Visas & Immigration

Visas & Immigration is a popular topic at the Australian Frequent Flyer. When travelling overseas, you certainly need to have a good understanding of immigration procedures, including getting the required visas to the countries you are planning on visiting.

Podcast #68: Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Last week, Qantas revealed its new plan to restart international flights to 7 countries from 18 December 2021. That’s just over three months away. But how realistic is this plan? And could we see international travel open up for people in NSW, ACT and Victoria before other states agree to do the same? In the meantime, … Continued

Sydney Airport Air India Singapore Airlines

NSW Halves Overseas Arrivals Yet Again

New South Wales will further reduce its limit on overseas arrivals into the state by another 50% off the already halved cap, from 8 September 2021. The announcement was made by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian during yesterday’s COVID-19 update. Ms Berejiklian said that the decision was made so essential staff could be redirected from hotel … Continued

Qantas A330-300

Qantas Plans December 2021 International Restart

Qantas will fly Airbus A330s from Brisbane to Los Angeles and could redirect some of its flights to London via Darwin, instead of Perth, when international flights gradually resume. These are part of the flying kangaroo’s plans revealed today to restart substantial international flying from mid-December 2021, based on the timeline of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination … Continued

26 Aug 2021 Qantas
Businessman showing passport (of Australia)

How to Get a Travel Exemption to Leave Australia

Since 25 March 2020, Australian citizens and permanent residents have been banned from leaving the country without a travel restriction exemption from the Department of Home Affairs. Australia’s outbound travel ban was first introduced in response to the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, before Australia had a hotel quarantine system. It was designed to stop Australians going … Continued

Auckland New Zealand

New Zealand Travel Bubble Paused for 8 Weeks

The New Zealand government has suspended travel from all Australian states & territories to New Zealand for the next 8 weeks, in response to growing outbreaks of the Delta strain of COVID-19 in various parts of Australia including Sydney. From 11.59pm on 23 July 2021, Australians will no longer be able to travel to New … Continued

Hotel quarantine coronavirus

Queensland Raises Hotel Quarantine Fees

The Queensland government has increased the cost of hotel quarantine for passengers arriving in the state from overseas or from declared COVID-19 hotspots in Australia. From 1 July 2021, the cost of 14 days of quarantine for one adult in a Brisbane hotel rose from $2,800 to $3,220. The price for two adults sharing a … Continued

There is No Queue to Return to Australia During COVID-19

Last week, the Australian government halved the cap on the number of people allowed to return to Australia each week. For tens of thousands of Australians still stranded overseas, this will have disastrous consequences. Following the announcement last Friday, Facebook groups for Australians stranded overseas were flooded with posts by stressed Aussies who now face … Continued

International departures at Sydney Airport T1

Australia’s “Four-Phase Plan” to Reopen Borders

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a “four-phase plan” to reopen Australia’s domestic and international borders following last Friday’s National Cabinet meeting. Once enough Australians are vaccinated against COVID-19, the country would move from the current “Phase A” into Phase B. This would see vaccinated Australians exempt from domestic border restrictions & lockdowns, and make it … Continued

Qantas 737 and Air New Zealand 777 at Auckland Airport

New Zealand Bubble Resumes 5 July, With Restrictions

New Zealand will reinstate the trans-Tasman travel bubble with some Australian states at 11.59pm on 4 July 2021. But when flights from Australia to New Zealand restart, there will be new conditions including mandatory pre-flight COVID-19 testing. The announcement means that from next Monday, it will once again be possible to fly to New Zealand … Continued