How to Get Help Paying for Hotel Quarantine Fees in Australia
Australia is one of the few countries around the world that has mandatory hotel quarantine laws in place for overseas travellers. At a cost of $2,500-$3,000 per adult, and up to $5,000 for a family, many Australians need help paying for hotel quarantine fees. The compulsory hotel isolation period is two weeks, after which the traveller will be tested for COVID-19 to ensure that symptoms have not developed whilst in quarantine.
At the time of writing, some Australians may also be required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine when crossing state borders. For example, any visitors from Victoria crossing the border into NSW must quarantine in a hotel for two weeks.
Though state border rules are changing more rapidly than the international border laws, the issue remains the same that some Australians, whether hopping between state or international borders, simply can’t afford the quarantine cost and need help with hotel quarantine fees.
Hotel quarantine fees in Australia
The cost charged by the Australian Federal Government for one person staying in mandatory hotel quarantine is currently between $2,500-$3,000 per adult. Currently, all Australians must quarantine in the city they arrive in, regardless of whether they plan to travel elsewhere afterward.
How to pay for hotel quarantine fees
Not everyone has a spare $2,500+ saved up and on top of other costs associated with returning from overseas, including increased flight costs due to limited daily flight schedules, the hotel quarantine fee can seem out of the limits. But there are options for those who want to travel nationally or internationally.
1. Online fundraising for quarantine fees
Over 130 Australians launched GoFundMe fundraisers between March and September 2020 to help with the costs associated with hotel quarantine on their return to Australia.
Your friends and family may want to support your return efforts to help you get home. Launching an online fundraiser can help you share your story and circumstances. You can then gather donations in one place until you’re ready to travel.
You’re not alone. Here are the stories of several Australians who have successfully used online fundraising to help them get home, fund flights, and support paying for a hotel quarantine.
-
- Natalie from Brisbane was trapped in the Philippines in March with only a few days of her diabetes medication supply left, she was able to quickly return thanks to generous donors.
- Meet the Wooleys, a young Sydney family, who were stranded in Guatemala and were able to return home after the Australian borders closed on crowdfunded tickets.
- Stacey, a young woman from Newcastle, had to travel to South Korea to undertake specialist medical treatment and found herself unstuck with the border closures. Over $16k raised to get her home and cover her remaining medical expenses.
2. COVID-19 overseas financial assistance
The Australian government is working to get a system in place to help Australians still stuck overseas to return home. If you are unable to return to Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions and are worried about your financial situation, you can explore an interest-free loan option offered by the government to help those in financial difficulty cover living costs while waiting for a return flight. In addition, the funds may be spent on the return flight cost.
3. Apply for a hotel quarantine exemption
In exceptional circumstances, you may be honored a mandatory hotel quarantine exemption. Should you be granted an exemption, it is likely that you will still have to self-quarantine at home or in other accommodation of your choice. Find out if you are eligible and apply for a hotel quarantine exemption here.
Related reading: Do You Need To Raise Money Quickly? Try These Fast Fundraising Ideas
Get help paying for hotel quarantine fees
If you need help paying for hotel quarantine fees, there are options available to you—be sure to explore all options. Whether asking those close to you for donations to a crowdfunding page or applying for overseas financial assistance, be sure to take the necessary steps for a safe, stress-free journey.