Travel Exemptions During COVID-19
Tourist Visas During COVID-19

Condition 8570 prevents Temporary Protection visa (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) holders from entering:

• a country from which they (or the primary visa holder, if they hold the visa as a family member), were found to engage Australia’s protection obligations, and
• any other country, unless we are satisfied there are compelling or compassionate circumstances that justify their entry and we have given written approval

Condition 8559 prevents permanent Protection visa (PPV) holders from entering the country from which they (or the primary visa holder, if they hold the visa as a family member) were found to engage Australia’s protection obligations, unless we have approved the entry in writing

PPV holders do not need our approval to enter any other country.

Conditions 8570 and 8559 apply to all members of the same family unit granted the relevant protection visa , including those granted the visa on the basis that they are a member of the same family unit of someone found to engage Australia’s protection.

How to request permission to travel — condition 8570

You must have compelling or compassionate reasons for the travel.

To submit a request:

• complete and submit Form 1454 - Request for approval to travel under visa condition 8570 (Restricted Travel) (306KB PDF) , or
• send an email to travel.request@homeaffairs.gov.au

In your request, you must provide us following information:

• the reason for your visit, include your compelling or compassionate reasons
• which countries you will be visiting (include stopovers)
• how you are related to the person you are visiting
• details of the people you plan to visit, including their:
  • full name
  • date of birth
  • your relationship with these people
• when you plan to travel (both to and from the countries you wish to visit)
• how long you wish to stay in each country
• why you need to visit these countries
• evidence of compelling or compassionate reason
• copies of any identity cards or identity documents with your photograph
• copies of passports (or other travel documents) of all visa holders wanting to travel
• your travel arrangements (if already made)
• your contact details while outside Australia
• your contact details in the country you wish to visit
• contact details of your migration agent or representative (if this applies)

Compelling or compassionate reasons can include:

• visiting or caring for a close relative who is seriously ill or dying
• attending the funeral of a close relative
• attending the birth of your child

Close relatives only include:

• your spouse or de facto partner
• your child or step-child
• your parent
• your brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister

Processing time — condition 8570

Please wait until you get permission before buying travel tickets.

It takes about 4 weeks for us to decide. If granted, approval is usually for a period of up to 2 months.

Note: our approval to travel outside Australia is not a visa to enter another country.

If you need to travel urgently, follow the normal process but tell us:

• that the travel request is urgent
• why it is urgent
• when you wish to travel

Change in plans — condition 8570

If you made a mistake in your request or would like to change your travel plans, send an email to travel.request@homeaffairs.gov.au

How to request permission to travel — condition 8559

To submit a request:

• complete and submit Form 1463 Request for approval to travel under visa condition 8559 (Must not enter country of reference) (282KB PDF), or
• send an email to travel.request@homeaffairs.gov.au

In your request, you must provide us following information:

• the reason for your visit, include your compelling or compassionate reasons
• which countries you will be visiting (include stopovers)
• how you are related to the person you are visiting
• details of the people you plan to visit, including their:
  • full name
  • date of birth
  • your relationship with these people
• when you plan to travel (both to and from the countries you wish to visit)
• how long you wish to stay in each country
• why you need to visit these countries
• evidence of compelling or compassionate reason
• copies of any identity cards or identity documents with your photograph
• copies of passports (or other travel documents) of all visa holders wanting to travel
• your travel arrangements (if already made)
• your contact details while outside Australia
• your contact details in the country you wish to visit
• contact details of your migration agent or representative (if this applies)

Compelling or compassionate reasons can include:

• visiting a close relative who is seriously ill or dying
• attending the funeral of a close relative
• attending the birth of your child

Close relatives only include:

• your spouse or de facto partner
• your child or step-child
• your parent
• your brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister

Processing time — condition 8559

It takes about 4 weeks for us to decide. If granted, approval is usually for a period of up to 3 weeks.

Note: our approval to travel outside Australia is not a visa to enter another country.

If you need to travel urgently, follow the normal process but tell us:

• that the travel request is urgent
• why it is urgent
• when you wish to travel

Change in plans — condition 8559

If you made a mistake in your request, or would like to change your travel plans, send an email to travel.request@homeaffairs.gov.au

Leaving Australia

Travel documentation

You should not use the passport or travel document issued to you by your country of nationality. If you do so, we may consider that you no longer require Australia's protection and we may cancel your visa.

If you hold a PPV, TPV or SHEV, you are eligible to apply for a travel document issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Contact any Australian Passport Office in DFAT to apply for a Convention Travel Document or a Certificate of Identity.

Travel facility for PPV holders and Resident Return Visa

When you are granted a permanent Protection visa (subclass 866), you can travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date we grant the visa. This means you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like in the 5 years from the date your subclass 866 visa was granted, as long as your visa is in effect.

After 5 years your travel facility expires and you will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155) or (subclass 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

For further information on the travel facility on your permanent visa and advice on when to apply for a Resident Return visa, see Overseas travel as a permanent resident

Consular assistance

Consular assistance may not be available while you are overseas.

We will normally facilitate re-entry to Australia for persons holding valid travel documents issued by the Australian Passport Office, such as a Convention Travel Document.

If you travel overseas, with or without obtaining approval to travel, you do so at your own risk. Consular assistance is only available to Australian citizens, and only to permanent residents in crisis situations.

Consular assistance

If you need to travel to or from Australia during the COVID-19 period, contact us.