Customs and quarantine

Before you land in Australia, you’ll be given an Incoming Passenger Card. It’s extremely important that you read this legal document carefully and complete it truthfully. You must tick YES to declare if you’re carrying any food, plant material or animal product. If you don’t wish to declare certain items, you can dispose of them in quarantine bins in the airport terminal.

Items that you must present for inspection upon arrival in Australia include:

• eggs and egg products
• dairy products
• uncanned meat products (e.g. fresh, dried, frozen, cooked, smoked, salted or preserved)
• live animals
• plants or plant parts (e.g. roots, bulbs, cuttings or stems)
• raw seeds and nuts
• fresh fruit and vegetables.

You must also declare AUD$10,000 or more in Australian currency or the foreign equivalent.

Your baggage may be x-rayed, inspected or checked by a detector dog team. If you fail to declare or dispose of any restricted items, or make a false declaration, you could face severe penalties.

When you go through airport customs, you’ll need to present your:

• passport and valid visa (New Zealand passport holders don’t need a visa to enter Australia)
• completed Incoming Passenger Card.

Duty-free allowance

Duty-free concessions are available to travellers, provided that they don’t exceed the specified amounts.

Most personal items such as clothing, footwear and personal hygiene products may also be brought into Australia, in accompanied baggage, free from duty (a type of tax).

For more information, contact your local Australian diplomatic mission (i.e. the Australian High Commission, Consulate or Embassy) or the Department of Home Affairs.

Unaccompanied goods

Unaccompanied baggage doesn’t receive the same duty concessions as goods that you bring with you. These goods may be subject to duty unless you’ve both owned and used them for 12 months or more. This also applies to articles posted to Australia.

For information about importing these goods, go to unaccompanied personal effects.