SYD Express immigration

[simongr]

Hi all

Checking in at SYD yesterdat a OWE in F I was handed (without prompting this time) a express outbound immigration card. Now this in itself was no cause for excitement. However I was also handed an inbound express immigration card - something quite new to me.

My wonder now is whether it is worthwhile using it - I assume it only covers immigration and not quarantine? I tend to use the Duty Free lane at SYD as it is a good opportunity to stock up and I then get through pretty quickly - is there going to be much advantage using this express lane?

Cheers

S

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

This was flagged to start on 1st November, but it wasn't ready when I flew back from Auckland on 1st November.

What it is supposed to be (and I honestly don't know how far they have got) is fast-track passport and AQIS. If you look in the arrivals hall, there is a new machine set up on the right hand side, this is going to be for the fast track.

Qantas J, F and plats will definitely be able to use it but I don't know if they have agreements with other airlines as wel or whether it's a home crowd advantage.

Look forward to a report.

 

[simongr]

Thanks - well if it is AQIS as well I will definitely be using it I will grab mu Bombay Sapphire and head back to the express queue. I will report back next week.

 

[Shano]

As I posted elsewhere, the Y cabin crew on QF128 on the weekend new nothing of this so I missed out on the inbound express immigration card. Must remember to ask at the F check-in next time.

Delays through customs/quarantine were horrendous on Sunday morning so will be interesting to see how the trial works.

 

[simongr]

Tthe card was handed to me by check in staff so the cabin crew are probably not involved perhaps - not sure how it works if you fly out of SYD on a carrier other than QF...

 

[Shano]

I assume that it looks different to the outbound express card? I was handed one of these (outbound) but did not use it as queues were very short plus I had the APEC card.

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

Tthe card was handed to me by check in staff so the cabin crew are probably not involved perhaps - not sure how it works if you fly out of SYD on a carrier other than QF...

The plan is that they will hand them out with landing cards, but I suspect it's still a bit wobbly at the moment..

 

[Va Bene]

This has also been setup in MEL at the right hand side near baggage services for AQIS and was operational on 3rd Nov. I used Smartgate for customs
I'm not sure what the inbound card looks like and I just waved the outbound card that I did not use at security on the way out and managed to also hang onto it after the inbound scan.

Often when I come back from AKL with only hand luggage, they simply wave you through the exit doors and not through AQIS so maybe this has now stopped.
There was still a queue through this 'express' X-Ray machine scanning.

 

[simongr]

The card looks identical to the outbound card with inbound written on it. I am glad to have gotten one now as I am flying back with JL...

 

[serfty]

Landed with one in MEL a week ago - with Smartgate I was through in 3 minutes (from plane to arrivals landside).

Conditions for use:

-No more than two pieces of checked luggage (Amount of carry-on not relevant) &
-Nothing to declare (You must have answered no to questions 1-10 on incoming PAX card)

Interesting situation on arrival in SYD on Sunday; we had food to declare which we knew would be ok after being checked (chockies etc), so were ineligible for the express.

However, we were intercepted on the way to the x-ray queue and queried about the food.

Our incoming PAX documents were then stamped and we were directed straight out the express queue - at no stage did we produce our express slips. ^

 

[Homer]

Thanks - well if it is AQIS as well I will definitely be using it I will grab mu Bombay Sapphire and head back to the express queue. I will report back next week.

Coming back into SYD from HKG last Monday in F I received the express "invitation" on board along with the arrivals card. I think it is the same as LHR where premium passengers (the airline's terminology, not mine) in J or F receive this on board before arrival.

Anyway I still have mine. That's because the express lane was the same as the duty free lane and I had a couple of bottles under my arm from duty free. Still if you didn't stop at duty free and you were one of the first out then you would be at the front of the queue for your flight, though of course other recent arrivals may be in front of you.

I didn't see an express lane at AQIS.

 

[Maca44]

If you are given one of these 'express invitations' on board (or even prior to leaving SYD) for a return flight back to SYD, and don't use it and for example use the duty free lane. Do these invitations have an expiry date on them so you can use them on another flight if say flying Y.

 

[Shano]

There is no expiry date on the outbound express cards so perhaps a good chance that the inbound are also undated.

Reports are though that this is only a trial at this stage, so probably best to use the invitation at the earliest opportunity in case the trial is scrapped.

 

[serfty]

Coming back into SYD ...

... I didn't see an express lane at AQIS.

It certainly existed in SYD T1 (Pier A/B) 8pm on Sunday 11th.

About 40 metres along to the right of the AQIS X-Ray entry.

 

[Homer]

It certainly existed in SYD T1 (Pier A/B) 8pm on Sunday 11th.

About 40 metres along to the right of the AQIS X-Ray entry.

Doh! I should have looked harder for it because, as we all know, the AQIS queue is the worst.

 

[Homer]

There is no expiry date on the outbound express cards so perhaps a good chance that the inbound are also undated.

Reports are though that this is only a trial at this stage, so probably best to use the invitation at the earliest opportunity in case the trial is scrapped.

I don't recall seeing an expiry on the inbound card. I'd check but I can't locate my unused card now...

 

[JohnK]

....as we all know, the AQIS queue is the worst.

That really depends on the arrival time. Arriving into SYD just after 5:00pm the other day and there was 1 person before me in the duty free lane, my bag had already arrived on another flight and there was 1 other person in front of me in the quarantine queue and I was waved through.

Now if I can get all my international flights to arrive at that time.

 

[Keith009]

SQ has also been handing the invitation cards out for Inbound Express CIQ. Those flying R, F, C or holding *G status are eligible for this service:

I hope I also get one flying NZ J in about 2 weeks.

 

[vt01]

The one I received yesterday does not have a date.. I couldn't use it as I had food to declare.
Slightly OT but I had to replace my passport a couple of weeks before. My previous passport was registered for smartgate. tried my new one and it wouldn't work. I asked the immigration officer and he said that it hadn't been registered. Although he didn't tell me how to re-register.
Now that I'm not a WP, I wonder if I can still register..

But I will be hanging on to me express card in case I have an opportunity to use it in the future..

 

[Mal]

Flying back from Narita today, I was not given an Express Immigration card by the cabin crew. When I asked for one, the staffer knew about it, but ran off to ask the CSM or someone else. It never turned up.

Bad form Qantas! Trying to decide whether to send feedback to them or not about it.

Customs let me use the priority queue anyway once I explained that I was eligible.

While waiting for my bag, AQIS questioned me about my travels, then stamped my card with a green stamp. This then gave me the same access to the Express Quarantine scan line as the eExpress card would have anyway.