Australians who live abroad could be denied permission to leave if they return home to visit loved ones

Australians who live abroad and return home for a visit could be denied permission to leave after restrictions were tightened this week.

Australians who normally live abroad will no longer be given an automatic exemption to leave the country if they return for a holiday or to visit loved ones.

Since March last year, all Australians seeking to leave Australia have had to apply for an exemption to do so. Exemptions can only be granted for employment, medical treatment not available in Australia, compassionate or compelling grounds, unavoidable personal business, or if your travel was in the national interest.

Until now, if an Australian citizen was ordinarily a resident in another country, they were automatically exempt.

But this week Health Minister Greg Hunt quietly expanded the restrictions to include Australian citizens or permanent residents. From August 11, Australians who ordinarily live in another country will also have to apply for an exemption to leave the country.

A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews insisted the government was simply closing a loophole. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

The government did not alert the public to the change.

In an explanatory statement, the Health Department said the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet were all consulted on the amendment. It’s understood to also be supported by health advice from chief medical officer Paul Kelly.

“The exemption was not intended to enable frequent travel between countries,” the statement read.

“The amendment will reduce the pressure on Australia’s quarantine capacity, reduce the risks posed to the Australian population from Covid-19, and assist in returning vulnerable Australians back home.

“A person will no longer be able to rely on an automatic exemption to travel overseas where they ordinarily reside in a country other than Australia.”

A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews told NCA NewsWire the changes would “improve consistency on border measures for all Australians”.

“These restrictions provide a balanced approach between allowing Australians to travel, if essential, while protecting community health,” they said.

“The exemptions regimen is based on health advice and enables people to travel if essential but is ultimately about keeping Australians safe from overseas Covid transmission.”

Since the government closed Australia’s borders under the Biosecurity Act, the number of Australians in the queue to return home has ballooned to more than 35,000.