Update 31 Dec: Victoria state (Melbourne) has followed suit to match the New South Wales (Sydney) requirement for only an on-arrival self-swab ART test. NSW has reinstated a Day 6 test requirement (ART), which apparently got accidentally deleted in their update yesterday!
Two weeks ago we reported how both New South Wales and Victoria states in Australia had relaxed their 72-hour self-isolation requirement for international arrivals to a new regime allowing travellers freedom after they received the results of a PCR test (typically 24 hours).
The previous improvement to requirements took effect from Tuesday 21st December 2021, but now both states have confirmed that from 31st December 2021 international arrivals, including Singapore citizens travelling “quarantine-free” into Australia will be able to benefit from an even more relaxed testing regime.
Self-swab ART is now accepted
From Friday 31st December 2021, arriving passengers in Sydney and Melbourne will only be required to take a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT, which Singapore calls ART) test as soon as possible within 24 hours after arrival.
Update: New South Wales and Victoria now state a requirement to complete the test within 24 hours of arrival (NSW originally only said “as soon as practicable”, which was a little vague).
“From 12:01am on 31 December, fully vaccinated international passengers arriving in NSW must get a COVID-19 rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arriving in NSW (and can stop self-isolating once they receive a negative result from this test)”
New South Wales Government
They will then be free to exit self-isolation and enjoy their visit once a negative result is received.