Australia closed its international borders when the COVID-19 pandemic first occurred in March 2020 but fully Vaccinated people can now fly to Greece without a government exemption.
Starting Monday, November 1, the borders have reopened so fully vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents can travel outside the country without a special exemption.
With the border now reopen so Australians can leave the country, the Australian government is painstakingly warning citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution” as they travel because COVID-19 remains an ongoing global health risk.
“To help Australians prepare for safe overseas travel, Smartraveler’s global ‘Do not travel’ advisory has been removed and travel advice levels have been updated for 177 destinations,” Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs, wrote on social media. However, in a separate statement, Payne noted that “Under the travel advice framework announced today, no destination will be set lower than level 2 ‘Exercise a high degree of caution,’ given the ongoing COVID-19 health risks and the continuing complexities of international travel.”
During the Pandemic, most Australian permanent residents and citizens have not been able to leave the country.
Some citizens, such as government employees on official business, have been able to leave the country. Other citizens, however, had to request exemptions from the travel ban while demonstrating exceptional circumstances, but most of those requests were rarely granted.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison explained that the reason for the country’s change in policy is that its “national plan” is working and that Australia’s vaccination rates continue to rise rapidly.
Non Citizens Visiting Austalia
Fully vaccinated travellers from New Zealand who test negative in pre-departure Covid tests can now enter Australia. They would be allowed to skip quarantine in certain jurisdictions like New South Wales, but those conditions may differ in other states and territories.
The next set of foreign travellers who can visit Australia will be those from Singapore.
Travellers from the city-state who are inoculated against Covid-19 can enter New South Wales and Victoria — Australia’s two most populous states — from Nov. 21 without quarantine. They would also have to test negative in pre-departure Covid tests.
The decision was reportedly finalized on Sunday when Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, at the G-20 summit in Italy.
“Australia is open. Australians are travelling again,” Morrison said Sunday at a press briefing in Rome. “Australia’s opening up to Singapore, opening up to New Zealand.”
