Checklist for Partners and/or Parents entering into Australia

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Check if you are exempt from Australia's travel restrictions

Fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and from 15 December 2021 eligible visa holders across a number of categories can now travel to and from Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption.

For information on exempt categories, or steps on applying for an individual exemption, see: Travel restrictions and exemptions. 

Please note: proof that you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons is separate to a Commissioner’s travel exemption.

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Check if you can access reduced quarantine requirements

Your vaccination status will impact the options available for travel to Australia.

If you are a fully vaccinated traveller exempt from travel restrictions, you may be eligible for reduced quarantine requirements when coming to Australia. However, this can vary depending on quarantine arrangements in the state or territory to which you are travelling.

Before you book your flight, check the quarantine and other arrangements for the state or territory to which you are travelling. Make sure that you are prepared to comply with any requirements, including by providing any required information to the relevant state or territory, and complying with post-arrival testing requirements. This also includes complying with arrangements for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 12-17 years old.

If you are planning on traveling onwards to or through a different state or territory when you arrive in Australia, you need to check domestic travel restrictions. States and territories can apply their own travel restrictions.

You are responsible for complying with travel restrictions and requirements that apply to you.

Obtain your foreign vaccination certificate

If you were vaccinated overseas and you do not have an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate you must obtain a certificate from the country in which you received your vaccination.

For more information see Guidance on foreign vaccination certificates.

Keep a hard copy or an electronic copy of your vaccination certificate. Airlines will check this when you check-in to your flight.

If you are unable to meet the proof of vaccination requirements, you will not qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.  You will need to follow the current border processes when leaving or coming to Australia.

If you are coming to Australia, are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons, and have a medical contraindication recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) you can show an Australian COVID-19 digital certificate to airline staff. You can otherwise provide your immunisation history statement.

If you do not have your medical contraindication recorded in the AIR you will need to show airline staff a medical certificate. This must state you are unable to be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical condition.

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Complete an Australia Travel Declaration at least 72 hours before your flight

Complete an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) at least 72 hours before departure. The ATD requests details that are considered to be critical health information. You must be able to show evidence that the critical information was completed before boarding the aircraft.

This is an enforceable requirement.  A person who fails to comply with the requirement may be liable to a civil penalty (fine) of 30 penalty units (currently $6,660 AUD). This is set out in section 46 of the Biosecurity Act 2015.  Travellers who do not make the declaration before they board their flight will be delayed when arriving in Australia.

When filling out the ATD you will need to upload your vaccination certificate. You will also need to:

• provide your contact details, including a contact phone number in Australia
• make a legally binding declaration in relation to your vaccination status
• make a declaration regarding your last 14 days travel history
• acknowledge that when you check-in for your flight, you must present evidence of a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within 3 days of your flight’s scheduled departure to Australia (unless you are exempt)
• make a declaration that you are aware of the quarantine and testing requirements that apply in the State or Territory you are landing, and the penalties for non-compliance.

Penalties will apply for giving false and misleading information, including potential criminal prosecution for providing false or misleading information.  This is set out in section 137.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995. Travellers may also have to undergo hotel quarantine at their own expense.

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Undertake a pre-departure COVID-19 test

A negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result is required for travelling to Australia. Evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 3 days before your flight’s scheduled departure must be provided to your airline when you check-in.

If your flight is delayed, you will still be considered to have met the pre-departure testing requirements. You will not need a new test.

However, if your flight is re-scheduled or cancelled, you will need to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken no more than 3 days before the re-scheduled flight.

See the Department of Health website for information about:

• PCR test requirements
• what to do if your PCR test result is positive when you have had and recovered from COVID-19,
• medical exemptions for pre-departure testing
• countries and jurisdictions exempt from pre-departure testing.

If transiting, you are responsible for checking airline, departure, testing and proof of vaccination requirements in any countries you transit.

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At the airport

Travellers need to be prepared to present to airlines:

• proof that you meet Australia’s definition of fully vaccinated, or poof that you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. For information on proof, see Vaccinated Travellers.
• evidence of the negative pre-departure Covid-19 PCR test undertaken within three days of travel as outlined above.
• evidence of an approved Commissioner’s exemption to travel to Australia (where relevant)
• evidence that you hold an eligible visa (where relevant)
• the usual travel documentation including passport, immigration and customs declarations etc.
• evidence that you have provided critical health information, which includes your contact details for Australia, a declaration as to your vaccination status and travel history for the previous 14 days. This is via the Australia Travel Declaration, submitted prior to departure as outlined above.
• evidence of your approved modified quarantine arrangements (where relevant)