Son in USA-Book for home now or wait until New Year? [Because you guys are the best]

[Maisy33]

I know this is crystal ball stuff... my son is a student in the US. He'd love to come home in June for summer break. Should I bite the bullet and book a return flight for him soon or wait until the new year and hope he can come home for 3 months and then return.
Thank you

 

[oznflfan]

As long as absolutely fully refundable, or delayable for min 12 months then go ahead. I would wait myself, as chances of borders opening for foreign visitors by June (assuming he is vaccinated) is BEST BEST case scenario.

 

[samh004]

As you say "he'd love to come home" for summer break, I take it he has Australian citizenship? In this case, he shouldn't have an issue coming back and potentially heading back to study afterwards even if the borders remain closed... provided he's in a premium class, as the capacity controls into quarantine here generally bump those in economy first.

 

[Maisy33]

Thanks for responding Oznflfan and Samh004 . I think I'll sit tight and see what pans out in the new year. Yes my son is Australian.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Even though there is no legal issue in your son coming back and returning for study, there would the practical impediments, in particular if the airline cancels the flight and refuses to return the money spent to you.

The other possible practical hurdles could/would seem to be:
- caps on arrivals in Australia (it seems airlines manage this)
- paid mandatory quarantine (assume cost is no issue)
- approval to leave (showing study course should allow approval to leave)
- flight out (no caps to return to US)
- permitted entry on arrival (assume US don’t plan to impose a travel ban on arrivals in future)
- getting covid at any point (an airline would be within their presumed rights to not allow a positive passenger to board).

 

[DC3]

Even though there is no legal issue in your son coming back and returning for study, there would the practical impediments, in particular if the airline cancels the flight and refuses to return the money spent to you.

The other possible practical hurdles could/would seem to be:
- caps on arrivals in Australia (it seems airlines manage this)
- paid mandatory quarantine (assume cost is no issue)
- approval to leave (showing study course should allow approval to leave)
- flight out (no caps to return to US)
- permitted entry on arrival (assume US don’t plan to impose a travel ban on arrivals in future)
- getting covid at any point (an airline would be within their presumed rights to not allow a positive passenger to board).

Paging Scomo.

 

[dajop]

- approval to leave (showing study course should allow approval to leave)

Depending on how long Maisy33's son has spent already in the US, he may already be considered a non-resident of Australia and if so, approval would not be required to depart again. In these instances Border Force simply do a quick immigration record check before authorising check-in.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Depending on how long Maisy33's son has spent already in the US, he may already be considered a non-resident of Australia and if so, approval would not be required to depart again. In these instances Border Force simply do a quick immigration record check before authorising check-in.

Wouldn’t they still need an ABF approval letter to depart Australia? That’s what I was a bit obtusely referring to.

 

[dajop]

Wouldn’t they still need an ABF approval letter to depart Australia? That’s what I was a bit obtusely referring to.

No, not if normally resident overseas. We left in August, no letter required, they did a quick check and got the green light - it would have been obvious that we lived overseas, even though at that point we had spent the previous 4 months in Australia.