Minor moment of panic at the ticket counter trying to get a boarding pass when they said I need a visa before I can check in to the flight to Australia.
Turns out the visa "application" process was just filling out a web form on my phone, and it was "approved" immediately. I was worried I was gonna have to wait a full business day or something but guess not!
Also kind of weird is the ticket agent just had to check a box that said I have the visa, and that person would be fined $5000 if they were wrong. Seems like not the most ideal way to enforce that but okay.
Turns out the visa "application" process was just filling out a web form on my phone, and it was "approved" immediately. I was worried I was gonna have to wait a full business day or something but guess not!
Also kind of weird is the ticket agent just had to check a box that said I have the visa, and that person would be fined $5000 if they were wrong. Seems like not the most ideal way to enforce that but okay.
@aaronpk Had that problem on my first visit to Australia but it was long enough ago that getting to the web form from inside the airport was a bit of a challenge. I think that was when I was still using a Neo Freerunner; whatever it was, I remember thinking that most people in that situation would have been out of luck at the time. Now browsing the web on your mobile device from anywhere is routine...
@jamey [toot.cat] Heh nice. Yeah I was surprised that the application form was actually quite usable on a phone. All I ended up having to do was step away from the counter for a few minutes to fill it out, pay $20, then go back to check in.
I'm still a little embarrassed/annoyed I didn't know about this before I showed up at the airport!
I'm still a little embarrassed/annoyed I didn't know about this before I showed up at the airport!
@aaronpk Hah, yeah, I remember being embarrassed/annoyed too!
I seem to recall there being a warning on the application form that there was a possibility the application might get held for review, even though fortunately it went through immediately for me and you...
@jamey [toot.cat] I'm just glad I am privileged enough to not have to have changed my name in the past, because that definitely throws a wrench into things like this!