Dual Citizens – Travelling Outside Australia During COVID-19
- Australians should use their passport when exiting or entering Australia. This includes dual nationals;
- If you’re a dual national and have a passport from another country, you may choose to travel on your other passport once outside Australia;
- If you enter a country on an alternative passport, local authorities may not recognise you as Australian. This can limit the Australian government’s ability to provide you with consular assistance;
- Some countries have restrictions on their departing nationals. This can include putting an exit permit (or exit visa) in their passport
Australians – Exceptions to Travel during COVID-19
- You are traveling to provide aid in response to COVID-19;
- Your travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business;
- You are traveling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia;
- You are travelling on urgent or unavoidable personal business;
- You are travelling on compassionate or humanitarian grounds;
- Your travel is in the national interest
Documents will need to be provided to support your claim. You may submit your request application online. The request should be submitted two weeks in advance, but not more than 3 months prior to travel. If you need to travel urgently, your application may be prioritised.
Those Who Do Not Need to Apply for Exemptions
- ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia;
- an airline, maritime crew or associated safety worker;
- a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa;
- associated with essential work at Australian offshore facilities;
- travelling on official government business, including members of the Australian Defence Force;
You are considered ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia if international movement records show that you’ve spent more time outside Australia than inside for the last 12 to 24 months. You do not need to carry a paper record of your movements with you. If required, Australian Border Force officers at airports can check your movement records in Departmental systems.
