Interviews in Australia set to be reduced with some cancelled

[Cilllah 470]

2 minutes ago, ECCK said:

I think you're on the right track. When I was asked to write my claim, I had to write it in terms of the US citizen's hardship if I couldn't go to the US. I think you've got enough there to request an emergency interview. 

Thank you! Did you just email the same email as normal or a different one?

[KittyKat3072 235]

2 minutes ago, Cilllah said:

Thank you! Did you just email the same email as normal or a different one?

It was the same email address for us

[ECCK 211]

Just now, Cilllah said:

Thank you! Did you just email the same email as normal or a different one?

Email support-australia@ustraveldocs.com (the normal one) and see if they'll approve it. If they can't, they will ask you to email another address to process the request (which is what happened to me), but this doesn't seem to apply to everyone.

[Cilllah 470]

Thank you both! I will get my medical done and then try to book it!

[KittyKat3072 235]

8 minutes ago, Cilllah said:

Oh I am definitely not that! 
Do you have any ideas of things that I should state? I was just basically going to mention due to his illness he is now unable to work and we need to be reunited for financial and emotional support. Worded better. His family are all essential workers so they can not assist.

Yeah, I agree you're on the right track.  How are you going to tell them that you being there will provide financial support for your household? You won't be able to work for a while and what about medical insurance for you? (You don't have to answer me, just food for thought and questions they will probably ask at the interview).

You can say, that you are requesting a k-1 interview asap due to your fiance's health condition. For his immediate and long term health and well being you need to be reunited with your fiance to help him with his urgent medical and emotional needs. That due to his unfortunate condition at this point, because of the pandemic he is unable to venture out of the house for risk of compromising his health. That in order to see him through this medical condition and to continue your commitment and support of each other, you are in need of an emergency interview asap. 

Don't forget your names, phone number, email address (for redundancy), and your SYD#

[Cilllah 470]

1 minute ago, KittyKat3072 said:

Yeah, I agree you're on the right track.  How are you going to tell them that you being there will provide financial support for your household? You won't be able to work for a while and what about medical insurance for you? (You don't have to answer me, just food for thought and questions they will probably ask at the interview).

You can say, that you are requesting a k-1 interview asap due to your fiance's health condition. For his immediate and long term health and well being you need to be reunited with your fiance to help him with his urgent medical and emotional needs. That due to his unfortunate condition at this point, because of the pandemic he is unable to venture out of the house for risk of compromising his health. That in order to see him through this medical condition and to continue your commitment and support of each other, you are in need of an emergency interview asap. 

Don't forget your names, phone number, email address (for redundancy), and your SYD#

I am going to buy my own medical insurance from the exchange and just swallow the cost until I am working.
I have a good sized house deposit and savings that I can eat into to live off whilst supporting him.. But the sooner I get there and go through the process the sooner I can work.

[KittyKat3072 235]

1 minute ago, Cilllah said:

I am going to buy my own medical insurance from the exchange and just swallow the cost until I am working.
I have a good sized house deposit and savings that I can eat into to live off whilst supporting him.. But the sooner I get there and go through the process the sooner I can work.

Yeah that makes sense, I don't really see them having a problem with that answer. I think you might have said that in a previous post. My brain lol.

Also I didn't want to pry just he got asked those kind of questions at the interview. 

[Cilllah 470]

8 minutes ago, KittyKat3072 said:

Yeah that makes sense, I don't really see them having a problem with that answer. I think you might have said that in a previous post. My brain lol.

Also I didn't want to pry just he got asked those kind of questions at the interview. 

No prying! I want to be as prepared as can be so the more I know the better!

[KittyKat3072 235]

We picked the May 26 for when he'll be coming to the states, that may change due to personal logistics but it would probably be only a week or two out from the 26th. We're flying with Air NZ. 

 

Also Qantas has some flights from Melbourne to LAX btw. They are doing repatriation from lax but they also opened the flights from MEL to LAX open to the public. There's only a handful though.  May 15, 22, 29 and June 5. They are pretty affordable but bare bones apparently. No in-flight entertainment, seat selection or upgrades out of economy. I also talked to Qantas freight today and they said they are slowly doing more things again.. So they are at least planning to move forward.

 

United offers daily service from Sydney to San Francisco but its more expensive. 

 

Air New Zealand offers at least weekly service from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to LAX. In June more flights are scheduled as well as including SFO. July obviously will be up in the air (pun intended) with what will be actually flown for all airlines.

 

 

[ECCK 211]

1 minute ago, KittyKat3072 said:

We picked the May 26 for when he'll be coming to the states, that may change due to personal logistics but it would probably be only a week or two out from the 26th. We're flying with Air NZ. 

 

Also Qantas has some flights from Melbourne to LAX btw. They are doing repatriation from lax but they also opened the flights from MEL to LAX open to the public. There's only a handful though.  May 15, 22, 29 and June 5. They are pretty affordable but bare bones apparently. No in-flight entertainment, seat selection or upgrades out of economy. I also talked to Qantas freight today and they said they are slowly doing more things again.. So they are at least planning to move forward.

 

United offers daily service from Sydney to San Francisco but its more expensive. 

 

Air New Zealand offers at least weekly service from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to LAX. In June more flights are scheduled as well as including SFO. July obviously will be up in the air (pun intended) with what will be actually flown for all airlines.

 

 

I’m actually planning to go with Air New Zealand too because they’re moving into phase 2 and said they’ll let pets on. I need to get my cat over to the US with me 😣 I’ve also flown with Air New Zealand before and they were great! Glad to hear he’ll be with you soon   It’s been such a longgggg journey! 

[KittyKat3072 235]

1 minute ago, ECCK said:

I’m actually planning to go with Air New Zealand too because they’re moving into phase 2 and said they’ll let pets on. I need to get my cat over to the US with me 😣 I’ve also flown with Air New Zealand before and they were great! Glad to hear he’ll be with you soon   It’s been such a longgggg journey! 

They will let pets on now? That's our problem he needs to bring his cat with him. He had called them a couple weeks ago and they said he had to go through a broker to get his cat on board. Thats why we contacted Qantas freight, because they do pets as well, and they said that they will accept pet applications again. 

Did you book your cats flight yet? If so how did you and how much did it cost? 

Also yeah I flew with Air NZ on my first trip to and from Australia and well as his first trip to the States so its a bit sentimental, plus they offer good service. 

[ECCK 211]

I haven't booked it yet! It's been an ABSOLUTE nightmare trying to get my cat on a plane. Qantas said they'll accept pets? They told me they wouldn't today!

 

I haven't been able to get a quote from any company yet because the announcement just happened a few hours ago. When I asked about it previously, one of the companies said that once Phase 2 hits, Air NZ will do international pet travels and Phase 2 is coming in on Thursday! I've emailed a few companies - fingers crossed they'll get back to me. I've received a few quotes and they've all been around $2000 to $2500 with other airlines, so I think Air NZ will be similar. If I hear anything back from these companies, I'll let you know! Please let me know if you manage to find someone to take his cat too. 

[KittyKat3072 235]

4 minutes ago, ECCK said:

I haven't booked it yet! It's been an ABSOLUTE nightmare trying to get my cat on a plane. Qantas said they'll accept pets? They told me they wouldn't today!

 

I haven't been able to get a quote from any company yet because the announcement just happened a few hours ago. When I asked about it previously, one of the companies said that once Phase 2 hits, Air NZ will do international pet travels and Phase 2 is coming in on Thursday! I've emailed a few companies - fingers crossed they'll get back to me. I've received a few quotes and they've all been around $2000 to $2500 with other airlines, so I think Air NZ will be similar. If I hear anything back from these companies, I'll let you know! Please let me know if you manage to find someone to take his cat too. 

Oh yeah. An absolute nightmare is right. 

That is one of the things stressing us out the most. He's had his cat since she was born. He would be terribly upset if he had to leave her behind  .

Apparently we got different people on the phone. Did you talk to the general Qantas custom service or Qantas freight?

 

[ECCK 211]

1 minute ago, KittyKat3072 said:

Oh yeah. An absolute nightmare is right. 

That is one of the things stressing us out the most. He's had his cat since she was born. He would be terribly upset if he had to leave her behind  .

Apparently we got different people on the phone. Did you talk to the general Qantas custom service or Qantas freight?

 

I know - I couldn't really celebrate my visa because I didn't know what would happen to my cat. I've held off booking my own flight until I know what happens to my cat

 

I spoke to Qantas Freight too! Did they tell you when they plan to accept pets? That's so odd... Maybe I should call again... 

[KittyKat3072 235]

2 minutes ago, ECCK said:

I know - I couldn't really celebrate my visa because I didn't know what would happen to my cat. I've held off booking my own flight until I know what happens to my cat

 

I spoke to Qantas Freight too! Did they tell you when they plan to accept pets? That's so odd... Maybe I should call again... 

Yeah definitely call them tomorrow (they have normal Australian business hours). Maybe ask them if they know when or if they will be accepting international pet travel to the USA