Highlights
- Australia removes India from list of high-risk countries
- Citizens, permanent residents seeking travel to India now subject to same exemption criteria as other countries
- Temporary visa holders stuck in India get more grounds for inward travel exemption
On 10 August, the Australian government removed India from the list of ‘high risk’ countries and withdrew additional restrictions imposed on outbound and inbound travel from the country.
This means that while travel restrictions remain, the Australian Border Force’s (ABF) exemption criteria for travel to and from India has now returned to global settings, equivalent to travel norms set for the rest of the world.
Cases acquired from India well below threshold: Department of Health
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, a federal Department of Health spokesperson said in a statement to SBS Punjabi that the chief medical officer undertakes an assessment that considers the proportion of cases among international arrivals by jurisdiction and the identification of potential acquisition from countries of concern.
The outcomes then inform future action, with any decisions needing collective agreement by all states and territories.
“Since the recommencement of government facilitated repatriation flights from India on 15 May 2021, the number of overseas acquired cases with a country of acquisition of India have remained well below thresholds of concern,” the statement read.
A snapshot of update on restrictions for travel from India to Australia. Source: Department of Home Affairs
The spokesperson added that a pause in flights from India and enhanced pre-departure arrangements allowed the number of cases from there to reduce to a manageable level.
Impact on temporary visa holders stuck in India
Snapshot of update on travel to India. Source: Department of Home Affairs
Until 9 August, individuals seeking an exemption for travel to or from India could only be approved in limited circumstances due to the unprecedented spread of the infection that had challenged the nation in April, and had also posed a risk to countries like Australia, which were faring better than most countries.
But as the new number of cases decline in India, the Morrison government has expanded the exemption criteria to include more grounds for travel to and from the country.
This has brought much-needed respite to Australian citizens and permanent residents seeking outward travel exemptions, and temporary visa holders stuck in India, desperate to return to their lives Down Under.
Welcoming the news, Rohit Goyal, a temporary graduate visa holder stuck in India since March 2020, says the decision has reignited his hope of returning to Australia.
Rohit Goyal believes India's low-risk status will benefit stranded temporary visa holders. Source: Supplied by Rohit Goyal
“I hope this development works in favour of temporary visa holders stranded in India and improves their chances at getting inward travel exemptions, so they can continue the lives that they had painstakingly built in Australia.
“It brings a ray of hope, particularly for families who have been separated from their loved ones,” he says.
But not everyone is hopeful.
Kriti Gupta with her husband Naman Vatsa. Source: Supplied by Kriti Gupta
Kriti Gupta, a young architect who had returned to India to tie the knot with her now-husband, Naman Vatsa, in February 2020, believes the government’s decision to remove India’s high-risk status would not have any bearing on the ABF’s assessment criteria for inward travel exemptions.
“At a time when Australian citizens and permanent residents are struggling to return home, we, as temporary migrants, do not even stand a chance.
“And given that inward exemptions are so hard to come by even for migrants from other countries, I do not have much hope until they completely lift the border ban,” the 27-year-old says.
Many Indian-Australians felt betrayed when the federal government put a temporary ban on travel to and from India at the time of its deadly second coronavirus wave in April.
The ban carried the threat of criminal action for anyone trying to enter Australia from India, including five years of imprisonment and fines of up to $66,000 for individuals defying these restrictions.
Defending the decision at the time, the government had said that the measures are based on medical advice to protect the Australian community.
Has situation in India stabilised?
People line up to register themselves to get a dose of Covishield, Serum Institute of India's version of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Source: AP
While low coronavirus positivity holds out hope for the people of India, a high reproduction value (R-value) in some states, including Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, is emerging as a cause for concern.
The R-value is a measure of how many people are being infected by one infected person. An 'R' of 1 means one person, on average, will infect another.
During a media briefing on 10 August, India’s health ministry said there are significant reasons to enforce COVID restrictions as the country is not completely out of the woods yet.
According to government data, the national R value has crossed over 1.0, and the last time it was over this mark, was in March, when it stood at 1.32, just before the deadly second wave struck the country.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at
