as we approached the area where the check in counters were, we were stopped by two Border Force staff, who were inspecting passports, and requesting exemption letters. As we are non-resident of Australia citizens (and no exemption letter), they then phoned or radioed someone to verify we were OK to leave (presumably by looking at our immigration records). At the check in counter they also check with Border Force before issuing BPs (and verified our ability to enter Singapore).
Whilst it seems the process has been streamlined for exemptions it has become more difficult for those who don't require such an exemption.
I left again recently, and whilst in August it was relatively straightforward, this time it was anything but.
This time:
- No Border Force people checking exemption letters or passports, entirely up to check in staff
- At check-in, as I don't require an exemption letter, the check in staff had to call border force to check that I was OK to leave. I was not as apparently I had already used my exemption (WT#?). Agent was advised to find border force staff on the ground,
- Agent wandered off to try and locate border force staff. After 5 mins, she had located them and returned and was told to wait for a call back from someone as the person doing that was out to lunch
- Call back came after a few minutes, and she was told I was OK to leave, but she would have to call some other number to get the override code
- Called another person who gave the override code and I was good to go!
Caused a little stress, but got there. But definitely a deterioriation of what was a simple process in August.