AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand to welcome vaccinated Australians without COVID quarantine from April 12

Vaccinated Australians will be allowed to enter New Zealand without needing to quarantine for COVID from April 12. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the border announcement on Wednesday morning. Ms Ardern said travellers from other countries with visa waiver arrangements with New Zealand would be allowed to enter without quarantine from May 1. We have now received guidance that it is safe to significantly bring forward the next stage of border re-opening work," she said. "We are ready to welcome the world back."
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AUSTRALIA: Western Australia reopens two years into pandemic

Western Australia has reopened its borders nearly two years after first sealing them to all visitors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian state is the last to drop its travel entry ban, four months after the nation's biggest city Sydney welcomed back international travel. Fully vaccinated domestic visitors are allowed to enter the state without quarantining. Arrivals must do a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival, and report the case if they test positive. International travellers to Western Australia must be fully vaccinated to enter without quarantining.
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AUSTRALIA: WA’s Safe Transition Plan and full border opening from March 3

Following a review of Western Australia's border controls based on the latest health advice, the updated Safe Transition Plan will take effect from 12.01am March 3, 2022. The full border opening will allow for safe travel into WA from interstate and overseas with vaccination and testing requirements on arrival, pending latest health advice. Interstate travel into WA will be permitted with the following requirements: have a registered G2G Pass; be triple dose vaccinated, if eligible; and undertake a rapid antigen test on arrival (within 12 hours and report any positive result). International travellers into WA will be permitted with the following requirements: meet Commonwealth Government requirements to enter Australia; be fully vaccinated under the Commonwealth requirements, if eligible; have a registered G2G Pass; undertake a rapid antigen test on arrival (within 12 hours and report any positive result); and unvaccinated returning Australians will be required to complete hotel quarantine.
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AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory COVID-19 travel restrictions lifted

All COVID-19 travel restrictions for people arriving into the Northern Territory have been dropped as of late Friday afternoon, 18 February 2022. This means that domestic travellers can enter without the need to fill out the Border Entry Form and unvaccinated travellers arriving from other Australian states or territories are able to enter without any pre-approval. International travellers, including those just transiting, will no longer need to fill out the Border Entry Form and will just need to comply with the Australian Commonwealth requirements for entering Australia. If international tourists are double vaccinated there is no quarantine required. Any unvaccinated traveller entering Australia via Darwin from overseas will still require an exemption from today.
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AUSTRALIA: International borders to reopen on 21 February 2022

Australia will reopen to all fully vaccinated visa holders, welcoming the return of tourists, business travellers, and other visitors from 21 February. Visa holders who are not fully vaccinated will still require a valid travel exemption to enter Australia, and will be subject to state and territory quarantine requirements.
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AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand border to reopen in stages from 27 February

The New Zealand border will reopen to vaccinated Kiwis and other current eligible travellers from Australia at 11.59pm on 27 February and to the same groups from the rest of the world only two weeks later on 13 March, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. The Government’s reconnecting plan will see all New Zealanders and key visa holders able to start to enter the country over the coming three months, assisting with the economic recovery and immediately address worker shortages.
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AUSTRALIA: Ukraine upgraded to do not travel

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.
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AUSTRALIA: Changes to pre-departure testing for international arrivals to Australia

​​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.
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AUSTRALIA: Planned WA border reopening delayed indefinitely

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
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AUSTRALIA: QLD opens up to vaccinated international travellers

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.
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AUSTRALIA: Queensland removes domestic border restrictions

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
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AUSTRALIA: Localised lockdowns announced in the NT

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.
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AUSTRALIA: Travellers to Tassie no longer need COVID tests

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.
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AUSTRALIA: WA elevates NT to 'extreme risk' category

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.
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AUSTRALIA: Germany classifies Australia as a COVID-19 high-risk country

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.
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AUSTRALIA: NT declares a territory-wide lockout

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner says fully vaccinated people can "continue as they were". "For people who are not vaccinated, lockdown rules will apply to anyone 16 and above. "If you are not fully vaxxed, stay home - you are at greater risk of catching COVID becoming ill and needing hospital care. "You may only leave home for three reasons: Medical treatment, including COVID testing or vaccination. For essential goods and services like grocers power tokens, medications. To provide care and support to a family member or a person who cannot support themselves. They can't travel more than 30km from their homes to do those things "or the nearest practical destination". Work is not a reason to leave home for the unvaccinated. And they can't go outside to exercise - the chief health officer has ruled that one hour of exercise for the next four days is not essential, Mr Gunner says. That'll be in effect until noon Monday. After that, there will be a vaccine pass system.
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AUSTRALIA: Tasmania reclassifies 'extreme risk' international countries as 'high risk'

All extreme-risk international countries will be re-classified as high-risk from 12:01am tomorrow (Thursday 6 January 2022). This now means that fully vaccinated overseas travellers are no longer required to quarantine on arrival. If you are fully vaccinated but have spent time in any high-risk areas in the 14 days before you intend to arrive in Tasmania, you are required to return a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test within 24 hours before departure, or a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure to Tasmania.
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AUSTRALIA: UK testing rules relaxed

Doubly vaccinated passengers will no longer have to take pre-departure COVID tests in England from 04:00 GMT on Friday 07 January, the government has said. They will also not be required to self-isolate while awaiting test results after arriving in England. If they arrive after 04:00 GMT on Sunday 09 January, people need to take a lateral flow test by day two and if positive, a further PCR test.
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AUSTRALIA: Hong Kong announces border update

From 8 January - 21 January, passengers who have been in eight countries including Australia for more than two hours in the past 21 days, will not be permitted to board a flight to Hong Kong. This measure will be effective for 14 days, subject to review. The eight countries are Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. For entry prior to 8 January, you’ll be subject to 21 days of compulsory quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel on arrival, followed by seven days of self-monitoring. You’ll also need to take several compulsory COVID-19 tests.
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AUSTRALIA: QLD changes to international transit passengers

International passengers can transit through Queensland without quarantining or completing the Queensland International Arrivals Registration if your next flight is within 8 hours of your arrival in QLD and you remain at the airport until your next: international flight to leave Australia, or domestic flight to leave Queensland. If you are an international transit passenger who has between 8 and 72 hours from your arrival in Queensland and your next flight out of Queensland (or Australia), you will be required to quarantine at government arranged accommodation until your next flight and complete the Queensland International Arrivals Registration.
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