When can I travel to Australia? Latest advice on when borders might reopen – Telegraph.co.uk

On Christmas Day last year, a new Australian tourism ad, Matesong was released onto TV screens. In the three minute video, Kylie Minogue enticed Britons to head down under to enjoy sights like Byron Bay, Uluru and Western Australia’s Rottnest Island.
Sadly, a winter of devastating bushfires and the global Coronavirus pandemic mean this video is now redundant; but many are still keen to enjoy Australias stunning coastline and vibrant cities.
Britons were given some hope when the UK Government announced that Australia was part of its list of 59 countries that will be exempt from Englands travel quarantine on July 3, and Foreign Office (FCO) advice was updated to reflect this. But despite the news, travel to Australia is still some way off.
Australia closed its borders to tourists on March 20 and it is still near impossible to travel to the country without an exemption visa. This will likely remain so until 2021, with tourism minister, Simon Birmingham, warning in June that the countrys borders are likely to stay shut until next year. A skeleton service of flights between the two nations is operating, but this is aimed at those being repatriated or with essential reasons to travel. 
How has Australia relaxed its lockdown?
On May 8, Australia announced a three-step plan to relax its lockdown, with the aim to remove all restrictions by July. 
This faced a setback, however, when the state of Victoria saw a spike in infections. The city of Melbourne and Mitchell Shire immediately to the north has now had to re-enter lockdown due to this, with Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews announcing the news today, July 7, after the state saw 191 new infections: its highest daily number since the pandemic began. Borders into the state have been closed, and the city is now under even stricter restrictions than before for the next six weeks.
People will be kept to their homes and will only be able to leave for essential reasons, such as for work, exercise and shopping for food and other necessities. Shops and hairdressers will remain open. The measures will come into force from Wednesday.
The rest of Australia has been permitted to maintain a relaxed lockdown, with people now allowed to travel as much as they want within their own state. Hairdressers and barbers are generally open again, as are gyms, museums, libraries, bars and restaurants. There is some variance in rules between the different areas, however.
New South Wales 
Currently 20 people from different households can visit each other. Guests can stay overnight. Public gatherings of up to 20 people are allowed, and contact sports are allowed. There is no limit on how many people can be inside cafes, bistros, and restaurants, pubs, registered clubs, and casinos as long as there are four square metres of space allowed per person. Residents are allowed to leave New South Wales, and visitors do not need to quarantine.
Queensland 
Up to 20 people from different households can visit each other and from July 10 up to 100 people may be allowed to gather in homes. Up to 20 people can gather outside, and again, this will go up to 100 from July 10. Restaurants, cafes, pubs, registered clubs and hotels can seat up to 20 people at any one time, as long as they can allow four square metres per person. This number rises to 50 in the outback, but these must be locals. Casinos are allowed to seat people for meals, but bars and gaming will have to stay closed. Visitors into Queensland are currently prohibited unless they have been granted an exemption, but borders will open from July 10.
Tasmania
You can have up to 20 visitors over and up to 250 people are allowed into an outdoor space, as long as there is no more than one person per two square metres. All non-essential travellers to Tasmania, including returning residents, must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Western Australia
Unlimited numbers of guests are permitted to gather in homes, as long as there is no more than one person per two square metres. There is no limit on the number of people allowed at public gatherings, while cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, casinos, clubs are open, though only to seated diners with one person per every two square metres. Visitors to Western Australia are banned unless they have an exemption. 
South Australia
Unlimited numbers of guests are permitted to gather in homes, as long as there is no more than one person per two square metres. Restaurants, cafes, pubs, food courts, nightclubs and casinos are open, as well as standing hospitality venues with no cap on numbers, under the one person per two square metres rule. Drinking at a bar, or while standing, is allowed. People from Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania can enter South Australia without having to quarantine for 14 days. 
Northern Territory
There is no limit on how many people can gather indoors or outdoors, but there must be 1.5 metres between people who arent of the same household. All businesses are allowed to reopen as long as they have a Covid-19 plan. Night clubs can reopen and it is possible to purchase alcohol from a bar. All travellers to the Northern Territory must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Australian Capital Territory
There is no limit on household visitors and up to 100 people can gather together outdoors. Up to 100 people can be seated in restaurants, cafes and other hospitality venues, as long as there is one person per four square metres. Bars, pubs, and clubs can serve alcohol in groups of up to 10 seated patrons, without a meal. There are no border restrictions. 
Am I allowed to travel to Australia?
From 4 July, Australia is exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks, reads the current FCO advice on Australia.
Despite this updated FCO advice, the answer to this question remains most likely no, unless you are an Australian  citizen, married to an Australian citizen or a permanent resident. Citizens of New Zealand who reside in Australia may also re-enter the country. 
Australias borders remain closed, and those hoping to travel to Australia will need a special exemption visa, as normal visa applications are no longer accepted. Only Australian citizens and returning permanent residents and their immediate family members are permitted to enter Australia without an exemption until further notice, and exemptions are only granted to those with a compassionate or compelling reason to enter Australia. A need to sun yourself on Byron Bay likely wont cut it.
If you do manage to secure an exemption visa, you will still need to undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a designated facility (for example a hotel) arranged by the state government once you arrive in Australia.
Are flights to Australia operating?
Many airlines have suspended their routes but it is possible to fly to Australia. British Airways, Qatar, Emirates, Etihad and Singapore Airlines are running regular flights to the country from the UK, with layovers in Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Singapore. 
Qantas, the flag carrier of Australia, recently cancelled all its international flights until October, and has said it does not expect international flights to resume in earnest until July 2021. Some of its planes have been grounded for three years.
Domestic flights are beginning to resume, with Virgin Australia announcing this week that it will restart domestic flights on 17 additional routes within Australia by early August. The airline launched a 12-hour comeback sale on domestic flights on July 2.
This includes the resumption of flights to Newcastle, Hobart, Launceston, Darwin, Alice Springs, Hamilton Island, Maroochydore, Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Proserpine, and Mount Isa.
With the current lockdown in Melbourne, this excludes domestic flights into the state of Victoria, many of which have now been cancelled.
When will holidays to Australia be possible?
Unfortunately, not anytime soon. Australians are hopeful that we will see some international travel starting up between countries that have the virus under control by June 2021, said our Australia expert, Ariela Bard. But it could be up to three years before international travel is back to what it was before the pandemic started.
Tourism agencies with Australia agree with this assessment. With new outbreaks of covid-19 reported in Australia, currently only citizens or permanent residents are permitted to enter the country, said Zina Bencheikh, managing director for EMEA at Intrepid Travel. The government has indicated this is likely to remain until at least early 2021, with cut backs to international flights announced this week, she added.  
We are seeing borders reopen between some but not all states and territories in Australia, said the Australian tourism board in a statement. From Tourism Australias perspective, attracting international travellers will form a critical part of the tourism restart and recovery in Australia, but will likely be further down the track. 
We just dont know when international restrictions will start to be lifted, nor how the process of restoring international travel will play out. But we will be ready to go back when the time is right.
Despite the long timeline, agencies remain positive about the future of travel to the country. We cannot anticipate when borders will open, however when they do we will be ready to welcome travellers back to join us on some great adventures, said Bencheikh.
All our trips will be operated under new Safe Travel protocols developed and endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council, and a new Flexible Bookings policy will be in place so travellers can book confidently and change, move or cancel travel plans with no fuss.
How can I get a refund for my holiday?
If your flight or holiday has been cancelled, see our guide on how to obtain a refund or a travel voucher.

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