Are we there yet? Your second Travel Megathread (threadbans in OP}

mandrake04

faceman wrote: »

While you are in a privileged position where you are, throw caution to looking down at those from the ivory tower. Should you have to leave it, those peasants will be there to mock you

Also assuming you’re not a native Australian, it’s not fair to say travel is overrated given you’re a migrant

But pettiness aside, as lucky as you are the elephant in the room is if you needed to travel for emergency, family or compassionate reasons. You’re royally screwed. One poster has already highlighted someone denied entry to Australia after his father died. It’s clear the empathy expressed on this and other examples highlight in the media perpetuate the stereotype that the world has about Australia and to a lesser degree New Zealand.

What happens if you have family abroad or they fall ill and you need or want to travel? It’s not quite as simple as biting the bullet and booking a quarantine hotel. Rooms are in short supply so there may be no availability for force majeure travel reasons.

What happens if you have children at school or college age who wish to study abroad? That’s potentially curtailed too.

The optics of domestic freedoms is overshadowed by totalitarian control of liberties with limited or no compassionate grounds. Quarantine hotels, isolation and all that are welcomed by all until someone is effected by it and they realise that the freedoms and humanity we take for granted is taken away swiftly.

To contrast with Europe. Many European countries have a travel ban on U.K. travelers visiting their countries. Even here though exceptions can be made through official channels in emergency circumstances.

My Parents live in Ireland, and if anything happened to them I would would be the same as anyone else ...devastated. But already had this conversation with them and they reminded me that I have a wife and young kids and they are number 1 and considering that we are living a normal life compared to them and my brothers family which they say is absolutely shyte they say I should not jeopardise that over a funeral that only 10 people can attend.

It’s sh!t sandwich but it’s a world pandemic.

I believe the vaccines will help resolve this I over time, the travel restrictions are not permanent they were done to buy time while Australia mopped up the virus onshore and from the cruise ships. It’s just that in mean time the rest of the world went to sh!t, Australians were happy enough to keep it out and wing it.

The quarantine has served very well, the majority of the country is doing ok, it’s not perfect but it’s clearly better than the alternative.

Theboinkmaster

a clanger wrote: »

Read THIS article from the IT. The implication is that the Level 5 so no passports is just an excuse. I think you are being optimistic with an April return to work at the passport office. In fact I'd go so far as to say you will probably be able to sit down inside a restaurant order a meal and toast the re opening !!. I think the summer season will have passed before backlog/normal service resumes. If we take a basic assumption that 10% of the population require a new passport every year. If we say 50% of them belong to a family that now cannot travel because one family member has no passport ....you suddenly end up at 20-30% of the population who are stuck at home. Of course the Govt can then say "well thats the passport office not our problem , extraordinary times , hold firm various platitudes etc etc "

That is pretty depressing. So anyone waiting on their application to be returned may not get it back in time for this summer....

Theboinkmaster

If only I had Michael O'Leary's email address I'd ask him to make it happen, I'm sure he could make enough noise as it's in his own interest

boston09

Has anybody been to the airport in the past few days (or come back from the airport)? Any interactions with the garda?

theguzman

boston09 wrote: »

Has anybody been to the airport in the past few days (or come back from the airport)? Any interactions with the garda?

Two weeks ago when I left Dublin, I was asked for the reason for my travel, I explained my own personal situation and he wished me good luck, I was exempt from the travel ban.

IQO

https://www.thejournal.ie/mandatory-quarantine-countries-5367064-Feb2021/

13 Central and South American countries added to mandatory quarantine list

A FURTHER 13 countries have been added to the list of countries from where people arriving here would be required to quarantine in a hotel, bringing the total to 33.

Primary legislation has to pass all stages of the Oireachtas before people are mandated to quarantine in hotels, but people arriving from ‘category 2′ countries are currently legally required to self-quarantine for a full two weeks.

The 13 states being added to the mandatory hotel quarantine list include:

Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

Anyone arriving into this country without a negative PCR test is also considered ‘category 2′ and must quarantine for a full two weeks.

The government is continuing to advise against all non-essential international travel.

“If you travel to Ireland from any of the high-risk countries, you must complete a full 14-day quarantine period,” Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said.

“This applies to all passengers from designated states, regardless of nationality and the aim of this measure is to protect the population from challenges posed by new variants of concern.”

Donnelly brought legislation to the Dáil this week to bring in mandatory quarantine in a designated facility.

General Toilet

French Guiana is now a country?

pcasso

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Anyone have any thoughts on when the passport office will re-open?

Their website says after level 5 lifted and will process backlog in 4-8 weeks.

So on 5 April will we move from level 5 to 4 and passport office opens - giving them April and May to process backlog?

Or could it be another month - open up 5 May, but assume backlog much bigger then?

My wife submitted a passport renewal on line last Sunday in the hope that she might get a quick processing of her application once level five was lifted and the passport office reopened.
She received a new full passport in the post Thursday morning.
She has also applied for a passport card and as yet no sign of that but I guess that ultimately isn't a problem.
Hopefully that helps you.

theguzman

General Toilet wrote: »

French Guiana is now a country?

It is part of France, except in South America, imagine we cut off Cork and flung it into South America it would have the same status.

pcasso

pcasso wrote: »

My wife submitted a passport renewal on line last Sunday in the hope that she might get a quick processing of her application once level five was lifted and the passport office reopened.
She received a new full passport in the post Thursday morning.
She has also applied for a passport card and as yet no sign of that but I guess that ultimately isn't a problem.
Hopefully that helps you.

\no, you must be mistaken. The office not being open for walk in means everyone will have to wait forever

Ficheall

IQO wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/mandatory-quarantine-countries-5367064-Feb2021/

Is there any planned date for these quarantines to be enforced or are they just waiting until the pandemic is over?


Does anyone from anywhere actually have to quarantine yet?

CruelSummer

pcasso wrote: »

My wife submitted a passport renewal on line last Sunday in the hope that she might get a quick processing of her application once level five was lifted and the passport office reopened.
She received a new full passport in the post Thursday morning.
She has also applied for a passport card and as yet no sign of that but I guess that ultimately isn't a problem.
Hopefully that helps you.

I’m confused about this. Trying to update a child’s passport at the moment and got a notification from them saying not to send in the signed documentation. We’ve most of it completed online. Maybe adults are being updated online but not children’s?

Theboinkmaster

pcasso wrote: »

My wife submitted a passport renewal on line last Sunday in the hope that she might get a quick processing of her application once level five was lifted and the passport office reopened.
She received a new full passport in the post Thursday morning.
She has also applied for a passport card and as yet no sign of that but I guess that ultimately isn't a problem.
Hopefully that helps you.

How does that make any sense? Are they processing simple renewals but no applications that require additional documentation?

a clanger

Childs passport renewal online posted in just after Christmas and still waiting . Application status says all received but no processing at level 5 . According to the DFA website passports will only be issued where there is a valid reason and documentation required. Below is email from passport office in early January and there was a 4 week backlog then !

Thank you for applying for your passport using Passport Online.



Processing of passports is currently paused at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. Passport Online processing will resume at Level 4.



Please do not submit your documents until Passport Online processing resumes at Level 4. If you have already sent your supporting documents, they are being stored securely and will be processed when we resume operations.



We cannot retrieve documents until we resume processing at Level 4. Once we resume operations, it will take about 4 weeks to process Passport Online applications.

pcasso

I can only speculate, that because there was no further documentation needed, my wife's passport renewal application was processed and a new passport issued. We were really surprised when it arrived, as having read the info on the website, we assumed it wouldn't be processed until after April 5th at the earliest.
The passport card as I said before, has not been issued yet
They have a webchat facility apparently so more information could be garnered from there I guess

pcasso

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

How does that make any sense? Are they processing simple renewals but no applications that require additional documentation?

This makes sense and matches my wife's experience so I suspect this is the case.

fran38

fran38 wrote: »

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. So, got the bus up from Clare. Gards checkpoint just before T2 but wasn't stopped. I walked into the terminal building expecting Gardai to be walking around. Nothing. None at the check in gate. None at security/immigration athough there was a gards boothe but not manned.
As the airport resembled a ghost town, I made it from check in to security in five minutes. No Gardai after security either.
I sat in departures for three hours, no sign of one gards.
My PCR cert was checked scrupulously by check in on the Dublin side and immigration on the Dubai side.
Dubai itself is running like a normal society should be run. Everything is open except the pubs but I can get a drink in a restaurant. Was at the Dubai Mall yesterday, shops open and place full of happy shoppers/browsers. Masks are mandatory outside at risk of a 800e fine I think.
Warm at 22/23 celcius. This is a city with a huge cosmopolitan population serviced by a metro which is continually packed.
I got a haircut in a barbers yesterday. To actually sit in a barbers chair and get a haircut seemed like a luxury. Ireland is going down the wrong road in terms of restrictions/lockdown. What is it with the Irish Catholic guilt that we are on a never ending self flagellation cycle?

Edit: Replying to Boston09s question. I'm flying home in the morning so will update this when I'm home.

boston09

fran38 wrote: »

Edit: Replying to Boston09s question. I'm flying home in the morning so will update this when I'm home.

Thanks so much fran, I'm flying today so any info would be welcomed (it's for a funeral so I hope I don't have any issues, but I'm stressed by all this anyway)

MarkY91

boston09 wrote: »

Thanks so much fran, I'm flying today so any info would be welcomed (it's for a funeral so I hope I don't have any issues, but I'm stressed by all this anyway)

If you get a taxi to the Randox centre, you can just walk across the road to T2. Garda are at the other side of a barrier.

a clanger

pcasso wrote: »

I can only speculate, that because there was no further documentation needed, my wife's passport renewal application was processed and a new passport issued. We were really surprised when it arrived, as having read the info on the website, we assumed it wouldn't be processed until after April 5th at the earliest.
The passport card as I said before, has not been issued yet
They have a webchat facility apparently so more information could be garnered from there I guess

Yes this seems correct so if its just an adult online renewal the you will be ok ...but as kids renewal and initial applications require documents to be submitted then they must be on hold until Level 4!

323

boston09 wrote: »

Has anybody been to the airport in the past few days (or come back from the airport)? Any interactions with the garda?

Back home two nights ago, been in South America since early January. Dublin airport like a ghost town, Schiphol also.

No interactions with the garda, don't remember seeing any apart from passport control.


Had PCR test before the first flight, no one asked to see it in Dublin or Amsterdam, could be because I'm in one of the exempt categories, no requirement for passenger locator form or quarantine.

mel123

boston09 wrote: »

Thanks so much fran, I'm flying today so any info would be welcomed (it's for a funeral so I hope I don't have any issues, but I'm stressed by all this anyway)

Can you give us an update when you get a chance on the airport situation and if the guards are still present?

mel123

mel123 wrote: »

Can you give us an update when you get a chance on the airport situation and if the guards are still present?

What are you worried about?

Eric Cartman

CruelSummer wrote: »

I’m confused about this. Trying to update a child’s passport at the moment and got a notification from them saying not to send in the signed documentation. We’ve most of it completed online. Maybe adults are being updated online but not children’s?

Children dont work so have no essential reasons to travel, makes complete sense

faceman

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Children dont work so have no essential reasons to travel, makes complete sense

Foxconn: “hold my beer”

IQO

323 wrote: »

Back home two nights ago, been in South America since early January. Dublin airport like a ghost town, Schiphol also.

No interactions with the garda, don't remember seeing any apart from passport control.


Had PCR test before the first flight, no one asked to see it in Dublin or Amsterdam, could be because I'm in one of the exempt categories, no requirement for passenger locator form or quarantine.

Did you also have to do the rapid antigen test for the connection in Amsterdam, was this checked before boarding?

Del Griffith

bubblypop wrote: »

What are you worried about?

mel123

bubblypop wrote: »

What are you worried about?

My parents go to the canaries every year for a few months would have already been gone in normal circumstances and I’d like to know for them the situation if I could have them prepared. The mother is bad with anxiety and panic attacks and my father is quite low at the moment (we also lost a close family member recently). I don’t think their travel is deemed essential, but for their mental health on the other hand I’d love if they could get out. I’d even bring them over myself and fly back a day or two later if I could but I just can’t risk a fine tbh. I suppose my question is are the guards still there or was it just a temporary measure.

Aaaah ok , could they afford the fine if they get one?
The gardai don't turn people back, just send them fines.

323

IQO wrote: »

Did you also have to do the rapid antigen test for the connection in Amsterdam, was this checked before boarding?

No, no antigen test. Had heard talk about antigen test somewhere, company I was working for arranged PCR test/expedited processing night before first flight, no-one mentioned it and not asked for antigen test anywhere.