning home.

On 5 January 2022, French government announced that South Africa will be removed from the scarlet red list. All vaccinated travelers are now welcome to travel to France, provided they present proof of your vaccination, a sworn statement certifying the absence of COVID-19 symptoms and of any contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and a negative PCR or antigen test taken less than 48 hours prior to departure (departure of first flight in case of connecting flights). Unvaccinated travellers must present a compelling reason for travel and will have to quarantine for ten days.