Asia-Pacific countries, which have had some of the world’s strictest border controls and quarantine rules during the pandemic, are starting to open selectively to fully vaccinated international travelers as well as their unvaccinated children.
Thailand
Thailand opened to fully vaccinated tourists from more than 60 countries on Nov. 1 after a more limited quarantine-free trial on the island of Phuket.
Under the new national program, visitors must await a negative COVID-19 test on arrival, then can travel freely the following day.
Related: No quarantine for vaccinated travelers to Vietnam from November
Singapore
Singapore in September began the progressive opening of quarantine-free vaccinated travel lanes with nearly a dozen countries, which now include the United States, Britain, Germany, South Korea and Australia.
Arrivals are capped at 4,000 a day from all countries combined.
Australia
Australia on Nov. 1 allowed fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents to exit the country without special permission for the first time since March 2020.
Fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents arriving in the states of New South Wales and Victoria do not need to quarantine, nor do New Zealand citizens. From Nov. 21, Singapore citizens will also be allowed in quarantine-free to those states, including as tourists.
Other Australian states still have quarantine requirements.
Fiji
Fiji on Dec. 1 will open to fully vaccinated tourists from several countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States, who have confirmed three-night bookings at approved resorts.
Arrivals must take a mandatory rapid COVID-19 test at their resort 48 hours after arrival. Before the test, visitors can use the facilities within the resort and book day trips with some operators, according to Reuters.
Vietnam
Fully vaccinated foreign visitors to Vietnam from November will not be placed in COVID-19 quarantine, according to a new rule in the latest draft guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism that has been submitted to the prime minister for approval.
The proposed new rule followed many suggestions that the Ministry of Health’s current seven-day quarantine fiat imposed on fully vaccinated foreign visitors should be removed to facilitate the country’s international tourism recovery after nearly two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.