Australia and New Zealand Travel Bubble

New Zealand citizens outside New Zealand

Quarantine-free travel does not apply to New Zealand citizens who are outside New Zealand or who have not been in New Zealand for the 14 days immediately before the proposed travel to Australia.

Note: The Cook Islands and Niue are not currently part of the quarantine-free travel agreement between Australia and New Zealand.

COVID-19 outbreak locations

A list of New Zealand’s COVID-19 outbreak locations are available at Ministry of Health NZ. If you have been to any of these locations during the times specified, you will need to identify this on your Australia Travel Declaration.

Travelling from New Zealand to Australia quarantine-free

To be eligible, travellers must:

• present a negative PCR test taken within 3 days prior to departure
• provide evidence of full vaccination, unless they are medically exempt or under 12 years of age.
• provide a declaration of having only been in either Australia or New Zealand for 14 days prior to the day of travel.

States and territories are responsible for determining and managing quarantine arrangements. You must check with the state or territory that you are returning to for their quarantine arrangements.

Travellers to Australia should complete an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) at least 72 hours before departure. The ATD contains a declaration regarding your vaccination status that is considered to be critical health information. You must be able to provide evidence that you made this declaration before boarding the aircraft.

This is an enforceable requirement on travellers who are more than 12 years and 3 months old when their flight departs.  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.

The Australia Travel Declaration collects your contact details in Australia, flight details, quarantine requirements and your health status.

This information helps the Australian Government determine your quarantine arrangements (if required) and allows the relevant health departments to contact you if someone you travelled with tests positive for COVID-19.

Penalties will apply for giving false and misleading information, including potential criminal prosecution for providing false or misleading information. This is set out in s137.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

If you are arriving in Australia by air, and you have been in either Australia or New Zealand for 14 days or more before you travel, you do not need to apply for an exemption to Australia’s travel restrictions. You are automatically exempt.

You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen to travel to Australia from New Zealand quarantine-free if you meet the above criteria, but you will need a valid visa to enter Australia. New Zealand citizens do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia. If eligible, they will be granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) (SCV) on arrival.

You will only need to apply for a travel exemption before you travel to Australia if:

• you have been in Australia or New Zealand for less than 14 days before your planned departure (including travellers who are transiting New Zealand), or
• you intend to travel to Australia by sea.

Travelling from Australia to New Zealand quarantine-free

You do not need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to travel to New Zealand from Australia quarantine-free if you meet the above criteria. However, you must meet the New Zealand Government’s health pre-conditions and all standard immigration, customs and biosecurity entry requirements apply.

Travelling from Australia to New Zealand: travel exemption requirements

If you are travelling directly to New Zealand and you have only been in either Australia or New Zealand for the 14 calendar days immediately before the date of your departure, you do not need to apply for an exemption to Australia’s travel restrictions*. You are automatically exempt.

*Unvaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents will be required to apply for an outward travel exemption before travel to New Zealand if:

• you have booked an onward flight from New Zealand to another overseas destination

Those who travel onwards from New Zealand to another international destination must be aware that returning to Australia or New Zealand is likely to be difficult because of the current restrictions on passenger numbers and the limited availability of flights.

Those who seek to travel from New Zealand to another international destination, and then seek to return to Australia will be required to:

• present a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 72 hours before departure to Australia
• if unvaccinated, enter 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival at their own expense, and be tested periodically while in mandatory quarantine, and
• if vaccinated, present evidence of their vaccination

States and territories are responsible for determining and managing quarantine arrangements.

To find out about quarantine arrangements check State and Territory Information for travellers.

The risks posed by overseas travel at this time, including possible disruption to return to Australia and from COVID-19 in many countries, remain high.

Transiting through Australia to New Zealand

Travellers seeking to transit through Australia must be able to secure an onwards ticket on a flight that departs Australia no more than 72 hours after initial entry. If a suitable connecting flight is not available, transit through Australia will not be possible. For more information see Transiting Australia.

Arrival in Australia

If you arrive in Australia on a quarantine-free flight, you may be guided through a separate pathway for quarantine-free travellers.  These arrangements are determined by the state/territory in which you arrive. For further information for travellers arriving on quarantine-free flights is available at Department of Health.