Aus Travel Requirements Set

Air Niugini has announced that from 1st November, fully vaccinated passengers can fly into Sydney and travel to NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory without any requirement for quarantine.

From 15th December, this will also apply for those travelling to Tasmania from 15th December.  In a statement, the airline said travel would initially be limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and special visa holders.

“We do expect this to extend to business travellers and tourists soon after. Parents, or parents-in-law of Australian citizens and permanent residents, who are fully vaccinated are eligible to apply for approval to travel to Australia on the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website,” said the statement

The requirements for vaccination certificates valid for travel to Australia require that;

a) The certificate is in English;

b) The certificate shows the traveller’s name as it appears in the passport

c) The certificate shows either traveller’s date of birth or passport number

d) The certificate shows the vaccine brand name, and either the date of each dose or the date on which the traveller completed a full course of immunisation.

 

Certificates valid for travel includes (among others) the PNG International Certificate of COVID Vaccination (ICCV), the WHO yellow card, or the Australian COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Certificate.

Air Niugini said the Green Card PNG Vaccination Certificate is not valid for either international travel, as it does not include the persons Date of Birth or their Passport Number.

“However, the PNG Department of Health has been good enough to provide the capability for the ICCV to be issued at the airport prior to the departure of PX001 on Monday 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd October.”

“For passengers travelling to Sydney with only the Green Card PNG Vaccination Certificate they can have the ICCV issued in the international terminal after completing their PCR test but prior to check-in.  Passengers without any  valid certificate of vaccination valid for travel cannot be checked in.”

According to the airline, PNG International Certificate of COVID Vaccination is also available from NDoH at email: martzpogo@gmail.com or nonwovienna@gmail.com with a lead-time for this document at three to four weeks.     

At present, vaccines deemed acceptable for travel into Australia are;

  1. Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd (Comirnaty)
  2. AstraZeneca Pty Ltd (Vaxzevria)
  3. Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd (COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen) (also called Johnson & Johnson)
  4. Moderna Australia Pty Ltd.(Spikevax)
  5. Coronavac (Sinovac)
  6. Covishield (AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India)

 

“Travellers need to have completed two doses (one dose for Johnson & Johnson), plus an additional seven days prior to departure.”

Air Niugini also advised that passengers are required to complete a new “document”, being the Australian Travel Declaration/ATD, including as part of this, an attestation (confirmation) that the passenger is fully vaccinated and the certificate is valid.

“The ATD is a mobile phone App and available for download at the Apple iPhone Store for iPhone, and Google Store for Android phones.  Initial one off entry of set-up information takes about 15 minutes, so it is recommended this is downloaded and updated prior to coming to the airport. Manual paper forms will be available at check-in if required.”

Children under 12 years are exempted from the vaccination requirements, but children 12-18 who are not fully vaccinated must enter 14 days hotel quarantine (with a parent/ guardian).” 

“All passengers departing internationally will still need to complete a negative PCR test at Port Moresby airport, at time of check-in.  Wearing of face masks in the terminals and on board the aircraft is mandatory, hand sanitisers are provided for your protection and social distancing is followed wherever practical in order to ensure your international travel remains as safe as possible.”

Author: 
Press Release