Quarantine
Also known as: Mandatory isolation, Health quarantine, Entry quarantine, Self-isolation
Quarantine is a mandatory period of isolation imposed to prevent the spread of infectious disease after exposure or arrival.
Last updated: 2 April 2026
Real-world example
You're relocating to the UK with your dog. Despite having all vaccinations and a pet passport, your dog's rabies titre test was taken 2 days too late under APHA rules. At the border, your dog is placed in an approved quarantine kennel for 4 months at a cost of GBP 2,000+. You visit weekly through a glass partition. The rules were clear; the timing was off by 48 hours.
Why travellers need to know
Quarantine rules apply to people and animals, and both can derail your plans. For travellers, quarantine is most commonly triggered by missing vaccination certificates, arrival from an outbreak zone, or showing symptoms at immigration. For pets, quarantine rules are strict and vary dramatically by country. Post-COVID, many countries retain the legal framework to reimpose human quarantine at short notice. Checking requirements for every country in your itinerary, including transits, is the only prevention.
Country-specific notes
Strict biosecurity; quarantine powers retained post-COVID
Australia maintains some of the world's strictest biosecurity controls. While COVID quarantine has ended, the Biosecurity Act gives authorities power to impose quarantine during future outbreaks. Biosecurity officers at airports actively screen arrivals for symptoms of notifiable diseases.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
How Nomedic helps
Your Nomedic record stores vaccination certificates and health declarations, so you can show compliance at any border without searching through papers.
Your health records, anywhere you go
Your health documents, ready at immigration.
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