Finally, the good news everyone has been waiting for! The primer minister, Scott Morrison announced today that on the 1st of December, 2021 Australian borders reopen to international arrivals, travel exemption free!
Fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can now travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Each state and territory may have their own requirements around quarantine however as a country, Australia is now open to the return of certain visa holders.
Eligible visa holders are people who hold the following visas:
International student visas
Subclass 500 – Student visa
Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants)
Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa
Temporary work visa
Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream)
Subclass 407 – Training visa
Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa
Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa
Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa
Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa
Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa
Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa
Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa
Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa
Skilled visas
Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
Family visas
Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa
Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa
Humanitarian visas
Subclass 200 – Refugee visa
Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa
Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa
Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa
Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa
Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa
What vaccines are approved to travel to Australia?
Australia considers you to be fully vaccinated if you have completed a course of a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved or recognised vaccine. This includes mixed doses. Current vaccines and dosages accepted for the purposes of travel are:
Two doses at least 14 days apart of:
- AstraZeneca Vaxzevria
- AstraZeneca Covishield
- Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty
- Moderna Spikevax
- Sinovac Coronavac
- Bharat Biotech Covaxin
- Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (for 18-60 year olds).
Or one dose of:
- Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen-Cilag COVID Vaccine.
The TGA is evaluating other COVID-19 vaccines that may be recognised for the purposes of inbound travel to Australia in future. The most up-to-date information on approved and recognised vaccines is available on the TGA website.
At least 7 days must have passed since the final dose of vaccine in a course of immunisation for you to be considered fully vaccinated. Mixed doses count towards being fully vaccinated as long as all vaccines are approved or recognised by the TGA.
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