The Trans-Tasman bubble will open at midnight on Sunday, next week, 18 April 2021. Anyone who has the right to reside in Australia and New Zealand will be allowed to travel quarantine free within the bubble. The COVID-19 border restrictions do not apply to passengers within the Trans-Tasman bubble and there is no need for people travelling within the bubble to apply for exemptions to enter Australia or New Zealand.
Many are packing their bags to travel. The online traffic to Qantas, Jetstar, and Air New Zealand as well as Flight Centre has increased significantly since the announcement of the Trans-Tasman bubble opening. Virgin intends to have flights on sale in October 2021. The expectation is for high demand with some 1.5 million passengers taking advantage of the Trans-Tasman bubble over the next six months. The travel remains an adventurous endeavour as things could change quickly and the bubble will remain volatile until a vaccine is rolled out. Predicted to take Australians until the end of this year. So, keen travellers are advised to keep an eye on the COVID-19 related news and keep a track of the destinations they visit while they travel to avoid surprises at the border.
The existing traffic lights system implemented for travel between the Australian states and territories is going to apply to the Trans-Tasman bubble. Travel will remain open and quarantine free if passengers present a low risk of further transmission, which is they have travelled to "green zones" only. If there is a single case of an unknown source, linked to the border opening, the quarantine free travel is likely to be paused for up to 72 hours while the situation is in the orange zone. If there are multiple cases of unknown source, the situation will enter into the red zone and the travel may be suspended for a longer period of time with a requirement for managed isolation for passengers
If you need assistance with your Australian visa the team of Assent Migration Lawyers is here to help.
Enjoy the Trans-Tasman bubble!
You can find a short Q&A on ABC News