Requests for an inbound travel exemption will generally be approved (by a low-level decision maker) in the below circumstances:
• For urgent or critical medical treatment in Australia, including medical evacuations. These requests can include an accompanying family member where:
o the person receiving treatment is a minor
o a medical condition is life threatening; or
o medical advice supports the requirement for the family member to travel
• To attend a funeral of a close family member. A close family member is defined as a parent, sibling, partner, child or grandparent.
• To visit a close family member who is seriously ill where there is little support in Australia.
• The partner of a person who is in Australia and in the final trimester of their pregnancy or otherwise due to give birth. This instruction also applies to temporary visa holders in Australia and their partners.
• The immediate family member of a visa holder with critical skills in Australia, where the family member in Australia holds a temporary or provisional visa.
• Elite sporting teams who are able to demonstrate how their entry and stay is critical to Australia.
• A non-crew member who is considered critical to the operation of a vessel and/or where a State or Territory authority or tourism body provides support.
Requests for inbound travel exemptions will generally not be approved in the below circumstances:
• If there is a threat to the health of the Australian community.
• Non-critical illness of family members where immediate family support is already available in Australia.
• Requests for temporary visa holders’ family members to join them in Australia.
• Requests for multiple travellers seeking to travel on compassionate grounds outside those articulated above.
• Attending significant family events, such as weddings or major birthdays.
• Any request that includes demonstrably false or misleading documentation or other demonstrably false or misleading evidence or statements of claim or history with the ABF or the Department.
• Adverse alerts including PACE (Passenger Analysis Clearing and Evaluation System) alerts.
