The off topic thread 6.0

[Zidane98]

Yeah it's just damaged enough that I reckon they'd knock me back but not so damaged that I know for sure. And anyone I try to speak to for advice is just blanket saying don't travel because they don't want me holding them accountable.

An idea. Trip.com has Bangkok return today from Sydney for $579 dept Thu 21st May Return 28th May. I know this because my brother picked up Ho Chi Minh city return last Tuesday for $300 on trip.com They have bargains every Tuesday.

All you would need to do is get a cheap Bangkok / London return deal (without even trying hard I can see them going for around $950) meaning about $1500 return. Show your Aussie passport in Bangkok departing London. They might not even ask for your Irish passport arriving in London but take it just in case. You'd want a big gap between flights in case of delays obviously as not being on the same ticket would mean the airline isn't responsible for the connection.

Up to you whether you are prepared to take the risk.

 

[Bradesmaen]

To get a new Irish one will take months supposedly. And no scope for an emergency passport. I appreciate there's stuff going on in the world slightly more important but some of this stuff does get a bit silly.

Really? Surprised there would be no scope for an emergency passport, especially in Australia where there are 100k Irish. At least it's a cheap passport, waiting on citizenship here (been 3 months, takes about 4.5 under the spousal option to get accepted then another 2 months for Garda vetting)

 

[ADL9798]

Discovered I got a camera fine in UK, 41mph in a 30 zone.

Pricks actually have a speed camera location where it is a 4 lane main road in an industrial area where the speed limit used to be 40mph (it got changed to 30mph in 2020) and right after the intersection is a 40mph speed limit sign. Even my car's inbuilt speed limit display showed 40mph as the limit. Legislation in Victoria says speed cameras must not be set up within 300m of a speed limit zone change - it appears the UK does not have similar legislation.

It's now the 6th most profitable speed camera sign in the UK since the speed limit change and this is in an industrial area in Liverpool.


I can apply to get the fine withdrawn as it counts as a minor offence but have to complete a driver education course which I have asked for and should be fun.

I have never in my life paid an overseas fine.

Multiple parking fines, 1 or 2 for failure to pay tolls, I think 1 for speeding in the US, UK and Europe.

What are they going to do? Extradite you from Australia?

 

[Zidane98]

SM are you an Irish citizen by descent?

I don't see how UK immigration would even be aware of your Irish citizenship in that scenario unless Ireland fully shares citizen info with UK.

 

[Zidane98]

I have never in my life paid an overseas fine.

Multiple parking fines, 1 or 2 for failure to pay tolls, I think 1 for speeding in the US, UK and Europe.

What are they going to do? Extradite you from Australia?

It's a government issued fine and I regularly frequent UK.

Next time I arrive in UK I imagine that I wouldn't be allowed to enter until I settled the fine and any extra costs / interest payable.

So in this case I'll pay. If it were somewhere I would likely never visit again - different story !

 

[Bradesmaen]

SM are you an Irish citizen by descent?

I don't see how UK immigration would even be aware of your Irish citizenship in that scenario unless Ireland fully shares citizen info with UK.

Would assume there is due to the common travel area.

 

[Bradesmaen]

It's a government issued fine and I regularly frequent UK.

Next time I arrive in UK I imagine that I wouldn't be allowed to enter until I settled the fine and any extra costs / interest payable.

So in this case I'll pay. If it were somewhere I would likely never visit again - different story !

Would depend on the system over there as to how it is flagged, given they don't have your passport I assume. You might have an issue if you tried to work.

 

[Zidane98]

Would depend on the system over there as to how it is flagged, given they don't have your passport I assume. You might have an issue if you tried to work.

Just easier to get it over and done with.

The fine was a total scam but that's life I guess.

I asked and was granted an extension until Aug anyway.

 

[SM]

Really? Surprised there would be no scope for an emergency passport, especially in Australia where there are 100k Irish. At least it's a cheap passport, waiting on citizenship here (been 3 months, takes about 4.5 under the spousal option to get accepted then another 2 months for Garda vetting)

They claimed I wouldn't be able to get one, I think it's only for emergencies and didn't try the "I'm going over for a funeral"

 

[SM]

SM are you an Irish citizen by descent?

I don't see how UK immigration would even be aware of your Irish citizenship in that scenario unless Ireland fully shares citizen info with UK.

Yeah guess that's my thought, would they know I have an Irish passport somehow?

 

[Bradesmaen]

They claimed I wouldn't be able to get one, I think it's only for emergencies and didn't try the "I'm going over for a funeral"

I mean probably because you're a dual citizen they didnt care.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Yeah guess that's my thought, would they know I have an Irish passport somehow?

Probably not but it might be best to go the other path. All the major UK airports have eGates. Scan the Irish passport. If the chip and photo page are undamaged the machine will let you through. If it doesn't scan then you might have to answer a few questions to a customs officer before they let you through.

Question for Zidane98. When you flew out recently did you show your Aussie passport? If so, did either the airline staff at check-in or customs ask if you had other citizenships?

 

[ADL9798]

It's a government issued fine and I regularly frequent UK.

Next time I arrive in UK I imagine that I wouldn't be allowed to enter until I settled the fine and any extra costs / interest payable.

So in this case I'll pay. If it were somewhere I would likely never visit again - different story !

This assumes that systems across different government departments are sophisticated enough to actually talk to each other and automatically flag you at the border.

In my experience, frustratingly at times, nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[Bradesmaen]

This assumes that systems across different government departments are sophisticated enough to actually talk to each other and automatically flag you at the border.

In my experience, frustratingly at times, nothing could be further from the truth.

Government departments talk to each other? Blasphemy!

In the EU there is a thing called GDPR which makes it nigh on impossible for government departments to do that.

 

[moomba]

I have never in my life paid an overseas fine.

Multiple parking fines, 1 or 2 for failure to pay tolls, I think 1 for speeding in the US, UK and Europe.

What are they going to do? Extradite you from Australia?

I'm no longer welcome in the county of Holbrook Arizona for that very reason.