Australia & New Zealand

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.