Bannign an Applicant From Applying Again
The ongoing closure of Australia'south borders means that most Australian residents require government permission to travel overseas – and for many applicants, getting that authorisation hasn't proven an like shooting fish in a barrel task.
While some requests have been candy promptly, other applicants say they've received no response at all from the Department of Abode Affairs and the Australian Edge Force, fifty-fifty after the international flights they'd booked had long departed.
Over i,000 people have shared their 'travel ban' experience with Executive Traveller since the restrictions took effect in March 2020 – a hefty number, given less than 3,000 exemptions had been granted by the regime every bit of mid-May.
Hither are just some of the stories and experiences Executive Traveller readers have shared, including their tips for lodging a successful application.
You may not need an exemption to travel overseas
When applying for permission to depart Australia, the Department of Home Affairs' website outlines that people who "ordinarily reside" in a country outside Australia do non need a pre-approved exemption.
However, the definition of 'ordinary residency' can be open up to interpretation or confusion – peculiarly for those who spend large chunks of fourth dimension in multiple countries.
As Executive Traveller reader Alan Rawlinson shares from his recent travels: "At the drome, an immigration officeholder explained to me that the definition of 'not resident' was anyone who, in the last 12 months prior to departure engagement, had spent more days outside Australia than in."
"So, if you've spent the bulk of that time in Australia, then an exemption is needed."
As an overseas resident, Rawlinson didn't need to apply for an exemption before planning to travel: but when he did venture to the airdrome for an international flying, Border Forcefulness officers verified his 'ordinary residency' by checking Commonwealth of australia's rider movement records.
"An officer spent a long fourth dimension on the phone checking my status… I fabricated it by nine days."
Had Rawlinson attempted to travel just two weeks afterward – significant he'd accept spent more than time in Australia than away – he may have needed an exemption, as Border Force may and then have considered him an 'ordinary resident' of Commonwealth of australia.
But, by travelling when he did, Rawlinson was permitted to depart Commonwealth of australia without a pre-approved exemption.
Need an exemption? It might go far quickly
Of those who've applied for permission to travel overseas, some report very quick turnaround times in having their awarding assessed and their authorization to travel confirmed.
"I was granted approval inside an hour. I take never seen a authorities piece of work this quickly!" shares Kate Dimitrevic, who applied under compassionate grounds as an Australian citizen, but with United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland residency arrangements that may not have automatically qualified for the exemption waiver above.
Mike Jury adds, "I practical for an exemption under personal grounds, and had an email the side by side morning confirming my travel is authorised from Brisbane to the UK, (valid) any time I choose, provided the departure port stays the same."
Jury suspects his asking was processed apace as he "wasn't long-winded… I kept it to the point, succinct, and virtually me."
Executive Traveller is besides enlightened of an exemption asking lodged by a member of the Australian media, who sought to travel overseas to generate timely news coverage relevant to the coronavirus crisis and the closing of international borders.
That asking was submitted on a Friday afternoon, and within 48 hours, Border Strength had contacted the referee listed in the application to confirm its nature, and then gave authorization to travel.
Approving is never guaranteed
Nether the figures near recently released by the government, approximately one quarter of applications for overseas travel are declined – and of the approvals given, less than seven% have been for concern travellers.
That's something Ed Woodley learned the difficult way. As an Australian permanent resident, Woodley'south request for travel to the United kingdom was denied, even though he holds UK citizenship and is non an Australian citizen.
"I'k currently sat in Sydney Drome having missed my flying, waiting to be picked upwardly as my application has been rejected and I'g not allowed to leave Commonwealth of australia," Woodley shared with Executive Traveller.
"I have a business in the UK, and I (commonly) travel back a couple of times a year. The business is in trouble, merely apparently that isn't plenty to let me leave to the land I am a citizen of and pay taxes in. Absolutely ridiculous situation!"
Because Woodley is an Australian permanent resident, the 'travel ban' applies despite his citizenship status – significant an exemption must be granted before he, or those like him, tin can travel overseas.
Seemingly, some applications get no attention past Border Forcefulness
Many Executive Traveller readers report lodging requests to travel well earlier their flight's planned departure date, only to receive 'radio silence' from the Australian Authorities and with no way to follow-upwards on their asking.
"I applied for and exemption to wing the following week, Michael Wieczorek said, "but did not hear back before my intended travel date."
"I have no indication how long I'll have to wait: I might end up waiting a calendar month and getting rejected!"
Derek Li echoes those sentiments: "I have sent seven requests so far and had to keep pushing back my difference date, yet nonetheless no response. They simply don't seem to care!"
Georgina Morey adds, "I received no response nine hours before my flying was due to leave. I immediately put in another class for that same flight with more supporting documents, and still had no response."
To try and get the brawl moving, "I put in a 3rd grade for a travel date 2 weeks away… merely even two days after that planned divergence appointment, I'd still heard nothing."
When a travel exemption request is lodged online, a unique reference number is provided to the applicant – merely those hoping to follow-up on their awarding by phone are routinely advised that this is not possible, and to wait for an email response.
Australian Border Force responds
Executive Traveller contacted the Australian Edge Force to ask why some applications appear to be slipping through the cracks.
An ABF spokesperson advised that while "the Department and the ABF seek to process exemption requests every bit rapidly as possible ... the Section does not comment on private cases."
"Each case is unique and considered individually based on the information and supporting prove provided in the application," the spokesperson added.
"Due to high volumes, travel exemption requests are prioritised based on the intended date of travel and whatever compelling or compassionate circumstances for travel and where all the supporting evidence is provided."
Many Executive Travellerreaders confirm that where an exemption has been granted, they were typically notified shortly earlier departure, often within 72 hours of their flight'south difference time.
Some readers as well confirm that applications without enough supporting evidence are often rejected rapidly – with the ABF advising that more than evidence is required before the request is submitted once again – while those that are on-runway for approval may not receive any response until simply before deviation, as to a higher place.
The Australian Edge Forcefulness declined to provide updated figures on travel exemption approvals and rejections when requested by Executive Traveller.
Tips for lodging a successful application
Although some applicants have constitute success with succinct travel requests, others routinely report being asked for additional documentation to support their situation.
The documents requested vary between applications, depending on the reason given for travel and the nature of the exemption.
Here are a few examples shared past Executive Traveller readers, which may help speed-up the approval procedure for other applicants.
Additional documents for compassionate travel requests
Hoping to travel to the United States to spend time with a fiancée requiring medical care, Ayelet Bren's outset awarding for travel wasn't granted: instead, Bren was asked to supply additional information to support the claim, and to then re-submit the request as a new application.
In this instance, "they were looking for proof of relationship, plus a letter from a medical professional, infirmary records, and evidence that no other family in the country can provide the same level of support."
Bren had originally planned to visit the US in March 2020, but the Australian Government's travel ban saw an exemption become necessary.
Additional documents for workers in critical industries
When Anne Monteau's married man received a job offer in France and the pair planned to travel overseas to begin that journey, an exemption was sought under the 'worker in a critical industry' category, as the job offer related to agriculture and food processing.
"We submitted the following documents: passports, proof of marriage/relationship, an employer letter of the alphabet explaining why my husband was critical, proof of permanent residency, flight tickets, proof of stop of charter hither, and my resignation alphabetic character."
After these documents were assessed, the application to travel was authorised past Border Strength.
Additional documents for others moving overseas
Planning to move to the United States where members of their family unit already resided, Kashish Mahajan's first exemption request was denied, merely after submitting the same request with a broader range of supporting documents, permission to travel was granted.
"In my outset endeavor, I submitted documents proving relationships with my family in the U.s., plus my birth certificate, The states driving licences (mine and my parents') proving residence at the same address, Usa dark-green menu, and Australian passport."
"The 2d time, I attached termination of my house lease agreement and job resignation (from Commonwealth of australia), job acceptance (in the The states), car sale, aeroplane ticket, and the documents I submitted the first fourth dimension."
When seeking a similar exemption, Mahajan recommends submitting every bit many documents as y'all tin to demonstrate that y'all don't intend to return to Australia whatever time soon.
Keep an eye on your inbox, in example your exemption is revoked
One Executive Traveller reader claims that subsequently applying for – and existence granted – a travel exemption to move overseas, the Australian Edge Force overturned its previous decision without alarm.
As Aliya Imam shares, "nosotros practical for exemption and they first granted us the permit," merely just every bit the Imam family were virtually to book flights, "they said that it was an error: we weren't granted the permit."
The family unit re-practical for permission and added documents to support their awarding, simply were again denied an exemption – three times.
Based on this experience, it's wise to go along an middle on your electronic mail inbox, just in case the condition of your ain exemption changes for whatever reason. Emails relating to travel exemptions are usually sent by [email protected], then add together this to your whitelist.
What happens at the airport if you are cleared to wing?
Whether you have your exemption in-mitt or don't require ane – such as by beingness 'commonly resident' in another country – the airdrome experience on difference from Commonwealth of australia will be different to what yous're used to.
Just to get into the concluding building, yous'll need to produce your passport and a confirmed travel itinerary at the door, and then have these handy.
Then, at that place'due south a new Edge Force checkpoint to get past, located before the airline check-in desks where your permission to wing will be verified, as Stuart Duncan shares.
"If y'all don't have your exemption in-paw, they volition make a phone phone call to bank check their database. The database is simply a list of names, passport numbers, and difference ports for those who are canonical to travel. If you are not on it (and are an Australian resident), it is game over," says Duncan.
Fifty-fifty if you've applied for an exemption and haven't received a response in time for your flying, "they accept no style of checking on your application," Duncan adds, sharing that in such circumstances, you may be immune to wait at the airport, in example it comes through in time.
"I did this: sat and waited on the off chance it would turn up. It did not, then I was able to get my flight changed at the airdrome service desk-bound earlier heading home."
Travelling with that exemption in-hand
Duncan was later on granted permission to travel, returning to the airport on the day of his revised flight with a printed copy of the 'exemption granted' e-mail, fix to nowadays to Edge Forcefulness officers.
After handing information technology over, the officeholder "volition fill out a form for you, go it signed by a manager, then you lot can get to bank check in."
"At check-in, they check this form confronting your travel details, so brand a phone call to Immigration for formal approval. This took about twenty minutes," after which, bank check-in could exist completed and the usual airdrome formalities of security screening and passport control could be cleared ahead of deviation.
As such, if you are travelling overseas from Australia, get in at the airport with enough of time to spare before your flight: ideally, when check-in opens three hours before divergence.
Also read: Who is exempt from Australia's international travel ban?
A former contributor to Executive Traveller, Chris lives by the motto that a journey of a 1000 miles begins not just with a single pace, but likewise a strong latte, a theatre ticket, and later in the day, a good gin and tonic.
Source: https://www.executivetraveller.com/australian-travel-ban-exemptions
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