Border Restrictions Update

Published on 07 August 2020

The NSW Government has made important changes to border permits.

The information below gives a general summary of what has changed and what remains the same. Importantly, if an individual is eligible for a border zone resident permit, no other permit is required.

 For more detailed information please go to these pages on nsw.gov.au:

• NSW-Victoria border restrictions
• Your guide to border restrictions

Contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 if you require further information.

These permits have not changed

• Critical services permits where the holder of the permit lives within a “border region”
• Critical service permits for the commercial movement of freight or persons
• Member of Parliament or staff member
• Consular official
• Border zone resident
• Child access and care
• Victorians entering for medical or hospital care
• NSW resident returning from medical or hospital care
• Compassionate (but please see further information below)
• Attending to legal obligations (for persons attending Court or entering NSW for legal obligations imposed by a Court and legislation eg parole or bail)

The exemption for Remote Communities continues in effect.

These permits were cancelled at midnight when the person is not in NSW

• All returning NSW residents
• All transit permits
• All Critical Services permits where the holder of the permit does not live within a border region and it is not for the commercial movement of freight or people
• Relevant education visitors for Victorian residents attending a boarding school or university in NSW (this permit will become “Victorian education visitors” permit)

New permits and changes to permits

• Specialist school permit
• NSW resident who attends boarding school outside of NSW
• Critical services permits:

Outside the border region, the Critical Services permit is reduced to three.  They are:

• Relevant education visitors will become Victorian education visitors
• Victorian education visitors (Victorians attending boarding school and university, as students or staff, in NSW and parents/guardians of students under 18)
• Transiting through NSW by air to leave NSW to another State or overseas

The definition of ‘critical services’ for border communities has not changed from the current list.

More information

CRITICAL SERVICES NOT AVAILABLE IN NSW PERMIT

The services provided by these Victorian people must:

They must enter NSW by air landing at Sydney airport.

They must self-isolate except when providing the critical service.

Reminder: this permit is for people who live and work OUTSIDE the border region

PERSON ENTERING FOR COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS PERMIT

Eligibility criteria for this permit has been restricted.  People will only be accepted on the grounds of seeing someone at end of life or for a funeral.

DAY SCHOOL VISITOR PERMITS/SPECIALIST SCHOOL VISITOR PERMITS

Any person who already has a valid day school visitor permit will continue to be able to use this permit for 14 days (to midnight on Friday 21 August) and then this permit will expire. It will be replaced with a special schools permit for children who attend special purpose schools.  Any child or staff member in the Border Zone will be able to continue crossing the border to attend school or work as long as they stay in the Border Zone.  They will be able to apply for a Border Zone Resident Permit for this purpose and must comply with the conditions on the permit.

There will be process for consideration for an exemption from the restriction on entry to NSW for children currently completing Stage 6 or their Year 12 equivalent along with staff who deliver Year 12 equivalent education, if these children and staff are not eligible for a Border Zone Permit. This exemption process is in development. In the interim, holders of a current day school visitor permit can continue to use this permit until midnight on Friday 21 August.

NSW RESIDENTS WHO ATTEND BOARDING SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF NSW

NSW residents who are students at boarding school outside of NSW will need a permit to re-enter NSW and will need to enter NSW through Sydney airport.

Such students will be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine however they will be required to complete a 14 day self-isolation period in their usual residence in NSW.

Returning boarding school students may be collected by their parents/guardians at Sydney Airport and travel to their usual residence in NSW, where they will be required to complete the 14 day self-isolation period.

Victorian education visitors

Victorians who attend boarding school and university, as students or staff, in NSW and parents/guardians of students under 18 will need a permit to enter NSW. They will need to enter NSW via Sydney airport and go into hotel quarantine.

Unaccompanied minors may be subject to an exemption which permits them to self-isolate at home.  

WHAT IS THE BORDER ZONE?

Go to: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/border-zone-address-check

WHAT IS THE BORDER REGION?

Anything with these postcodes

• NSW postcodes: 2550,  2551,  2625,  2627,  2628,  2632,  2633,  2640,  2641,  2642,  2643,  2644,  2646,  2647,  2648,  2653,  2659,  2710,  2711,  2712,  2713,  2714,  2715,  2717,  2731,  2732,  2733,  2734,  2735,  2736,  2737,  2738,  2739,  2879.

• Victorian postcodes: 3490, 3494, 3496, 3498, 3500, 3501, 3502, 3505, 3549, 3562, 3564, 3566, 3565, 3567, 3568, 3579, 3580, 3581, 3583, 3584, 3585, 3586, 3588, 3589, 3590, 3591, 3594, 3595, 3596, 3597, 3599, 3621, 3622, 3637, 3638, 3639, 3640, 3641, 3644, 3649, 3682, 3683, 3685, 3687, 3688, 3690, 3691, 3700, 3701, 3704, 3705, 3707, 3708, 3709, 3728, 3730, 3885, 3888, 3889, 3890, 3891, 3892, 3900.