easterby91 Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Fiancé’s father is very sick at home, expecting an update soon and bracing for the worst. Together 9 years and my partner is defacto on my visa. If he gets “the call” to return home - what are the options? Would strongly prefer we both travel but I’m prepared to stay put if it might help him get back into the country. We don’t want to leave Australia, we love our lives here and plan to apply for PR in the next few months when my employer invites me to. This situation is causing us great anxiety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Found this Temporary visa holders leaving Australia for a short trip overseas Temporary visa holders in Australia can depart Australia at any time, however, they will generally not be permitted to return to Australia. Temporary visa holders seeking to leave and then return to Australia, may apply for an inwards exemption before they leave, however applications will generally only be approved if: the applicant meets the requirements for an individual exemption from Australia’s Inward Travel Restrictions, and they have a strong compassionate or compelling reason to leave Australia supported by relevant documentary evidence, for example: attending the funeral of a close family member overseas, visiting a close family member who is seriously or critically ill, or seeking necessary medical treatment not available in Australia, or travel is essential for business purposes. Might be worth asking for an exemption to return otherwise it might be a case tossing up whether seeing a family member before they die or Australia is more important. I would think if the case is "worst case scenario" then you would be in with a reasonable shot. However, having done it myself just a year ago - if it is only to attend a funeral is it worth it with all the quarantine etc? I watched my dad's funeral on FaceTime (in a woodland burial ground with no broadband, just my daughter in law and her phone) and a friend's and my uncle's funerals via a well set up streaming service. I know it is hard but sometimes pragmatism is key. In some ways I think knowing that the government is making decisions and effectively stopping you from doing what you would normally feel you wanted to do, makes it easier to handle. I feel no guilt about not being there for my dad - immensely sad, for sure, but he always said "dont bother to come back for a funeral" - normally, of course, I would have been in like Flynn but this time I took him at his word and it was what I did for him when he was alive which mattered. I hope it isnt the "worst" for your fiancé because that's awful but just in case .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Even as dual citizens it isn’t easy. We made the pragmatic decision not to return to Uk for husbands dad, who was gravely ill and died later that week. We know what he would have said. Spending the (frankly ludicrous) money on flights and quarantine when we could have spent in on his much loved grandkids would have annoyed him greatly! And tbh would not have made the funeral anyway by the time permission was granted and quarantine completed. Not that it was easy and it still feels very remote and unreal, it was so hard not being able to hug loved ones. We will have a reunion at some point, hopefully next year but …… Many in the Uk were not allowed to attend family funerals at one stage so not just being overseas. Fortunately our family in UK supported our decision and at the time we were not vaccinated (have still only had one AZ dose) and they said it would be stupid to come anyway and risk our own health. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtritudr Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 It doesn't matter whether you both travel or not, assuming you're both on temporary visas then once you leave you won't be able to return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 hour ago, rtritudr said: It doesn't matter whether you both travel or not, assuming you're both on temporary visas then once you leave you won't be able to return. Not necessarily. They may apply for an inwards exemption like everyone else. Whether they get it or not is anyone's guess. It isnt 100% certain that any "compassionate" plea is going to hit the mark. I'm with Rammygirl on this one - tough decision but perfectly do-able. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easterby91 Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Thank you all for the input so far. It sounds like it could be a roll of the dice if our worst case scenario comes to be. We will easily oblige with any quarantine requirements at our own cost. Perhaps naively, we are operating in the belief that I (as the main visa holder currently with him as my defacto) will remain in Australia as the “anchor” to hold our life down. Also, not sure if it has any bearing but my partner while he has a visa also qualifies as being one of the priority skills as a social worker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 2 hours ago, easterby91 said: Thank you all for the input so far. It sounds like it could be a roll of the dice if our worst case scenario comes to be. We will easily oblige with any quarantine requirements at our own cost. Perhaps naively, we are operating in the belief that I (as the main visa holder currently with him as my defacto) will remain in Australia as the “anchor” to hold our life down. Also, not sure if it has any bearing but my partner while he has a visa also qualifies as being one of the priority skills as a social worker. Whether you are able to pay for quarantine is nit relevant. You will get the bill afterwards and be chased for payment then. Your problem will be getting that exemption ti return. Your partner is nit PR or a citizen, so you can't claim that route, and there are many couples now separated for a similar reason. Even if you get that exemption, you then have to deal with the nightmare of getting a flight. With caps cut for the forseeable future, and some airlines announcing they may change to freight only flights as its not worth doing pax flights for only a dozen people.......... Its not impossible, but it could be a long wait. Good luck, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Personally I wouldn't consider travelling separately at this time, and we are 3 citizens and a PR. The risk of being stuck for months and even years is just too high. That is life changing time periods. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Senise Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 13 hours ago, easterby91 said: Thank you all for the input so far. It sounds like it could be a roll of the dice if our worst case scenario comes to be. We will easily oblige with any quarantine requirements at our own cost. Perhaps naively, we are operating in the belief that I (as the main visa holder currently with him as my defacto) will remain in Australia as the “anchor” to hold our life down. Also, not sure if it has any bearing but my partner while he has a visa also qualifies as being one of the priority skills as a social worker. If your partner works in an occupation on the Priority List they may be able to use this to gain a travel exemption to return. An application can be processed before they leave so you can have the certainty of knowing they are allowed back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcguinnessp1968 Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 It doesn't matter whether you both travel or not, assuming you're both on temporary visas then once you leave you won't be able to return.Completely incorrect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easterby91 Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 By way of an update, our worst fears came true and my partner had to travel urgently home before we could get the travel exemption approved. However we got the exemption approved (thank god, a small win that will give some comfort after this awful period for her family). Built the case around her critical skills with a strongly worded letter of support from her employer saying she was essential. Wrote to local MP who kindly provided a letter of support to include. Included a detailed and well written cover letter too (you are limited to only 200 words in your justification). If there are any Irish people here too, the Irish Support Agency in Sydney also offered some invaluable advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Sorry to hear the bad news but at least he will be able to come back, if he can get a flight! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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