Explainer | As Novak Djokovic found, Australia’s Covid-19 entry rules are not straightforward: here’s all you need to know about travel and quarantine there

As Novak Djokovic’s case shows, Australia has complicated rules to negotiate for travel to the country and moving within it from state to state

These include the use of individual exemptions, differing quarantine rules for each state and the varying entry requirements for each

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World number one men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic had his visa to enter Australia dramatically revoked on his arrival in Melbourne, but a court overturned the decision. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 12:38pm, 11 Jan 2022Updated: 12:38pm, 11 Jan 2022

As Novak Djokovic departed Serbia for Melbourne, Australia, the tennis star casually tweeted that he had an exemption to play in the Australian Open. By the time he landed, on January 5, he’d unleashed the fury of the Australian public and was unceremoniously detained.

After four days in an immigration detention hotel – complete with bugs, filth and terrible food, according to his mother – Djokovic won a court case and is free to play in the tournament, which commences on January 17, unless the immigration minister finds new grounds to expel him.

Should he win, he’ll make history as the man with the most grand slam victories.

But how did Djokovic find himself in detention? Australia has strict rules on international travel, and requires visitors to be either fully vaccinated or to have an exemption from vaccination on medical grounds.

Djokovic did have an exemption of sorts, granted by Tennis Australia and the state of Victoria. But on arrival, Australia’s Border Force cancelled his visa. The Australian government argued that Djokovic’s exemption entitled him only to play in the tournament, not to actually enter the country.

His exemption was reportedly based on his recent Covid-positive status, and Border Force does not consider this a medical exemption from being vaccinated.

Explainer | As Novak Djokovic found, Australia’s Covid-19 entry rules are not straightforward: here’s all you need to know about travel and quarantine there

As Novak Djokovic’s case shows, Australia has complicated rules to negotiate for travel to the country and moving within it from state to state These include the use of individual exemptions, differing quarantine rules for each state and the varying entry requirements for each

As Novak Djokovic’s case shows, Australia has complicated rules to negotiate for travel to the country and moving within it from state to state

These include the use of individual exemptions, differing quarantine rules for each state and the varying entry requirements for each