travelling to new Zealand with a warrant for a fine
Me and the family are travelling to new Zealand next week and I have a warrant for a fine as well as two other fines so my fines I would say is about under $2000. Will I get through customs? There and back?
Hi there. The information below may be relevant to your situation but should not be treated as specific legal advice.
A fine issued in Victoria goes through several stages. At first, an infringement notice is issued. If it remains unpaid, then it becomes an enforcement order and then an infringement warrant. If you have an infringement warrant in your name, this means that the Sheriff (if directed by the Infringements Court) can, amongst other things, seize and sell your assets, suspend your driver licence, or wheel clamp your vehicle. In some circumstances, a Sheriff may be authorised to arrest you.
The Sheriff’s Office will generally not take any of these actions to execute an infringement warrant until it has issued a document called a ‘Seven Day Notice’. If you have received a Seven Day Notice, this means that you have seven days to pay your outstanding fine, otherwise the Sheriff may take the above actions to execute the warrant.
You are not likely to face problems travelling to and from New Zealand as Australia’s borders are controlled by the Commonwealth Government rather than the State-based Sheriff’s Office. However, many of Australia’s law enforcement agencies share information about individuals of interest, such as those persons with a warrant issued in their name.
Suggested way forward
The above information is of a general nature only. If you want more information about the status of your fines and warrants, you should contact Civic Compliance Victoria on (03) 9200 8222 or visit www.fines.vic.gov.au. You should also consider speaking to a lawyer who can fully assess your situation and advise you of your legal rights with respect to the warrant and outstanding fines. By pressing the “Consult a Lawyer” button, LawAdvisor can help you search for experienced lawyers and obtain fee proposals for their services. Costs for legal advice and representation will vary between providers based on experience and the scope of services.
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