Interstate and international arrivals
Only COVID-19 fully vaccinated people, Territory residents and people unable to be vaccinated (such as children under 12 years) are able to enter the Northern Territory.
Only Therapeutic Goods Administration approved COVID-19 vaccines are accepted for the purpose of travel to Australia and the Northern Territory.
Unvaccinated Territory residents travelling from a green zone will still be able to enter the NT but will be required to travel to a suitable place of quarantine, get tested for COVID-19 and remain in quarantine until a negative test is returned.
Those people who arrive in the Northern Territory, who are unvaccinated and are not a returning resident or who have not received ‘Approval to enter the NT’ from the CHO, will be required to leave the Territory.
If you have been in an interstate Public exposure site please follow the CHO directions relating to where you visited.
Fill in the Border Entry Form
Everyone travelling to the NT is required to complete an online Border Entry Form. Complete this online form 7 days or less before entering the NT. Paper copies are not required but your reference number will need to be available and you must have current photo id.
If you have a disability or impairment and require assistance please request support. We are able to help you access, complete and submit the required information on your behalf and arrange assistance on arrival if required.
Home quarantine for interstate and international arrivals
Fully-vaccinated domestic and international arrivals coming to the Northern Territory from a COVID-19 red zone may be permitted to undertake seven days home quarantine. Your completed border entry form will direct you to the application for home-based quarantine if you are eligible. This needs to be completed before you travel to the Northern Territory and you will receive an email advising of the next steps.
There are requirements for unaccompanied children not fully vaccinated returning from a red zone that parents must follow.
International arrivals who arrive on a flight facilitated by the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will still be required to undertake 14 days mandatory supervised quarantine.
Unvaccinated Territory residents and people who have received authority via the ‘approval to enter the NT form’ to enter the Northern Territory, who are coming from a red zone, will be required to undertake 14 days mandatory supervised quarantine.
Fully-vaccinated domestic and international arrivals coming to the NT from a COVID-19 red zone are permitted to undertake seven days home quarantine under the following conditions:
- You must complete an online Border Entry Form before arriving in the NT.
- You must have returned a negative COVID-19 PCR test result 72 hours BEFORE arriving in the NT and must produce proof of it on arrival.
- You must have a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival to the Northern Territory at the airport or the first regional centre or distribution point if travelling by road.
- You must complete home quarantine in an approved home quarantine zone. At this time only Greater Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs are approved home quarantine zones.
- You must undertake quarantine in a house, a room, unit, apartment, or willing commercial visitor accommodation. You must inform the commercial visitor accommodation that you are quarantining and they must agree.
- You will be required to use the G2G Now app and stay in a location that has reliable access to a 4G internet connection.
- No visitors are permitted to attend the quarantine location
- You must have a COVID-19 PCR test on Day 5 during your quarantine and on Day 8 when you exit quarantine. You will need a final test on Day 14 when in the community.
- You must stay within the approved home quarantine zone for an additional 7 days after you exit home quarantine.
- You must not attend any high-risk settings including:
- Aged care facilities
- Health care facilities except when necessary
- Correctional facilities
- Disability residential facility
- Remote communities
- Aboriginal Town Camps
The quarantine period is calculated starting when the person enters the Territory and ending at 12 noon on the 7th day after the last day the person was in a red zone.
- Household members must be fully vaccinated having had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine
- You can continue to live your normal life including going to work or school within the approved home quarantine zone
- You will not be required to be tested for COVID-19
Border restrictions change from 20 December 2021, which means that anyone who is fully vaccinated will be able to enter the Northern Territory without having to quarantine. A testing regime will remain in place.
Application to enter the Northern Territory if you do not meet the above requirements
Some essential person and those seeking entry on compassionate or other grounds will need to apply for entry. You must meet the requirements listed below and complete the Application for approval to enter the NT form which can take up to 72-hours to process.
Do not travel without approval. You will require the approval number to complete the Border Entry Form.
Reasons you can apply for approval to enter the NT
Only the following persons can apply for approval to enter:
- a person who is entering the Territory to begin residence in the Territory;
- a person escaping domestic violence;
- a person with diplomatic or consular duties in the Territory;
- active Australian military personnel required to assist the Territory or required to enter the Territory while performing their official duties;
- a member of the Commonwealth Parliament;
- a health practitioner as defined in section 8(3) of the Act, or other person coming to the Territory to perform functions related to health;
- a specialist coming to the Territory to provide services for the continuity of industry or business and the maintenance of competitive operations if:
- the specialist's skills are difficult to obtain in the Territory; and
- the service must be provided without delay; and
- the specialist must be physically present in the Territory to provide the service;
- a person coming to the Territory for necessary maintenance or repair of power, water, communications or other infrastructure critical to the Territory;
- a law enforcement officer or emergency service worker coming to the Territory to perform official duties;
- a person coming to the Territory for the administration of justice in the Territory;
- an agricultural industry worker, other than an abattoir or meat packing worker, coming to the Territory to provide urgent services that are critical to ensure continuity of the agricultural industry;
- a paramedic, an officer of St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Inc. or a member of the crew of Careflight, the Royal Flying Doctor Service or other medical retrieval service who is providing medical transport to a person or returning to the Territory as soon as was practicable after providing medical transport to a person;
- the Secretary (or equivalent) of a Department or Agency of the Commonwealth;
- a person who needs to enter the Territory for a compassionate purpose.
Approval to enter the NT is not an exemption from quarantine.
How you will be notified
You will receive an email from the Chief Health Officer or authorised delegate advising you of the outcome of your application to enter the NT.
If approved, you must undertake 14-days of mandatory supervised quarantine at your own expense or meet the required CHO direction.