smart travel australia

Your guide to the structures , organisations and key people in the Australian Government

• Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Key Contacts

Travel Advice - Smart Traveller

• Travel advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade we deliver a range of consular services for Australians travelling or living overseas. We deliver our services through Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates overseas. ___________________________________________________________________________ • Smartraveller provides official overseas travel advice. Our travel advice aims to inform you of the risks and how to avoid or handle difficulties overseas. Ultimately, though, it’s advice only and the decision to travel is yours. It’s also your responsibility to take care of your safety and wellbeing. ___________________________________________________________________________ • If you, or someone you know, needs urgent help or you have significant welfare concerns, emergency consular assistance is available 24 hours a day by calling the Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) in Canberra on: 1300 555 135 (within Australia) +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas) ___________________________________________________________________________ • For non-urgent general enquiries, email [email protected]. 1300 555 135 http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ Emergency consular assistance is available 24 hours Last updated: 19 November 2021

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Travel advice and subscribing for updates

The Australian Government’s  Smartraveller  website provides a range of information and advice to help you make well-informed travel decisions and stay safe while you’re overseas. 

This includes  travel advice for the United States , and advisories for more than 170 other  destinations  worldwide. 

Smartraveller offers a free service that allows you to  sign up to receive travel advice updates and news via email .

Following Smartraveller on  Twitter ,  Facebook  and Instagram is another easy way to stay up to date while travelling.

• Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Hon Tim Watts MP

• Media Releases
• Transcripts

Make Smartraveller your first destination

• Media Release

Today the Australian Government is launching its new Smartraveller campaign, encouraging Australian travellers to make Smartraveller their first destination.

Each month, there are more than 1 million departures from Australia and, at any point in time, there are around 1,250 cases of Australians needing help overseas.

The best way to stay safe is to be prepared.

Whether you're a first-time or regular traveller, going on holiday, to visit family, or travelling for business, it's important that you are fully prepared.  

Smartraveller has travel and cultural advice for over 175 destinations. You can subscribe to get the latest advice and alerts for your destinations.

Before planning your trip, check whether you have a valid passport, look into visa requirements, get the right travel insurance and, most importantly, read and subscribe to Smartraveller.

Many Australians are excited at the prospect of travelling again. So don't trip up on your next trip. Make Smartraveller your first destination.

For more information visit Smartraveller.gov.au

Media enquiries

• DFAT Media Liaison: (02) 6261 1555

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Smartraveller

Visit the Smartraveller website regularly to check for international developments and subscribe to updates.

• Immunisation
• Travel health

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If you would like a response please use the enquiries form instead.

Smart Travel: Australia

• Travel , Uncategorized

Ready for some fresh air?

It’s official: Australia is opening up. From late Feb, a national re-opening plan sees it opening its borders once more to international travelers on tourist visas. And we think now is the perfect time to go, with the choice of accommodation and activities, and locals that will surely welcome you with open arms.

An Ancient Land

Australia is a place like no other, as vast as a continent, and an immense melting pot of stunning natural beauty, modern and exciting cities, and a fascinating indigenous cultural backdrop. The re-emergence of native ingredients to Australian cuisine has brought it on the radar of some of the world’s best chefs, and Indigenous Fashion is on the up-and-coming. Visit Uluru with local naturalist guides and stay at Australia’s most celebrated luxury camp, while discovering the area’s indigenous culture, art and traditions.

Exciting Cities

There’s plenty to enjoy in Australia’s largest cities: gourmet food, beautiful art, nightlife and culture. Explore Melbourne’s fashion district or Sydney’s bustling neighbourhoods, while staying two of the best hotels in the country: the award-winning Park Hyatt Sydney and the Park Hayatt Melbourne.

Beautiful Beaches

Australia is a true surfers paradise, with miles of stunning coastline for all tastes, ranging from large empty stretches of sand to the bustling Surfer’s Paradise or the spiritual Byron Bay. The Great Barrier Reef offers a once-in-a-lifetime trip for divers of all levels, and is easily accessible. Stay at the Lizard Island Resort, a breathtaking boutique hotel right on the reef with seclusion and natural privacy like no other.

Gorgeous Nature

Vast plains, ancient gorges, tranquil bushland and endless rainforests: Australia is a marvel and a true feast for the senses. Take it all in at the Spicers Tamarind Retreat, for a family-friendly wildlife adventure with spa and golf for the parents too. Or hop to Tasmania for breathtaking nature, fresh air and fresh oysters, and stay at the award-winning Saffire Freycinet, a boutique hotel set in an area of natural beauty with stunning views over Great Oyster Bay.

Inspired? Book a Travel consultation today.

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Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents, before you go.

Learn About Your Destination

While Abroad

Emergencies

Share this page:

Crisis and Disaster Abroad: Be Ready

What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis

Information for U.S. Citizens about a U.S. Government-Assisted Evacuation

Traveler's Checklist

Safety and Security Messaging

Best Practices for Traveler Safety

Staying Connected

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Traveler Information

LGBTQI+ Travelers

Adventure Travel

High-Risk Area Travelers

Travelers with Dual Nationality

Journalist Travelers

Faith-Based Travelers

Pilgrimage Travelers (Hajj and Umrah)

U.S. Students Abroad

Cruise Ship Passengers

Women Travelers

Travelers with Disabilities

Older Travelers

U.S. Volunteers Abroad

Travelers with Pets

Travelers With Firearms

Travel Agents

Travel Safety - Race and Ethnicity

U.S. Travelers in Europe's Schengen Area

Your Health Abroad

Insurance Coverage Overseas

Driving and Road Safety Abroad

Customs and Import Restrictions

Information for U.S. Citizens in Russia – Travel Options Out of Russia

Lodging Safety

Are you traveling or living outside the U.S.? STEP is a free service that sends you emails with updates from the local U.S. embassy or consulate. If there’s an emergency where you are, it helps us contact you with instructions on what to do.

Why join STEP?

• Get real time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country.
• Plan ahead using information from the local U.S. embassy.
• Help the embassy or consulate contact you if there’s an emergency like a natural disaster, civil unrest, or a family emergency.

What kind of messages does STEP send? Currently, STEP sends emails only. STEP can send you several types of information:

• Routine Messages : News and updates about the country you picked.
• Alerts : Messages about short-term security, terrorism, health, weather, or disaster situations that could impact your travels.
• Travel Advisories : We re-evaluate the situation in each country every 6-12 months. Advisories include a simple 1-4 rating system, details about specific risks in the country, and clear steps U.S. citizens should take to stay safe.

Join the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

After you set up your account, you can pick what types of messages you want to get.

Stay in touch during an emergency.  Signing up for STEP helps the U.S. embassy get in touch with you if there’s an emergency. And, if your family or friends in the U.S. can’t reach you with urgent news while you’re traveling, we can use the information in STEP to try and contact you.

Become a Smart Traveler Now!   STEP is an easy first step to being a smart traveler. You should also always research your destination , and consider additional ways to get safety and security information from the U.S. Department of State, like on social media.

Enroll in STEP

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

Learn about your destination

Make two copies of all of your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative.

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

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Search Smartraveller

You no longer need to register.

We no longer ask you to register your trip with us, instead you can subscribe to receive updates on the destinations you are travelling to and through.

Why the change?

Pre-trip registration with Smartraveller ended in 2019.

We decided to end pre-trip registration because we found many people were not providing accurate itineraries, updating their itineraries when plans changed or advising if they left a destination they had been staying in for a while. Inaccurate information would make it difficult for us to reach people who really needed help during a crisis.

We found that the system was not providing the service intended and that a subscription system would be better to deliver updated advice or alerts to travellers. It also allows you to manage the information you receive and stop alerts when they are no longer needed.

What happens in a crisis?

Where a crisis occurs, DFAT can set up a crisis registration portal. If we open crisis registrations, we’ll publish the link on our website and share it on social media. This allows you or your loved ones to register your location and contact details with us so we can get in contact and provide advice.

Our most recent registration portal was set up in the lead up to the war in the Ukraine and we were able to quickly gather information on the number of Australian citizens and permanent residents who were in the Ukraine and nearby areas, provide them advice on what to do and check whether they were in danger.

• Make sure you are prepared to travel to all your destination/s, including those you are transiting through. Read what to do before you go .
• Learn about what to do in a crisis .
• Learn more about the Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) and crisis response .
• Know how and when we can help. Read the Consular Services Charter .

Countries, economies and regions

Select a country, economy or region to find embassies, country briefs, economic fact sheets, trade agreements, aid programs, information on sanctions and more.

International relations

Global security.

• Australia and sanctions
• Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office (ASNO)
• Counter-terrorism
• Non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control
• Peacekeeping and peacebuilding

Regional architecture

• Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• East Asia Summit (EAS)
• Australia and the Indian Ocean region
• Pacific Islands regional organisations

Global themes

• Child protection
• Climate change
• Cyber affairs and critical technology
• Disability Equity and Rights
• Gender equality
• Human rights
• Indigenous peoples
• People Smuggling, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery
• Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment
• Australia’s treaty-making process

International organisations

• The Commonwealth of Nations
• United Nations (UN)
• World Trade Organization

Foreign Arrangements Scheme  

Trade and investment, about free trade agreements (ftas).

• The benefits of FTAs
• How to get free trade agreement tariff cuts
• Look up FTA tariffs and services market access - DFAT FTA Portal
• Discussion paper on potential modernisation – DFAT FTA Portal

About foreign investment

• The benefits of foreign investment
• Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)
• Australia's bilateral investment treaties
• Australia's foreign investment policy

For Australian business

• Addressing non-tariff trade barriers

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

Stakeholder engagement.

• Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment
• Trade 2040 Taskforce
• First Nations trade

Australia's free trade agreements (FTAs)

• ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand (AANZFTA)
• Chile (ACLFTA)
• China (ChAFTA)
• Hong Kong ( A-HKFTA & IA)
• India (AI-ECTA)
• Indonesia (IA-CEPA)
• Japan (JAEPA)
• Korea (KAFTA)
• Malaysia (MAFTA)
• New Zealand (ANZCERTA)
• Peru (PAFTA)
• Singapore (SAFTA)
• Thailand (TAFTA)
• United Kingdom (A-UKFTA)
• USA (AUSFTA)
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
• European Union (A-EUFTA)
• India (AI-CECA)
• Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
• Australia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Trade and investment data, information and publications

• Fact sheets for countries and regions
• Australia's trade balance
• Trade statistics
• Foreign investment statistics
• Trade and investment publications
• Australia's Trade through Time

WTO, G20, OECD, APEC and IPEF and ITAG

Services and digital trade.

• Service trade policy
• Australia-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement
• Digital trade & the digital economy

Development

Australia’s development program, performance assessment.

• Development evaluation
• Budget and statistical information

Who we work with

• Multilateral organisations
• Non-government organisations (NGOs)
• List of Australian accredited non-government organisations (NGOs)

Development topics

• Development issues
• Development sectors

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

• Sustainable Development Goals

Where we deliver our Development Program

Humanitarian action.

Where and how Australia provides emergency assistance.

People-to-people

Australia awards.

• Australia Awards Scholarships
• Australia Awards Fellowships

New Colombo Plan

• Scholarship program
• Mobility program

Public diplomacy

• Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program
• Australia now
• UK/Australia Season 2021-22

Foundations, councils and institutes

• Australia-ASEAN Council
• Australia-India Council
• Australia-Indonesia Institute
• Australia-Japan Foundation
• Australia-Korea Foundation
• Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR)
• Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR)

International Labour Mobility

• Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme
• Agriculture Visa

Australian Volunteers Program

Supporting organisations in developing countries by matching them with skilled Australians. 

Sports diplomacy

Australia is a successful global leader and innovator in sport.

A global platform for achievement, innovation, collaboration, and cooperation

• About Australia

Australia is a stable, democratic and culturally diverse nation with a highly skilled workforce and one of the strongest performing economies in the world.

Australia in Brief publication

This is the 52nd edition of Australia in Brief, revised and updated in February 2021

Travel advice

To help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, we maintain travel advisories for more than 170 destinations.

• Smartraveller – travel advice

International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate

Prove your COVID-19 vaccinations when you travel overseas.

• Services Australia

The Australian Passport Office and its agents are committed to providing a secure, efficient and responsive passport service for Australia.

• Australian Passport Office

24-hour consular emergency helpline

• Within Australia: 1300 555 135
• Outside Australia: +61 2 6261 3305
• Getting help overseas
• Visas for Australians travelling overseas

Visas to visit Australia

Whether you are visiting Australia for less than 72 hours or planning on a stay of several years you must have a valid Australian visa.

A visa is a form of permission for a non-citizen to enter, transit or remain in a particular country.

Information on visas to Australia can be found at the Department of Home Affairs .

Related links

• Visiting Australia
• Australia.com - official Australian tourism website