Narrated by Grant Bowler

At Tullamarine Airport, an unvaccinated Serbian tourist has been caught with an incorrect Visa application while trying to enter Australia with a medical exemption he claims to have obtained before departing from Belgrade.

He claims his medical exemption was approved by the Victorian government for a tennis tournament he’s entered in Melbourne, starting this month.

“So you say you’ve been here before, Mr Djokovic?”

“Yes.”

“And have you declared all the fruit you’ve got in your bag?”

The man claims he’s visited Australia several dozen times since 2005, and presents border officials with photos of several trophies he’s won in the country.

Had the man been vaccinated against COVID-19, he would’ve been able to enter Australia without the need for a quarantine period, but with recent policy changes, non-vaccinated individuals cannot enter the country without a valid medical exemption, assessed by independent medical bodies.

However, this medical exemption does not serve as a clearance to enter Australian, as the final determination comes down to the men & women of the Australian Border Force, controlled by the Federal Government.

The Victorian Government can be requested to sponsor the man’s Visa application, but after several phone calls, Border Officials determine the Victorian Government will not sponsor his application.

After 9 hours of deliberations, the man has been deemed to not have presented sufficient evidence to Border Officers for his medical exemption, and Border Officer Roger has no choice but to reject the man’s Visa application, and send him home to Serbia that night.

The man launched an appeal to the Federal Court to stay in the country.

It is still to be determined.