DIAC Hotels - Moved from the dog thread

HAHA i know.
Luckily he got deported 6 days before that riot started.

But considering he being billed for every night he was kept there - and by the sounds of it the dog was better fed too!

Good thread OP, I wonder does anyone know about bringing a dog from Australia back to Ireland - is it less strict with quarantine at home.
I'm considering getting a dog here but there's always the chance I could end up going home in a few years. The dog would definitely have to come too. I'd be a wreck otherwise.

mandrake04 wrote: »

Lucky alright, as a matter of intrest how much is a night in Hotel l' ?

$200 a night - he was kept for 8 nights while they put paperwork together.
We are all convinced that it was purely a money making scam as when he was taken into custody by immigration officers they told him they could have him on a flight the next day/were originally going to release him after questionning to let him book a flight for the next couple of days on his own accord.

Instead they detained him for 8 days for no good reason, he was fobbed off with excuses and then charged him for the cost of an open dated flight home - substantially higher than a flight he would have got himself.

Not getting into any arguments that he shouldn't have stayed illegally etc BUT it is fair to see he was really ripped off during the deportation process - hes now a few grand out of pocket when it could have been as simple as around $1200 for a one way flight home. Anway, prob the wrong thread to be discussing all this in!

My friend was here illegally with about a year and a half. He falsely used ABN details like so many others in 2009 to apply for his second visa.
Unluckily for him, it was through the notorious "Kevin Doyle" who was caught by immigration and he received an email cancelling his second year visa and giving him 28 days to leave the country.

I really don't want to get into a debate over him fradulently using abn details and not doing the regional work, and i don't want to have to defend his overstaying the 28 day period post visa cancellation. It wasn't me and I'd prefer to keep my opinion to myself on that as I know it's a touchy subject on here.

He managed to work away cash in hand and had no trouble in that aspect. Obviously he was unable to leave the country etc.
He didn't put his name or address details on anything official like a lease/bill - he moved around a bit in Sydney in the time after his visa was cancelled.

First he knew of it was about 5 weeks ago when immigration raided his house looking for him. Not exaggerating, there was 12 immigration officers at the house, blocking all doors and windows and everyone in the house was asked for passport and visa details.

He was brought away for questionning and as previously stated, they were originally going to deport him straight away or else release him and give him a day or two to leave on his own accord.

Instead he ended up in Villawood for 8 days. No real reason given to him as to why he had to be kept there for so long. Flights were available. Paperwork was mentioned.

The debt of detention stay and open dated flight are billed to the Irish Government and will be his debt to repay to them. Have not heard if the Irish Govt add anything to it (admin fees etc)
Bear in mind that his passport is now marked and he's not likely to get a visa for anywhere else with a deportation black mark against him

A very sorry story no matter what your opinion of overstaying a visa is.
I visited Villawood. It is like a shanty town and he was the only English speaking person in his block. It was quite scary being in there visiting and there was a group of us, so I can imagine how he felt with no visitors. Detainees were allowed free reign in the recreation/visiting area - dancing, shouting, blaring music (and not the kind you'd hear on mainstream radio stations if you get me). Big groups making lots of noise.
The facilities where we were were pretty bad and he said what was behind the walls was ten times worse.

I guess my advice to anyone in the same position would be to try and avoid detention centres if at all possible. If you are illegal and get caught - push to get deported straight away, believe me you don't want to end up there.

Mellor wrote: »

It's not uncommon, what ever about opinions on illegals. i really don't see the point in tipping off immigration, you gain nothing and really mess up somebodys situation.

Well the person who tipped off immigration must have wanted him to be sent home. Mission accomplished in that sense!

ballooba wrote: »

If people make a conscious decision to take the easy way out and skirt the law then they can't complain when the gravy train hits the buffers in my opinion. As for tipping them off, was it a disgruntled ex or something? It's pretty nasty.

We suspect it was his girlfriend's ex - all evidence points that way and i honestly cannot think of one other person who would do that to him.

It was a truly horrible way to go, didn't get to pack up him stuff - they only allowed him to grab a few bits, didn't get to say goodbye to anyone, didn't get to wrap up any of his affairs here - sell stuff etc. He knew he was in the wrong staying here illegally but it was, as is to a lot of people, a better option than going home. He's sure paying the price now. Hefty bill and a ban, and can't see him getting a visa for anywhere else.