Australia Drops Pre-departure Covid-19 Testing Requirement
After more than two years since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Australia decided to drop the Covid-19 testing requirement for travelers who enter or leave the country.
This significant change was announced as a part of the step-by-step approach of relaxing the current restrictions despite the increased number of coronavirus cases having been reported recently.
Who may enter Australia?
The country reopened its borders for international tourism in February this year. Currently, the Australian authorities allow entry to fully vaccinated international travelers holding valid visas as well as Australian permanent residents and citizens.
Unvaccinated travelers are permitted to enter Australia only when falling under one of the travel exemption categories.
Dropping pre-departure Covid-19 testing
The pre-departure testing requirement was dropped on 18 April 2022. Since then, eligible travelers to Australia do not need to perform Covid-19 tests before boarding a flight to Australia.
Until recently, all travelers had to provide a negative RAT or PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel.
Travelers are still reminded to check whether they meet all the requirements of the given airline they plan to travel with as well as the requirements of a particular country a traveler wishes to transit through.
Incoming visitors must also be aware of testing and quarantine requirements implemented in a particular state or territory in Australia.
Other requirements to enter Australia
Digital Passenger Declaration
All travelers to Australia must complete a Digital Passenger Declaration which is an additional travel document mandatory to have during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The DPD can be started to be completed 7 days before the flight and submitted within 72 hours before departure. The form cannot be submitted earlier since all the information provided must be up-to-date and correct.
Visas
The majority of travelers to Australia will also need to obtain a visa before a trip. Travelers coming from eligible countries may obtain a visa to Australia entirely online.
The electronic visa comes in two types, depending on the nationality of the applicants - ETA or eVisitor.
Citizens of the EU are eligible for an eVisitor visa, while the Australian ETA is dedicated to 8 particular countries. Both electronic visas are issued for 12 months and allow multiple entries to Australia. Each stay may be as long as 3 months (90 days).
If your country is not listed as eligible for eVisa to Australia, you will need to visit or contact the nearest Australian Embassy to obtain a regular visa.
