Unvaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents wishing to travel overseas (apart from children under 12 and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons) are required to apply for an exemption to leave Australia. You must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• your travel is as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the provision of aid
• your travel is for your business/employer
• you are travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia
• you are travelling outside Australia for a compelling reason for three months or longer
• you are travelling on compelling or compassionate grounds
• your travel is in the national interest
• you are ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia.
• You must provide evidence to support your claims. 

Requests may be finalised without further consideration if insufficient evidence is provided. Evidence may include:

• passport/s
• marriage certificate/s
• birth certificate/s
• death certificate/s
• proof of relationship (for example, shared tenancy agreement, joint bank account etc.)*
• proof that you are moving to another country on a long term basis such as leases, job offers and evidence your goods are being transported
• proof of your current valid visa, including in Australia and/or overseas
• letter from a doctor or hospital about any medical treatment/condition with statements on why travel is necessary
• letter from your employer, or other evidence that you are travelling for a business reason
• statement or evidence to show when you wish to return to Australia
• any other proof you may have to support your claims.

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs: Covid-19 and the border Leaving Australia

Travel for Three Months or Longer

For unvaccinated Australians and permanent residents seeking exemption from Australia’s outbound travel restrictions on the basis that you are leaving Australia for three months or longer, your proposed travel must be for a compelling reason and you must provide evidence to support your claims.

Evidence to support your application

Evidence must be provided in the form of a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration, which must state you are making an application for travel exemption on the basis that you intend to be absent from Australia for more than three months.

Evidence may include:

• confirmed flight itinerary, with return date of at least three months after departure date
• confirmation of leave from employment for three months
• enrolment confirmation for study
• a doctor’s certificate to support your claim you are travelling in order to provide care for sick family members
• any other matter you wish to raise in support of your request for exemption.

Requests may be finalised without further consideration if insufficient evidence is provided, or is not provided in a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration. All evidence supporting a travel exemption claim needs to be officially translated into English. 

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs: Covid-19 and the border Leaving Australia

Automatic Exemptions

You are exempt from travel restrictions, and can leave Australia without applying for an exemption if you are:

• a fully vaccinated Australian
• an airline, maritime crew or associated safety worker
• a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa, even if they are usually resident in Australia
• engaged in the day-to-day conduct of inbound and outbound freight
• travelling in association with essential work at an offshore facility in Australian waters
• travelling on official government business (including members of the Australian Defence Force and any Australian Government official travelling on a diplomatic or official passport)

Australian citizens and permanent residents do not need an exemption to return to Australia.

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs: Covid-19 and the border Leaving Australia