Australians Waiting For Interview at US Consulate Sydney

[Eisa 5]

40 minutes ago, Mayflower girl said:

My husband flew United from SYD to SFO. No hassles and a relatively quick interview in secondary on arrival with plenty of time to make his connection.

thank you
I saw few flights from Melbourne but I don’t know because they are saying all the flights from Sydney 

[midsummer 84]

9 hours ago, BrookeEdwin said:

I would look at United, Delta or American Airlines. Those three go straight to SFO or LAX from Sydney and are the quickest to the US. I am trying to avoid layovers in other countries because of different covid requirements so I think the easiest way to get to the US is to go straight from Sydney. 

Do you know if this includes simply transiting through i.e. refuel stops on the way? I'm wary of flying interstate from LA to NY and would rather just fly straight to NY even if it means a longer flight.

[Mayflower girl 6]

17 hours ago, midsummer said:

Do you know if this includes simply transiting through i.e. refuel stops on the way? I'm wary of flying interstate from LA to NY and would rather just fly straight to NY even if it means a longer flight.

There are no direct non-stop flights from Australia to New York--yet. It's too far. You can either fly direct to LA or SFO (Qantas used to fly SYD to Dallas Ft. Worth) and clear customs and immigration there before continuing your trip on another domestic flight or you would need to fly the other way-West-through either Asia or the Middle East to NYC. That involves you transiting another country and with the unknowns of covid this could cause problems. It is also a much longer flight. 

19 hours ago, Eisa said:

thank you
I saw few flights from Melbourne but I don’t know because they are saying all the flights from Sydney 

Melbourne is back in lockdown again.

[midsummer 84]

58 minutes ago, Mayflower girl said:

There are no direct non-stop flights from Australia to New York--yet. It's too far. You can either fly direct to LA or SFO (Qantas used to fly SYD to Dallas Ft. Worth) and clear customs and immigration there before continuing your trip on another domestic flight or you would need to fly the other way-West-through either Asia or the Middle East to NYC. That involves you transiting another country and with the unknowns of covid this could cause problems. It is also a much longer flight. 

Melbourne is back in lockdown again.

Thank you. After I posted last night I checked the updated entry requirements for the US re. the covid test. It seems that that 72 hours spans not just boarding the plane to the US from your point of origin but also to your arrival at your port of entry. I was looking at some longer flights that go via Auckland or Tokyo from Sydney as an alternative to avoiding taking a domestic flight between California and New York but that 72 hours rule throws this into disarray. I'll try and get a flight from Sydney to SFO and hope there are no anti-masker people on the flight to New York. 

[HRQX 4,145]

52 minutes ago, midsummer said:

It seems that that 72 hours spans not just boarding the plane to the US from your point of origin but also to your arrival at your port of entry.

That is incorrect.

 

It's 3 calendar days before the flight's departure: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/global-airline-testing-order_2021-01-2_R3-signed-encrypted-p.pdf

Quote

2) if the passenger is arriving on a direct flight to the United States, the specimen was collected within the 3 calendar days preceding the flight's departure;

3) if the passenger is arriving via one or more connecting flights, the specimen was collected within the 3 calendar days preceding the departure of the initial flight but only if

a. the connecting flights were booked as a single passenger record with a destination in the United States,

b. each connection is no longer than 24 hours, and

c. the airline or aircraft operator has instructed the passenger to comply—and uses reasonable efforts to facilitate compliance—with the safety protocols set forth in Runway to Recovery 1.1, December 21, 2020, available at https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/runway-recovery-11, during such connection(s);

 

[mpandmg0523 0]

Hi everyone!! We got our NOA2 on 1/27 and DQ'd on 2/12.

I have a couple questions:

1)    Roughly how long is the average wait right now from DQ to interview letter?

2)    Do any of you have experience successfully getting expedited post-DQ (but before interview letter)? If so, would you be willing to share successful reasons with me? (my (petitioner) mom was just diagnosed with cancer and we are hoping that emotional hardship on my part/needing my partner's support could be a reason?).

[Olliejay 1]

Hey folks,

Getting ready to head over to the US. Does anybody have any information about locations that will offer the covid test needed for travel? I assume it’s done privately and you pay out of pocket for it. Thanks 😊 

[midsummer 84]

8 hours ago, Olliejay said:

Hey folks,

Getting ready to head over to the US. Does anybody have any information about locations that will offer the covid test needed for travel? I assume it’s done privately and you pay out of pocket for it. Thanks 😊 

The Consulate said it would almost certainly have to be done privately because you need a piece of paper to show the officer at immigration and anyone else that needs to see it as opposed to the text message that is sent out. I'm not sure where to go to get mine done either so I figured I'd start by calling my GP

[tdrysdale 2]

Hi All,

 

Any idea what the process is to get permission to leave Australia to move to America? We got a letter mailed to us with my husbands visa which I think is meant to give to the Australian government ...thanks for your help!

[HRQX 4,145]

21 minutes ago, tdrysdale said:

Any idea what the process is to get permission to leave Australia to move to America?

It's done online: https://travel-exemptions.homeaffairs.gov.au/tep

[Sharni 27]

1 hour ago, tdrysdale said:

Hi All,

 

Any idea what the process is to get permission to leave Australia to move to America? We got a letter mailed to us with my husbands visa which I think is meant to give to the Australian government ...thanks for your help!

Attach a copy of your letter to your travel exemption request that is done on line.  Take a copy with you to the airport in case they ask to see it.  I wasn't asked, but you never know. 

[midsummer 84]

21 hours ago, tdrysdale said:

Hi All,

 

Any idea what the process is to get permission to leave Australia to move to America? We got a letter mailed to us with my husbands visa which I think is meant to give to the Australian government ...thanks for your help!

There's a letter? I received mine yesterday and there was no letter inside. 

[tdrysdale 2]

On 2/22/2021 at 12:15 PM, HRQX said:

It's done online: https://travel-exemptions.homeaffairs.gov.au/tep

Thank you!

[tdrysdale 2]

4 hours ago, midsummer said:

There's a letter? I received mine yesterday and there was no letter inside. 

That's interesting...I doubt you will need it, just send your visa. It just said that the govt should let us leave the country because we have been working on US immigration for years lol. 

[midsummer 84]

5 minutes ago, tdrysdale said:

That's interesting...I doubt you will need it, just send your visa. It just said that the govt should let us leave the country because we have been working on US immigration for years lol. 

Thank you  I double-checked this morning and there's definitely no letter inside unless they send that separately. 

I think I will send them an email and ask if they could send one to me - you'd think the visa itself would be enough but I don't know if I want to chance a refusal or a delay in getting approval to depart.