Hawaii Entry Requirements

The Hawaiian culture is steeped in the values of malama (care) and kuleana (responsibility). As the stunning island destination opens once again to travellers, the people of Hawaii ask that you join their efforts to keep one another safe. Hawaii has reached a vaccination rate similar to Australia and has implemented a number of best-practice COVID-19 control protocols. The State of Hawaii is aligned with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) federal international requirements and welcomes all vaccinated travellers to holiday in Hawaii quarantine-free.

Visa Waiver Program

As a state of America, entry to Hawaii is dependent upon the same entry requirements of mainland USA. Australian travellers with a current Australian passport can travel in Hawaii for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa. This can be done under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Time spent in Canada, Mexico, USA or adjacent islands will also count towards the maximum 90 days.

All Australian travellers who plan to travel to the USA must be approved by internet based ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) in order to gain entry under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The ESTA application must be completed at least 72 hours before your departure date; there is a processing fee and generally a 2 day processing delay for results. If your travel is not approved by ESTA you may be asked to apply for a Visa from the US Embassy to gain entry. For information regarding compulsory pre-registration for their visa waiver program see the US Customs Travel Authorization website.

An Australian passport does not need to be an ePassport for entry under the Visa Waiver Program, but it must be machine-readable. Australian passports that do not have two lines of 44 characters at the bottom of the personal particulars page are not machine-readable. To confirm whether your passport is machine-readable, please contact the Australian Passports Information Service (APIS) on 131 232.

Travellers arriving in Hawaii must be ready to present their passport for inspection upon arrival and must comply with all immigration and customs procedures and directions. Fresh fruit, plants and some seeds including leis are not permitted to enter the country unless they are sealed. Travellers are not permitted to seal and pack these items themselves. For more information on US Customs and Border protection visit the government website.

Vaccinations are not required to enter Hawaii unless you will be arriving from an area known to be suffering from epidemics such as yellow fever or cholera.