"Expess Lane" Inwards AUS Immigration

[david870mdg]

50th post

"Express Lane"

Do these still exist??
I'll be arriving in MEL soon, have never actually used it as I have an e-passport and just scan my face.
The pass just says they are on trial for future use.

Thanks

 

[Mal]

Yes, inbound (and outbound) express lanes still operate in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as far as I'm aware.

 

[dajop]

Yes, interesting when my partner came through MEL last time - when asked where to go for the "express lane" for customs, the customs officer indicated that the express passes were only for immigration and NOT for customs Unfortunately, due to #1 rule of international travel (that being never argue with a customs or immigration official) there was no alternative. I passed through there about 10 days ago (which was only 10 days after my partner) and noticed a big e above the express lane - so it is definitely still there - for both customs and immigration, at least in MEL.

 

[chrizzz14]

ive flown both J and F into MEL, almost never use the express passport control lane ( the auto machines are much much faster in any case) as for customs, ive been told numerous times there is no such thing as a customs express lane. On that note - Australia has the have the slowest customs procedure anywhere in the world!

 

[Tooner]

Yes - definitely the smart-gate exists and the express lane is marked. Tried the smart-gate a couple of weeks ago: advice for anyone who wears glasses - take them off if your passport photo is sans-glasses (I realised too late). Even then, a quick trip to the assistance counter and I was on my way to wait for 15 mins for baggage to start

 

[david870mdg]

So YES for immigration, NO for customs? I've just had pot luck as the custom officer either waves me in or out of the cues. If put in a cue, is it possible to "express" through? Cheers.

 

[samh004]

There is an express customs lane in Brisbane. It's to the side, so look to the sides in MEL. Really useful if your bags come out last and by then there's a long snaking queue.

 

[simongr]

When you say customs - do you mean quarantine? Epass used to be given out for quarantine (been a while since my last trip).

 

[dajop]

When you say customs - do you mean quarantine? Epass used to be given out for quarantine (been a while since my last trip).

Yes. Customs/quarantine (as opposed to immigration). At MEL the airport website shows Customs as the last section before the public arrivals hall.

I will double check this at MEL on Friday morning, but I have often used an Epass for both immigration and customs/immigration there (when the queues have been long).

 

[NM]

When I came through MEL international arrivals last week with a Qantas Arrivals Express Card, I still had to line up at the regular customer/quarantine exit (follow the marking on the floor for the exit in the middle of the baggage hall). At that point the officer checking the arrivals declaration cards checked mine, noted nothing to declare and the express card in my hand and directed me straight to the exit. Most people without the express card were being directed to a queue for x-ray.

So my experience at MEL is that there is no special exit, but the express card and nothing to declare does make it more likely you will be directed to a speedy exit.

In Brisbane there is an express exit to the far right of the hall when facing the exits. I think its coloured yellow. You need either the express arrivals card (and nothing to declare) or a stamp on your arrivals declaration card from a customs officer in the baggage collection hall.

 

[serfty]

...

So my experience at MEL is that there is no special exit, but the express card and nothing to declare does make it more likely you will be directed to a speedy exit.

...

+1

Also, it's very similar for SYD, however they do have an e-pass sign with a mini-room. From here you can be directed straight out, to a dedicated x-ray or you still can get directed to through quarantine x-ray.

 

[taswegian77]

On that note - Australia has the have the slowest customs procedure anywhere in the world!

Do you think! Have a go at passing through customs in Bangalore, now that is an experience, unbelievably slow and protracted and we arrived with hardly anyone there, traveled in J so go toff the plane first, AUS is streets ahead of India in terms of clearing customs.

 

[simongr]

Also, it's very similar for SYD, however they do have an e-pass sign and lane but you still can get directed to quarantine x-ray.

Strange - my experience was that there was a dedicated epass lane that had its own xray machine.

 

[taswegian77]

Strange - my experience was that there was a dedicated epass lane that had its own xray machine.

Yes, Serfty MEL has the dedicated machine but in SYD it usually appears you go straight through. Express pass is great in SYD esp. when landing in the morning, it is a rat race there, MEL is so much more sedated.

 

[Optics]

When I came through MEL international arrivals last week with a Qantas Arrivals Express Card, I still had to line up at the regular customer/quarantine exit (follow the marking on the floor for the exit in the middle of the baggage hall). At that point the officer checking the arrivals declaration cards checked mine, noted nothing to declare and the express card in my hand and directed me straight to the exit. Most people without the express card were being directed to a queue for x-ray.

So my experience at MEL is that there is no special exit, but the express card and nothing to declare does make it more likely you will be directed to a speedy exit.

I think your sample of one may be too small to make a valid assumption. I have been through in MEL quite a few times (usually with an express card, but not always) and I don't think the card makes any difference to whether you get to go through x-ray. The choice of who gets to take the slow way out appears to be random, as it should be.

 

[serfty]

Strange - my experience was that there was a dedicated epass lane that had its own xray machine.

Yes, Serfty MEL has the dedicated machine but in SYD it usually appears you go straight through. Express pass is great in SYD esp. when landing in the morning, it is a rat race there, MEL is so much more sedated.

I have clarified:

Also, it's very similar for SYD, however they do have an e-pass sign with a mini-room. From here you can be directed straight out, to a dedicated x-ray or you still can get directed to through quarantine x-ray.

 

[taswegian77]

I think your sample of one may be too small to make a valid assumption. I have been through in MEL quite a few times (usually with an express card, but not always) and I don't think the card makes any difference to whether you get to go through x-ray. The choice of who gets to take the slow way out appears to be random, as it should be.

I also find that if they check your card prior to you hitting the line and then they have stamped it with the green stamp then I have always avoided the x-ray machine. When I have not had the stamp it is a random chance.

 

[dragonman]

On that note - Australia has the have the slowest customs procedure anywhere in the world!

You gotta be kidding. JFK, LAX and worst of all IME Montreal - Sydney is a dream by comparison. And I know it all depends what time of day - but Sydney early a.m. is still nothing compared to LAX when a bunch of planes have arrived.

 

[harvyk]

I've never been "randomly" picked out for X-Ray here in AU (MEL or SYD).
Coming back from the cook islands I declared one of our souvenirs (as it had wood in it) and the AQIS guy asked to take a look at it (took 30 seconds), but that's been about it.

As for the express lane, I was going to use it last time I came into SYD until the guy noticed I had an e-passport so he directed me towards that lane, which turned out to be quicker than the express lane. I also got the feeling that the customs guy was excited that they had the new machines (they had only been rolled out to SYD a couple of weeks before)

The longest wait I've ever had was at MEL arriving on QF26 (when it was still a B747 from AKL to MEL) and there was 7 of us. All but two of us (my wife and my wifes brother) had e-passports. My wife and I where waived through the express lane, but my brother-in-law and his GF had to wait in the que, they finally came out the other side an hour and a half later. (By that stage I had already collected our bags and was sitting there waiting for them)

 

[NM]

You gotta be kidding. JFK, LAX and worst of all IME Montreal - Sydney is a dream by comparison. And I know it all depends what time of day - but Sydney early a.m. is still nothing compared to LAX when a bunch of planes have arrived.

I cannot comment on JFK or Montreal, but I do not understand why you have a problem with LAX Customs. I have never had much of a delay lining up to exit LAX Customs. Hardly ever see anyone actually being inspected. Just have to queue to hand in the white slip as leaving the baggage hall. Compared with Australian customs who need to x-ray most passenger's bags, LAX customs is, well, lax.