Experience with Australian border controls leaving the country

[kpc]

Ok, so I applied for exemption to leave the country in May given that I'm a german citizen also,

Do you have an Eu passport? i would have thought you could leave Australia with an Eu passport.

 

[Tusho]

Yes, German passport. Still can’t apparently. I provided the Herman passport as proof.

 

[glasszon]

Oh dear, I am following this with interest, I am supposed to relocate to London in August and if Tusho couldn't get his application approved, I doubt my one would be approved either.....

 

[p--and--t]

Oh dear, I am following this with interest, I am supposed to relocate to London in August and if Tusho couldn't get his application approved, I doubt my one would be approved either.....

Nothing to support it, but I expect restrictions, application processing, and success rates will be a world of difference in July compared to April.

 

[Tusho]

I believe this will work out, just need to be bold enough to follow all steps and then apply last minute. I will keep you all posted. We will cancel our lease shortly and reapply with that attached. Fingers crossed all

 

[Mousey]

I believe this will work out, just need to be bold enough to follow all steps and then apply last minute. I will keep you all posted. We will cancel our lease shortly and reapply with that attached. Fingers crossed all

There is some good first hand info in the comments of this article - the only place I have seen it so far.

Who is exempt from Australia's international coronavirus travel ban?

While Australia is restricting citizens and permanent residents from overseas travel, there are some notable exceptions.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[glasszon]

There is some good first hand info in the comments of this article - the only place I have seen it so far.

Who is exempt from Australia's international coronavirus travel ban?

While Australia is restricting citizens and permanent residents from overseas travel, there are some notable exceptions.

www.executivetraveller.com

From what I can tell the experience is inconsistent, someone managed to get an approval by writing a short email, while others such as Tusho are rejected even after submitting lots of evidence. Guess we just have to apply, cross our fingers and hope.

 

[Tusho]

At least there seems to be no issue with re-applying, so one could try and then try again if rejected.

 

[Toad]

I know not what thread is about. Does anyone know how many people are coming into Australia. There still seems to many flights especially from China and Hong Kong everyday. Or are we led to believe these passenger planes are carrying cargo only and parking at the passenger gates to unload.

 

[dajop]

I know not what thread is about. Does anyone know how many people are coming into Australia. There still seems to many flights especially from China and Hong Kong everyday. Or are we led to believe these passenger planes are carrying cargo only and parking at the passenger gates to unload.

It's hard to tell. SQ 217(SIN-MEL), normally a passenger flight is showing on the MEL website as an arriving flight, with an allocated gate number in the international terminal (T2). It is listed on Expert Flyer as operating, and you can see the flight track on Flightaware. However, two other clues - availability is always zero on ExpertFlyer, and the other giveaway - the Singapore Changi website shows it as a freight departure "operated by Singapore Airlines Cargo". So it might seem like a passenger flight, but in reality its a freight flight. Probably the best clue is on ExpertFlyer - if it is showing availability that means the flight is taking passengers. If no availability, either the flight is not operating or is cargo only.

 

[Toad]

Cheers thanks for the

It's hard to tell. SQ 217(SIN-MEL), normally a passenger flight is showing on the MEL website as an arriving flight, with an allocated gate number in the international terminal (T2). It is listed on Expert Flyer as operating, and you can see the flight track on Flightaware. However, two other clues - availability is always zero on ExpertFlyer, and the other giveaway - the Singapore Changi website shows it as a freight departure "operated by Singapore Airlines Cargo". So it might seem like a passenger flight, but in reality its a freight flight. Probably the best clue is on ExpertFlyer - if it is showing availability that means the flight is taking passengers. If no availability, either the flight is not operating or is cargo only

Cheers thanks for the info

 

[davidj]

Any experiences as an Aussie leaving Australia based on having a usual place of residence overseas? Based on Home Affairs website one doesn't need to apply for permission, however how does one provide evidence or approval at the airport?

Department of Home Affairs Website

Home Affairs brings together Australia's federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs, settlement services and immigration and border-related functions, working together to keep Australia safe.

covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au

You should apply for an exemption as early as possible —at least 48 hours before your intended departure time. If granted an exemption, you must take evidence of that exemption to the airport.

You will not need to apply for an exemption if you are:
ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia

 

[glasszon]

Any experiences as an Aussie leaving Australia based on having a usual place of residence overseas? Based on Home Affairs website one doesn't need to apply for permission, however how does one provide evidence or approval at the airport?

Department of Home Affairs Website

Home Affairs brings together Australia's federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs, settlement services and immigration and border-related functions, working together to keep Australia safe.

covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au

You should apply for an exemption as early as possible —at least 48 hours before your intended departure time. If granted an exemption, you must take evidence of that exemption to the airport.

You will not need to apply for an exemption if you are:
ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia

From the replies on ausbt, you qualify under this exemption if you spent more time overseas than in Australia within the last 12 months. But yes, it isn't clear from the text above.

 

[dajop]

Any experiences as an Aussie leaving Australia based on having a usual place of residence overseas? Based on Home Affairs website one doesn't need to apply for permission, however how does one provide evidence or approval at the airport?

It may depend on the country, you reside in, but we've got both our national identity card (which shows our address) and a printed copy of our lease for our apartment (which is outside Australia) for good measure. They could also pull up our immigration records which show a series of short visits to Australia over the last umpteen years, none being more than 3 weeks (except for now in current situation) and most less than one week.

 

[CaptJCool]

Even this needed a push from the Federal MP

Australian family granted permission to travel to US for son's funeral

 

[Flashback]

Australia, the nanny state! If they want to ban travel, why not just have an outright ban instead of this rubbish halfway house.

 

[davidj]

Okay thanks. So they should be able to pull my immigration records, but bring evidence just in case.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Yeah, you’d always want to have evidence, as the people at the door will want to know you’re exempt. In the ET article, the comments from smgduncan about the process for getting into the airport are valuable

Prior to getting to the Check In desk, you will be stopped by the Australian Border Force. If you don't have an Exemption Certificate* in hand, they will go make a phone call for you to check the database. The database is simply a list of names, passport numbers, and departure ports for those who are approved to travel. If you are not on it, it is game over

*Not everyone needs an exemption, but clearly you will need evidence you’re entitled to travel. Some observations about the Travel ban Determination, which is their authority - and yours. Note that to an extent I’m speculating on what might evidence your entitlement to travel

• It only applies to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Aliens are not banned. Presumably travelling out on a foreign passport with the appropriate visa (e.g. Tourist) will establish that.
• It only applies to passengers. So flight and cabin crew are not banned. There is a technical exemption for deadheading crew and airline maintenance workers departing.
• these categories are automatically exempt, although in practice you have to prove you are exempt, so it may be trickier than the exemption email:
  • a person ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia - and they are applying the 183 days test for that. A check on the immigration database establishes that, but I’d bring something along to avoid delay.
  • someone ‘engaged in the day-to-day conduct of inbound and outbound freight’; you’d need to bring something along to establish that
  • someone ‘whose travel is associated with essential work at an offshore facility’
  • Australian travelling on official government business (i.e. travelling on an official or diplomatic passport, or ADF personnel)
• To get an exemption, you need to provide “a compelling reason for needing to leave Australian territory”, which establishes exceptional circumstances. The tick-a-box categories in the exemption application form are things that might qualify, and of course in practice you need to show you fit one or more boxes. I could see multiple boxes that might apply to me, so I’d tick the most likely one and mention in the application any others that might also apply.
• There are no verbal exemptions. “An exemption made ... must be in writing”.

Also noteworthy is that the whole ban, at this stage, applies to 18 June. So no point in seeking an exemption now for travel after then as there is nothing to exempt you from. The biosecurity emergency was declared by the GG on 18 March for the maximum period of 3 months. That GG declaration gave the Health Minister the power to do many things, including the determination about restricting travel, which of course he made on 25 March. but this only applies for the period of the declaration; i.e. up to 18 June. Which fits nicely with airlines opening up schedules from 1 July.

The GG declaration can, of course, be extended, and a new and different one could be made, and a same or different Health one could be made as a result. The possibility (likelihood?) of extending the restrictions was flagged when it was first made.

cheers skip

 

[auhk]

It may depend on the country, you reside in, but we've got both our national identity card (which shows our address) and a printed copy of our lease for our apartment (which is outside Australia) for good measure. They could also pull up our immigration records which show a series of short visits to Australia over the last umpteen years, none being more than 3 weeks (except for now in current situation) and most less than one week.

Hi dajop - I am interested in your response to davidj . Are you planning to leave soon (or have flow out already)? We are trying to figure out what to do on our side, as much like you we have ID's and our travel records would show we a pattern of travel to Australia of short trips to visit family.

Oh, for immigration records, does anyone know if they could check that still on my old passport? I recently got a new one, so obviously my previous 9+ travel history is on my old one.

 

[Tusho]

Just a quick update. I have reapplied with Home Affairs after having been rejected. Provided more documents. Whereas the rejection took 24 hours, it has now been 1 week and no response.