Entry Policies Due to Covid-19 for Oceania
If you are planning a trip to Oceania in the near future, you'll need to check the travel requirements very carefully. Many of the strict restrictions that were put in place in many of the countries here last year have remained to this day.
While Oceania is an area that's had the fewest deaths and cases of the virus, this is primarily due to how severe they've been with locking their borders since day one. While countries such as New Zealand have been celebrated for their minimal cases and deaths, this restriction on foreign travelers is one of the main reasons behind this result.
If you are able to travel to a country in Oceania this year, ensure you follow the regulations very carefully.
These countries are extremely protective of their citizens and are still trying everything to minimize the risk of the virus spreading. When traveling into any country in Oceania, it's likely you'll need a negative COVID-19 test, online health forms, and potentially a quarantine period. This will vary between every country, so be sure to check exactly when you need to complete all of the required documentation and testing before your visit.
Following the restrictions is crucial in this cut-off part of the world, where each country is working as hard as possible to protect those who live there. You'll also ensure you protect yourself when visiting Oceania, particularly the remote islands which may have limited medical facilities in comparison to your home country.
For the most part, travel is quite restricted in this region, but there are some exceptions to this. If you are able to enter a country in Oceania, you'll want to carefully check the regulations that are in place at the current time.
Expect to potentially need to pay for a full quarantine in a hotel, depending on where you are planning to travel. Many of the islands in this region are extremely protective of their citizens due to their remote location. Therefore, it's understandable they may have stricter entry requirements.
Nauru
Feb 18 2022 Most commercial flights operated by Nauru Airlines except limited services to Brisbane Australia remain suspended until further notice. Emergency humanitarian repatriation diplomatic and cargo flights are also exempt. Effective 10 January until early February authorities announced the temporary suspension of all incoming flights from Australia. There is no known national contact tracing app. There are no face mask requirements at this time. Most economic activities are ongoing and social distancing measures apply in all public areas. Residents in Nauru have been advised to follow social distancing measures in urban areas and onboard cabs and taxis. All travellers including transit travellers and air crew aged 18 or older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter. Travellers who have spent at least 14 days in Australia (excluding areas with high cases of the virus including Australian Capital Territory New South Wales and Victoria) Cook Islands Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia New Caledonia New Zealand Niue Palau Samoa Solomon Islands Taiwan Tonga Tuvalu or Vanuatu have been permitted entry. Travellers must check-in to a Pre-Travel Managed Accommodation Hotel four days prior to travel: a property address will be advised closer to a check-in date. Visitors who have transited through or have been in Fiji Papua New Guinea or Australias Australian Capital Territory New South Wales or Victoria in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Nauru. Other travellers require an exemption to enter. Before travel Incoming travellers must undergo a Rapid Antigen Test and a PCR test within 24 hours before departure at their Pre-Travel Accommodation hotel: the certificates must be shown when boarding the flight to Nauru. There is no evidence of testing requirements for travellers after arrival. Travellers coming in from abroad are required to quarantine for up to five days upon arrival. Effective 22 January fully vaccinated international arrivals from Australia will no longer be required to quarantine on arrival. Authorities in Nauru have relied on social distancing measures in urban areas and international travel bans to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak in their territory. There are no cases of COVID-19 in Nauru so far. However authorities are unlikely to lift travel bans to allow international travellers into their country in the near-term as most tourists to Nauru originate from countries with an ongoing outbreak.
Palau
Feb 18 2022 All inbound commercial international flights to Palau are suspended. United Airlines has resumed some services between Palau (Koror) International Airport (ROR/PTRO) and Guam International Airport (GUM/PGUM) for repatriations and essential workers. A limited number of flights to and from Palau are operational following the resumption of the travel bubble between the two countries on 14 August 2021. Flights have also resumed between Palau and Taiwan under a quarantine free travel bubble program. All non-vaccinated travellers except those entering under the travel-bubble agreement with Taiwan have been banned entry to Palau. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from vaccination requirement. Officials in Taiwan and Palau relaunched the travel bubble which allows for tourism with eased restrictions on 14 August 2021. Travellers must stay with their tour groups avoid crowds and stay in their hotels and approved areas. Vaccinations against COVID-19 have been available on arrival in Palau. There is no national contact tracing app. All travellers are however required to were a monitoring wristband during the self-quarantine period. All travellers must undergo a five-day self-quarantine. Quarantine sites are be designated by the government. Travellers arriving from Taiwan under the travel bubble agreement are exempt from quarantine. Any person determined to have been exposed to COVID-19 are placed under quarantine for at least 14 days. Any person proven or strongly suspected to be infected with COVID-19 are isolated for a period neemed necessary by authorities. There are no face mask requirements in public areas at this time. However all arriving travellers will be required to wear face shields upon exiting their aircraft and travelling to their quarantine facility. Social distancing measures prevail in all public areas. Large public gatherings are banned in the territory until further notice. Social distancing measures apply in all other areas. Due to its remote location in the Oceania region Palau has not witnessed a major COVID-19 outbreak. Authorities have relied on international travel bans and social restrictions to prevent any COVID-19 infections. Flights have resumed for some travellers from Taiwan and Guam but authorities are unlikely to fully reopen their borders in the near-term as most of the countries surrounding the island nation have prevailing COVID-19 outbreaks. Before travel Incoming passengers must have a negative result of either a PCR-type COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure or a WHO or USFDA authorised/approved antigen test taken within 24 hours before departure. Test results can be substituted with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 including proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from a healthcare provider or a public health official stating that the traveller has recovered from COVID-19 and is cleared to travel. Taiwanese tourists entering as part of the travel bubble agreement must take a PCR test prior to boarding at Taoyuan Airport (TPE/RCTP). Private and charter vessel travellers must submit test results within 24 hours before departure. After arrival Arrivals must test for COVID-19 as directed by the Ministry of Health and Human Services. Previously arrivals were directed to test for COVID-19 on the fourth day of arrival. The tests must occur at the Belau National Hospital between 8:00-10:30 local time at the cost of USD 30.50 per test. Travellers can get tested only on Mondays Thursdays and Sundays between 09:30-11:30 local time: they must present their passport and itinerary to get tested.
Papua New Guinea
Feb 18 2022 Authorities have allowed limited international flights to operate to and from Australia Singapore Hong Kong and the Philippines through Jacksons International Airport (POM/AYPY) in Port Moresby. Air France Qatar Airways Singapore Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines connecting passengers transiting in Singapore within 48 hours have been allowed to enter. Only Air Niugini PNG Air Hevilift Tropic Air and Pacific Direct Limited have been permitted to operate flights to and from Papua New Guinea. Before travel All travellers must present a negative COVID-19 test administered no older than 72 hours prior to boarding. Upon arrival All travellers will be tested upon arrival. After arrival All partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travellersas well as those arriving from high-risk countries - including India and the Philippines - regardless of their vaccination status will be subject to post-arrival testing on days seven and 12 during their quarantine. Authorities announced that all international arrivals must install a tracking app or carry a tracking device to be allowed entry until further notice. Foreign nationals without residency status were required to wear a global positioning system ankle monitor for the duration of their quarantine. Travellers will cover the cost for the monitors which is set at USD 28. All partially vaccinated or unvaccinated arrivals as well as those arriving from high-risk countries (India and the Philippines) regardless of their vaccination status must quarantine for 14 days: unvaccinated diplomats must quarantine for 21 days. The cost of quarantine and testing completed while isolating will be at the expense of the individual in quarantine. Some travellers with a written exemption may be allowed to self-isolate at home. A tracking device is used to monitor quarantine compliance. A list of hotels approved for quarantine can be found here. The wearing of face masks is mandatory in all public areas nationwide including onboard public transport and inside shops in Port Moresby. Passengers are required to undertake a rapid COVID-19 test at airports prior to check-in. Some inter-provincial movement restrictions social distancing measures and limits on large gatherings remain in effect nationwide. Inter-provincial travel has been banned for most travellers: permitted travellers must produce a negative test one day prior to travel. Passengers must be temperature tested upon entering all airport terminals wear face masks and fill out contact tracing form at check-in and health form in-flight. Travellers on aircraft with high temperatures have not been allowed to travel. Travellers not vaccinated against COVID-19 have been barred from travel between provinces by aircraft. Travellers arriving in Goroka Eastern Highlands province or Mount Hagen in Western Highlands province are tested for COVID-19. Those who test positive must quarantine. Travellers must obtain a negative result of a COVID-19 test taken between 48-72 hours before their travel date to enter Buka Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Kavieng New Ireland province. In Bougainville people have been urged to avoid travelling between communities and restrictions on inter-province travel remain in place: those with COVID-19 symptoms must get tested before they travel into and out of Bougainville. Public and public transit may operate from 07:00-15:00 local time daily. Operations at the Aropa Airport (KIE/AYIQ) were suspended commercial flights to and from Port Moresby Airport (POM/AYPY) are operating through Buka Airport (BUA/AYBK). Three flights per week will operate at Buka Airport for returning residents and essential workers only. Fully vaccinated foreign nationals and unvaccinated Papua New Guinean nationals and residents are allowed entry into the country. A travel form and a health form are required for entry. Social distancing measures remain in place. Authorities have called on citizens to refrain from certain cultural and social activities such as sports and large religious gatherings. Gatherings that are larger than 100 people are banned. Those that can be held require pre-approval from the local authorities. In Bougainville maritime and airport security have increased along with the enforcement of health protocols for businesses and individuals. Recreational venues such as nightclubs and gambling facilities were closed in Arawa Buin and Buka. The main public hospital in Port Moresby has restricted its services due to surging COVID-19 infections: consultation and gynaecology clinics were shut all elective surgeries were on hold and people were urged to avail emergency services at other clinics. Increased health and security checks are in place at border and other areas of Enga province face masks are compulsory on public and private transport buses can load a maximum of 13 passengers essential businesses can operate with reduced capacities and operating hours and large public gatherings are banned. Authorities in Papua New Guinea have relied on border closures strict lockdown measures and internal movement restrictions to tackle the outbreak. Authorities have implemented testing kits health screening measures and a call centre for people to check their symptoms quickly on the phone. A further easing of restrictions is unlikely in the near-term when infections are on the rise and the countrys healthcare infrastructure is incapable of handling a widespread outbreak.
Samoa
Feb 18 2022 Samoa Travel Tracer is an optional contact tracing app. Samoan nationals residents returning from abroad and travellers are required to quarantine at government-designated facilities for 14 days upon arrival. Some residents will be allowed to self-quarantine in their home on a case-by-case basis. The length of ones quarantine period may change at any time on a case by case basis. There are no face mask requirements at this time. Due to its remote location in the Oceania region Samoa has not witnessed a widespread COVID-19 outbreak. Authorities as a precaution implemented social distancing measures which have eased since early May 2021 after authorities were convinced that there were no infections in the territory. Churches schools and some non-essential businesses have resumed. A further easing of social restrictions are likely in the near-term as authorities are keen on resuming all economic activities. Restrictions on travel and businesses are in effect as part of a State of Emergency (SoE) which is subject to renewal on a monthly basis. The ongoing SoE was extended until 13 March. Authorities imposed Alert Level 1 measures where public gatherings and local travel are allowed effective 11 February until further notice. A nationwide state of emergency remains in place until 13 March. All businesses must close on Sundays unless exempted otherwise. Alert Level 1 measures are in place nationwide effective 11 February where public gatherings and local travel by sea and land are allowed. Opening hours were extended for markets pharmacies fuel stations and restaurants. Bars and nightclubs may also open for limited periods. Most commercial international flights and ferry services remain suspended unless exempted for emergency diplomatic repatriation cargo and other occasions. Repatriation flights to Apia Faleolo International Airport (APW/NSFA) have been operating from Brisbane (BNE/YBBN) and Sydney (SYD/YSSY) airports in Australia and Auckland Airport (AKL/NZAA) in New Zealand. All incoming and outgoing flights excluding cargo flights are suspended until further notice. Flights between Pago Pago International Airport (PGG/NSTU) in American Samoa and Apia Airport were suspended until further notice. As of 20 January repatriation flights from Australia and New Zealand were temporarily suspended after over a dozen returning residents tested positive for COVID-19. All international travel to and from Samoa by plane boat or ship are suspended except as provided in exceptional circumstances. Travellers with a history of a positive COVID-19 RT-PCR test result are banned from entering Samoa until at least 30 days have passed since their first negative test and must provide a genome sequencing test result of the virus if available and have three consecutive negative results from COVID-19 tests taken on 20 five and two days before their date of departure. All test results must be in English and submitted via email to the Director General of Health through ceohralth.gov.ws and Doctor Robert Thomsen through robertthealth.gov.ws to gain entry approval. All travellers must email Samoa Health (enquirieshealth.gov.ws or samoahealth.travelenquiriesgmail.com) at least 21 days prior to travel to gain entry permission. Entry is granted on a case-by-case basis considering the travellers departure location and vaccination status among other criteria. Travellers departing from countries with the widespread transmission of the COVID-19 variants are barred from entry as well as transit. All travellers must have spent at least 21 days in a country with minimal or no community transmission of the variants before travelling to Samoa. All travellers arriving from American Samoa who travelled outside of American Samoa must have been in American Samoa for at least 21 days after quarantine to be permitted entry into Samoa. All travellers arriving from or transiting through Australia Belgium Botswana Fiji Germany the Kingdom of eSwatini Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa the United Kingdom (UK) the United States (US) and Zimbabwe will be denied entry. Before travel Travellers must have a negative result of a blood serology COVID-19 antibody test (tests for IgM and IgG are not accepted) taken within seven days before departure and a negative result of a RT-PCR test for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours prior to departure to be presented upon arrival. Fully vaccinated air crew are exempt from the blood serology COVID-19 antibody testing requirement. All test results must be in English. There are no testing requirements for travellers after arrival. Travellers from Fiji are no longer required to have the blood serology COVID-19 antibody test. Alert Level 1 measures were implemented from 11 February whereby all local travel by sea and land are allowed.
Tonga
Feb 20 2022 Until 27 February a night curfew is in effect from 18:00-06:00 countrywide. Lockdown measures are also imposed in Tongatapu and Vavau. A 18:00-06:00 local time curfew is in effect nationwide until at least 27 February. A lockdown remains in effect for Tongatapu and Vavau until 27 February: non-essential businesses are closed. Small shops are allowed to open from Mondays to Saturdays from 06:00-18:00 local time. All commercial flights are suspended until further notice. Emergency humanitarian repatriation diplomatic and cargo flights are exempt. All sea and land borders are closed to foreign nationals. Before travel All travellers are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken at least 72 hours prior to arrival in Tonga. There are no known after arrival tests for travellers. There is no national contact tracing app. Tongan nationals and residents returning from abroad are required to quarantine at government-designated facilities for 15 days upon arrival. Starting 2 February face masks are mandatory in public places. While there are no known exit requirements limited repatriation flights are available for travel out of Tonga. Social distancing measures apply in all public areas and large gatherings remain banned. Officials in Tonga have been relying on lockdowns curfews and social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. The Tongatapu main island was placed on lockdown for the first time in late 2021 after the first ever case of COVID-19 was detected. International travel and state of emergency restrictions are likely to remain in Tonga in the near-term especially in the aftermath of a tsnuami triggered by a volcanic eruption which inundated vast sections of the country and has further complicated ongoing COVID-19 related healthcare efforts.
Tuvalu
Feb 11 2022 While there is no ban on international flights through Tuvalu most airlines have suspended flights through the country except for emergency and repatriation flights. All foreign nationals and non-residents are barred from entering Tuvalu. Before travel All travellers permitted to enter Tuvalu must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test result certificate issued at least 72 hours prior to departure. Upon arrival All travellers are tested upon arrival. There is no known contact tracing app in the country. All incoming travellers to Tuvalu will be quarantined at government approved facilities for at least two weeks. There are no known facemask requirements at this stage. Social distancing measures apply in all areas and economic activities have resumed. There are no known disruptions to public transport services. However public transportation may be limited in areas with suspected cases. Authorities have allowed the resumption of church services and other non-essential businesses since April while some public spaces may be closed. Residents have been advised to follow social distancing measures in all public areas. Due to its remote location in the Oceania region Tuvalu has not experienced a major COVID-19 outbreak. Authorities have relied on strict border control measures and social distancing rules internally to avoid spread of infections. The country has limited healthcare facilities which are not capable of handling a widespread outbreak hence strict border control measures are likely to remain in the near term.
Vanuatu
Feb 18 2022 Inbound arrivals may only enter through Bauerfield International Airport (VLI/NVVV). Many commercial flights were suspended. Emergency humanitarian diplomatic cargo and some repatriation flights are exempt. A public health emergency declaration for social distancing measures and other COVID-19 guidelines remain in force until 31 July. Authorities were quick to restrict entry to foreign nationals when other neighbouring Pacific countries started reporting case numbers and successfully prevented a widespread COVID-19 outbreak last year. Authorities have periodically imposed strict nationwide lockdown measures in areas with potential risk of COVID-19 infections. A nationwide public health emergency is in effect. Before travel Travellers are required to present a negative result of a COVID-19 PCR test taken between 24 and 72 hours prior to departure. Travellers from Oceanian countries/regions other than Australia New Zealand Papua New Guinea Guam French Polynesia New Caledonia and Fiji are exempt. After arrival Travellers must test for COVID-19 on days five and 11 of quarantine. Those who were in COVID-19 high-risk countries within 14 days prior to travel must additionally test for COVID-19 on day one of quarantine. There is no national contact tracing app. All travellers are required to quarantine at government designated facilities for 14 days upon arrival at the travellers own cost. There are no face mask requirements at this time. Vanuatu nationals and residents are not allowed to exit the country for non-essential travel. Domestic flight services and public transportation services have resumed across the country. Entertainment venues remain closed while public gatherings are limited to up to five people. All non-essential businesses and public transport services have been ordered to halt operations by 19:30 and 21:00 local time respectively. All areas remain designated as Level 0 (Low Risk). Authorities plan to make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for workers of government or private companies: a Public Health Emergency Declaration is in effect until 31 July. Entry for all inbound international travellers must be approved by authorities: all travellers must complete all requirements of the Ministry of Health including pre-travel testing full vaccination and health clearance to obtain the final approval via the Vanuatu Electronic Traveller System within 24-72 hours prior to departure. All ports of entry are closed to arrivals except for Bauerfield International Airport (VLI/NVVV).