Experience with Australian border controls leaving the country

[PineappleSkip]

Congratulations @louie-m ! I know what it feels like to get that email that says EXEMPT.

A bit arbitrary how long it takes. First time I put in the application it took 14 hours (overnight) to get a response. Second time it took a nail biting 11 days.

Cheers skip

 

[glasszon]

I left Australia under a valid exemption. The process is fairly smooth, the check-in staff asked me whether I have an exemption and called home affairs to get the code to issue the boarding pass.

I wonder whether there is a signal on the other end of egates when an Australian leaves the country, as I got pulled over after I went through egates (it added a question saying whether I understand the need to quarantine if I return to Australia) and the border officials asked me why I am leaving Australia, how am I going to support myself etc, at the end he let me go so I managed to board my flight.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Which airport was this? Very different process to my departure, now some months ago, where all the questions happened before I even got to checkin. Still the questions at checkin again and the call to Canberra to get a number. IIRC ABF departures was manual processing then; e-gates were switched off.

cheers skip

 

[Flashback]

I left Australia under a valid exemption. The process is fairly smooth, the check-in staff asked me whether I have an exemption and called home affairs to get the code to issue the boarding pass.

I wonder whether there is a signal on the other end of egates when an Australian leaves the country, as I got pulled over after I went through egates (it added a question saying whether I understand the need to quarantine if I return to Australia) and the border officials asked me why I am leaving Australia, how am I going to support myself etc, at the end he let me go so I managed to board my flight.

You seem to be missing some key detail.

Did you apply (and get approved) for an exemption to leave before you arrived at the airport? Was it under the new system etc?

 

[glasszon]

You seem to be missing some key detail.

Did you apply (and get approved) for an exemption to leave before you arrived at the airport? Was it under the new system etc?

Yes, in May I got an exemption to leave the country, and it is under the new three month expiry system.

Which airport was this? Very different process to my departure, now some months ago, where all the questions happened before I even got to checkin. Still the questions at checkin again and the call to Canberra to get a number. IIRC ABF departures was manual processing then; e-gates were switched off.

cheers skip

That was in Melbourne.

 

[PineappleSkip]

So looks like they have changed the process again, if your experience is the standard one.

Cheers skip

 

[keuspastis]

Ok, so after applying again for an exemption, we have finally been granted on to leave the country. I attached:
- Flight tickets
- Rental contract (official naati translation) overseas
- Quote and working order from the movers
- Passports (dual citizens)
- Marriage & Birth certificates

Processing time: 1.5 weeks. Departure date: 21st of May.

My advice if someone needs to plan ahead, book a refundable (or flexible to change dates) ticket that's a few days away. Apply, once granted change the tickets to whenever you want to fly. In that way you will have certainty.

Hi Tusho,

Thanks for updating your status. I am in a similar situation right now and except that my partner and kids only have the Australian passport and citizenship and I am French not married but we are in a de-facto relationship.

So I got a few questions for you if you don't mind since you've been on the phone with Home Affairs:

- Did all your family had dual citizenship ?
- And were you married ?
- Do you know if they'd let us leave the country if I am the only one with EU passport and intend to get my family their citizenship sorted once in France?
- Which option did you choose between:
- Compassionate & compelling ground
- Travelling overseas for a compelling reason for at least three months

Thanks in advance.

 

[mviy]

One of the FaceBook groups would be best for a question like that.

You need to be able to show you all have the citizenship and/or visas to mean you can remain overseas for an extended period.

As you have the right to work overseas if you have a job lined up that could be useful too.

 

[keuspastis]

One of the FaceBook groups would be best for a question like that.

You need to be able to show you all have the citizenship and/or visas to mean you can remain overseas for an extended period.

As you have the right to work overseas if you have a job lined up that could be useful too.

Are you replying to me ?

If so which FB group if you know any ?

Thanks.

 

[PineappleSkip]

This one. Very knowledgeable moderators, lots of support.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

cheers skip

 

[keuspastis]

This one. Very knowledgeable moderators, lots of support.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

cheers skip

Great thanks so much.

 

[Tommsquad]

Thank you to Pushka and to PineappleSkip. I decided to have one go without resorting to FB as I don't do FB generally and I thought it would be too depressing reading about so many people in bad circumstances getting refused! The thinking was I could turn to that if my first application was declined.

No need though - the approval came through just after 24 hours after I submitted it. If all goes to plan (outbound flight has since been cancelled by the airline), we're going back to the UK next month to celebrate both of my parents' 90th birthdays and Christmas. Back in the New Year. Maybe!

Fantastic & well done on your getting your exemption!

I am currently trying to prepare my application for exemption to travel with my husband for compelling reasons for 3 months.

I have exactly the same questions as you had before you applied. Any information and advice you could please provide me on how you structured your application regarding the information you included in your Statutory Declaration and what additional information and supporting documents you provided as attachments would be greatly appreciated!

 

[louie-m]

Fantastic & well done on your getting your exemption!

I am currently trying to prepare my application for exemption to travel with my husband for compelling reasons for 3 months.

I have exactly the same questions as you had before you applied. Any information and advice you could please provide me on how you structured your application regarding the information you included in your Statutory Declaration and what additional information and supporting documents you provided as attachments would be greatly appreciated!

I made one application to cover both my husband and me plus one statutory declaration (by me). At point 2 of the statutory declaration I made a brief statement that the application covered us both, we were leaving for compelling reasons, that we intended to be absent for at least three months and that further information was provided as an addendum to the statutory declaration. The further information was 2 pages describing our circumstances and reasons for needing to travel, travel history (to show we regularly spend lengthy periods in the UK), work and financial situation (retired), family health issues etc, and listing the attachments.

Then I attached copies of our birth certificates, UK and Australian passports, marriage certificate (all to establish family connections), parents' passports (as evidence of age), tickets to and from the UK, several bank statements (to evidence we can support ourselves overseas indefinitely), vaccination proof and a couple of other documents specific to the UK family situation.

Incidentally, it doesn't say that you shouldn't book tickets until you have received your approval until after you submit the application. You just need a proposed itinerary if you haven't got tickets.

Good luck with your application!

 

[Tommsquad]

I made one application to cover both my husband and me plus one statutory declaration (by me). At point 2 of the statutory declaration I made a brief statement that the application covered us both, we were leaving for compelling reasons, that we intended to be absent for at least three months and that further information was provided as an addendum to the statutory declaration. The further information was 2 pages describing our circumstances and reasons for needing to travel, travel history (to show we regularly spend lengthy periods in the UK), work and financial situation (retired), family health issues etc, and listing the attachments.

Then I attached copies of our birth certificates, UK and Australian passports, marriage certificate (all to establish family connections), parents' passports (as evidence of age), tickets to and from the UK, several bank statements (to evidence we can support ourselves overseas indefinitely), vaccination proof and a couple of other documents specific to the UK family situation.

Incidentally, it doesn't say that you shouldn't book tickets until you have received your approval until after you submit the application. You just need a proposed itinerary if you haven't got tickets.

Good luck with your application!

Thank you so much for your response & detailed information!

 

[Ms_KH]

Has anyone been through Melbourne international terminal recently? I'm flying out Wednesday (so excited to be getting on a long haul flight!) and will have around 6 hours - arriving on QANTAS and departing Qatar. I'm assuming all the lounges will be closed, but does anyone know what is open in terms of food court and restaurants? Thanks

 

[Flashback]

Has anyone been through Melbourne international terminal recently? I'm flying out Wednesday (so excited to be getting on a long haul flight!) and will have around 6 hours - arriving on QANTAS and departing Qatar. I'm assuming all the lounges will be closed, but does anyone know what is open in terms of food court and restaurants? Thanks

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at nearly 700 airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Has anyone been through Melbourne international terminal recently? I'm flying out Wednesday (so excited to be getting on a long haul flight!) and will have around 6 hours - arriving on QANTAS and departing Qatar. I'm assuming all the lounges will be closed, but does anyone know what is open in terms of food court and restaurants? Thanks

Hopefully some that left Australia/Melbourne to go Japan recently might be able to illuminate for you.

 

[Flashback]

Then oneworld Lounge finder has been kept pretty much up to date, so based on that as per what I posted if flying QR you could use the Marhaba Lounge if flying in Business / oneworld Sapphire. Otherwise, if you're OWE then you can use the Qantas F lounge.

 

[mviy]

But for the QF F lounge you'd need to be flying when the lounge is open. It's probably only going to be open ahead of QF flights I would have thought of which there would be limited with the AU-NZ travel bubble currently paused.

 

[Ms_KH]

Then oneworld Lounge finder has been kept pretty much up to date, so based on that as per what I posted if flying QR you could use the Marhaba Lounge if flying in Business / oneworld Sapphire. Otherwise, if you're OWE then you can use the Qantas F lounge.

Thanks Flashback. I wasn't sure how up to date that information was. That would be great if Marhaba is open