COVID-19 Update: Strict Travel Restrictions Imposed

As a response to the Coronavirus outbreak, a couple of stringent travel restrictions have been lately imposed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. This has allowed permanent Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members to travel back to Australia with effect from 20th March 2020 from 9 pm onwards (AEDT).

Besides, all the Australian visa holders coming back to Australia need to stay in self-isolation for the next 14 days at their concerned destination including hotel or any other accommodation with effect from 28th of March, 2020 from 11.59 pm onwards (AEDT).

Important News: Australia Imposes Travel Ban On Foreign Citizens 

Who Can Apply for an Exemption?

Some of the exemptions imposed on the travel ban executed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs are applicable to all those who are:

1. An immediate family member of an Australian citizen
2. An Australian citizen or permanent resident and
3. A New Zealand citizen staying as an Australian resident

Temporary Australian visa holders who are immediate family members of a permanent Australian resident needs to prove their relationship through substantial evidence. Travelers who need to travel back to Australia on a compassionate or substantial reason will also be applicable to a few of these visa exemptions.

Conditions for Eligible Applicants

Whether you are a permanent Australian resident, citizen or a New Zealand resident or citizen, then you need to comply with certain conditions to come to Australia effortlessly.

• A permanent New Zealand Resident or Citizen: As a permanent New Zealand citizen or resident, you need to be the holder of the visa subclass 444 and need to stay in quarantine for the next 14 days as soon as you reach Australia. You must also carry essential documents including your driver’s license to prove your permanent residency.
• Australian Citizens: Australian citizens will be permitted to access the nation even without a passport, but, they need to inform the airline personnel to prove the authenticity of their citizenship. However, how fast they can leave their concerned countries depends on those countries’ different visa rules and regulations.
• Permanent Australian Resident: Unlike temporary Australian visa holders, permanent Australian residents need to stay in a 14 days quarantine as soon as they arrive in Australia.
  Besides, Australian and New Zealand permanent residents who are not living in Australia need to enter New Zealand via Australia.

Important News: Important Updates For All Visa Holders In Australia

Restrictions On People Travelling To And From Australia

All Australian permanent residents and citizens cannot travel from Australia with effect from 25th March 2020 from 12.00 am onwards (AEDT) only if they aren’t:

1. The staff of the Australian Defence Force
2. People involved in internal and external shipping affairs
3. People who need to travel essentially to meet necessary overseas purposes
4. New Zealand residents who are holding a temporary visa subclass 444 for certain Biosecurity Determination issues
5. Ordinary residents of another country unlike Australia
6. All naval and airline personnel

Remember, you need to apply online for this to the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force. Besides, travelers coming to Australia will need to go for a self-isolation for the next 14 days depending on each of their concerned Australian states/territories.

Also Read: Corona-Virus Dread Affects Temporary Australian Visa Holders  

Extra Exemption facilities

The extra exemption facilities imposed by the Commissioner of Australian Border Force are applicable to those who are:

• Australian residents who are working as Diplomats accredited and their immediate family members
• Offshore applicants who are invited by the Australian Commonwealth Government to help in the Coronavirus eradication process or to serve any other national purpose
• Exceptional cases based on a compassionate or substantial reason
• Essential medical provisions including the necessary supplies and air ambulances which have to be accessed indispensably to Australia via international ports
• Skilled professionals like engineers, medical specialists, airline and marine staff.

Apart from meeting any of the positional criteria mentioned above, the applicant also needs to provide certain necessary details to apply for an exemption through the Commissioner’s Discretion. These include essential details like date of birth, passport number, your valid Australian address and passport number apart from the case information including the reason to get an approval of your exemption via the Commissioner’s discretion. These have to be accompanied by a valid statement or evidence which proves that you have met any of the aforesaid positional criteria successfully.

Also Read: Coronavirus Impact On Temporary Work Visa Holders

Important Facts Worth Considering Regarding Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents

Apart from all the visa related information said above, there are also some crucial facts worth taking into consideration in relation to all Australian citizens and permanent residents. These include:

1. You cannot come to Australia without a visa, hence, you need to apply for one providing all the necessary documents including your marriage and birth certificate and the birth certificates of your kids.
2. If you are holding a temporary visa except for a child or partner visa, you need to fill in an inquiry form along with certain documents like your marriage certificate, proofs of your de facto relationship (if any), such as shared assets/belongings, etc.
3. The immediate family members of an Australian citizen or permanent resident include his/her legal guardians, spouse, and kids.
4. People holding certain partner visas (820,801,309 and100) and child visas (445, 102 and 100) will be permitted to travel to Australia.
5. People who are holding the Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa are not allowed to travel to Australia as of now.

Also, all of them need to stay in 14 days quarantine after reaching Australia.

Official Source of News – Covid-19 Home Affairs Update

ISA Migrations stands with you at this difficult moment of the Coronavirus outbreak. Our dedicated team of migration consultants is working continuously from a remote location day and night to keep you updated about the various changes in the visa conditions as a result of the decisions rolled out by the Department of Home Affairs. You can connect with us through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn for any query relating to your temporary or permanent visa and follow us to keep informed with the latest updates!