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covid19-restriction-checker: COVID-19 Restriction Checker

Travel – New South Wales

Updated on 11 March 2023, at 09:10 AET

International arrivals

You don’t have to test for COVID-19 when you arrive in Australia.

You should monitor closely for symptoms of COVID-19 after you arrive.

If you develop symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19 and stay home or in your accommodation until your symptoms have cleared, even if you receive a negative result.

Travelling to Australia from China

Passengers arriving to Australia from China, including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, don't need to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test.

For more information on entry into Australia, visit the Australian Government’s Home Affairs website. Go to homeaffairs.gov.au. Click on ‘COVID-19 and the border’ and follow the prompts.

Entering NSW from interstate

There are no restrictions on interstate travel to NSW.

You should monitor closely for symptoms of COVID-19.

If you have any symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19 and stay home until your symptoms have cleared, even if you have a negative test result.

If you test positive for COVID-19, NSW Health recommends you:

  • stay at home until your acute symptoms have gone
  • if you must leave your home, wear a mask indoors and on public transport
  • avoid large gatherings and indoor crowded places
  • don't visit people at higher risk of severe illness
  • register your positive rapid antigen test result with Service NSW by visiting nsw.gov.au/covid then selecting ‘Register a positive RAT test

For more information on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19 in NSW, visit nsw.gov.au/covid and click ‘Testing and managing COVID-19’.

Travelling from NSW to other states and territories

People leaving NSW must follow the restrictions of the state or territory they enter. Learn the travel restrictions of Australia’s other state and territories in the Healthdirect Restriction Checker.

It’s recommended that everyone travelling to and from NSW monitor closely for symptoms of COVID-19. If you develop symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19 and stay at home or in your accommodation until your symptoms have cleared, even if you receive a negative result.

For more information, go to nsw.gov.au/covid-19/travel.

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