Customs Australia

Customs

At Customs, you must be able to show your passport with the correct visa labelled on it in order to enter Australia. For working holiday travellers who have applied for visa online, they will need a visa label on their passports in order to prove their eligibility to work in Australia to employers.

 

If you arrive at Sydney Airport:

Your visa label can be printed before leaving the airport. After having your passport stamped, you will be directed to the visa label desk.

 

If you arrive at any other Australian airport:

For other Australian airports, visa labels can be printed at the nearest office of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). For tourist visa holders who are eligible for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), there would be no visa label on your passport as your details would be electronically recorded on Australian Government systems and checked by your airline.

The following items should be declared upon entering or leaving Australia:

• Weapons, ammunition and any other types of firearms – all forms of firearms real or replicas must be declared. Air guns, BB guns and other 'toy' guns that discharge pellets by compressed gas should all be declared.
• Image enhancing and performance drugs – these drugs include DHEA, steroids and other human growth hormones. You must possess a permit if you wish to bring these drugs into the country.
• Cash – if you are carrying money that amounts to A $10,000 or greater, you must declare this. All amounts of cash in all currencies equivalent to this amount in the Australian currency should be declared.
• Biological goods, animals, plants and foods – all animals, plants  and related foods and goods as well as equipments that contain any biological materials, sands and soils should be declared.
• Medicines – all prescription medicines, vitamins and other alternative traditional and herbal medicines etc. should all be declared. For certain products you may need to present permits, letters from your doctor and/ or a quarantine clearance.
• Protected wildlife – all living as well as products made from these animals or plants must be declared. For example, coral, ivory products, caviar and orchids.
• Goods that are Heritage listed – you are required to obtain a permit in order to export or import these goods. Examples of such goods may include art works, archaeological objects, specimens, minerals, coins and stamps.
• Products for Veterinary purposes – all drugs and medicines for veterinary purposes must be declared.
• Strategic and defence goods – permits must be obtained in order to export or import these goods. To gain more information about this category of goods, go to: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/FS_ExportControls.pdf

Australia has strict customs and border security guides to what you can and can not bring into our country. It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with some of rules before setting off to Australia, it will help for a smoother trip and will help you to avoid any unexpected trouble.

When going through an international airport you and your luggage will be checked by customs before you board your flight out of the country. To make sure you are not carrying any dangerous goods or items prohibited to enter you intended destination. You may then be checked again on arrival to Australia. In Australia we have specially trained customs officers and specially trained sniffer dogs to help protect our boarder, you may be asked to open your luggage and it be searched for prohibited items. Please remember that bringing a prohibited item into Australia will incur a fine.

Entering or exiting Australia will mean presenting your Passport, Outgoing Passenger card and Boarding Pass. Failure to do so may see you missing you flight.

Prohibited items include all drugs, counterfeit items and certain types of pornography. You will also need to declare the following items: Fire arms and weapons, Currency, Food and Plants, Performance enhancing drugs, Medicine, Any protected wildlife, Veterinary products and Heritage listed items.

Failure to declare certain items will mean a fine of up to thousands of dollars, aswell as the item being taken from you.

Always make sure you are up to date with customs rules and regulations to insure a happy and safe trip.

Any traveler has to care for compliance with customs regulations itself. You might be aware of the fact that you are not allowed to import or export unlimited amounts of goods. But like any other traveler you surely want to know what you can bring to or take home from Australia.

Therefore AA Education Network will provide Information you will need to know about Australian customs regulations.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is responsible for both controlling quarantine regulations and regulate the flow of goods to and from Australia.

On arrival in Australia, AQIS may inspect your hand luggage to check for items that are forbidden to bring into Australia. If such items are found, they are confiscated and destroyed. If you attempt to import prohibited products, it is likely you will be fined.

You may bring into Australia a range of duty-free and tax-free items as long as they are part of your personal baggage and not for resale in Australia. To access duty free entitlement, Australian Customs will require declaration of the amount and value of goods brought in to Australia.

Here is a brief overview of the most important facts concerning the Australian customs regulations:

Strict laws prohibit or restrict the entry of drugs, steroids, firearms, protected wildlife and associated products. All animals, animal products, food stuffs, plants and plant products must be declared.
There is no limit on the amount of Australian and/or foreign cash that may be brought into or taken out of Australia. However, amounts over A$5,000, or equivalent must be reported.
Travelers 18-years and over may bring 1 liter of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco duty free.
There is a duty free allowance of A$400 per person 18-years and over, or A$200 per person under 18-years.
Short-term visitors may bring most articles into the country duty free, provided Customs is satisfied that they are for their own personal use.

For more information please visit the Australian Customs Website. There you will find detailed information on what you may bring in to Australia, and what you can send by mail.