Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should I declare on my arriving passenger card?
You must declare the following:
• Goods that may be prohibited or subject to restrictions, such as medicines, steroids, pornography, firearms, weapons or illicit drugs.
• More than 2250ml of alcohol or 25 cigarettes or 25g of tobacco products.
• Goods obtained overseas or purchased duty free and/or tax free in Australia with a combined total price of more than AUD$900, including gifts.
• Goods/samples for business/commercial use.
• AUD$10,000 or more in Australian or foreign currency equivalent.
• Any food – includes dried, fresh, preserved, cooked, uncooked.
• Wooden articles, plants, parts of plants, traditional medicines or herbs, seeds, bulbs, straw, nuts.
• Animals, parts of animals, animal products including equipment, pet food, eggs, biological specimens, birds, fish, insects, shells, bee products.
• Soil, items with soil attached or used in freshwater area ie sports/recreational equipment, shoes.
2. What foodstuffs can I take into Australia?
The importation of foodstuffs into Australia is strictly controlled and all such material should be declared to Customs on arrival. In particular, foodstuffs like milk and milk products such as cheese, cereal seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat products or food that contains meat, eggs, fish, poultry, beans, peas and honey is prohibited unless the importer has a valid Import Permit.
The AQIS website can provide further information on these prohibitions at
3. What can I take to Australia if I\'m moving there permanently?
To be eligible for duty free importation of your household goods, they should have been in your regular use and possession overseas for at least twelve months before they are imported into Australia.
Wooden articles such as furniture will be inspected on arrival and they may need to be treated by fumigants.
4. What do I need to do in order to take my car or motorbike into Australia?
• Importation of a motor vehicle into Australia requires careful consideration of the regulations administered by the Australian Customs & Border Protection Service and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government.
• When considering importing a car into Australia, Customs should be contacted first through the web-site http://www.customs.gov.au (a fact sheet entitled “importing a motor vehicle” is contained therein) and by email at [email protected]
5. Can I take my dog or cat into Australia?
The importation of live animals including cats and dogs and Australia is strictly controlled.
In most cases, the animals will have to spend considerable time at a recognised Quarantine facility in an overseas country before they are allowed to be imported.
Further details on the regulations regarding importing cats and dogs can be found at http://www.aqis.gov.au
6. Can I take my medicines to Australia?
You should declare your medicines to a Customs & Border Protection Officer on your arrival in Australia. In most cases, a letter or prescription from your doctor describing the medicine and your condition will mean that you will have little difficulty importing the goods. Some products however, will require an import permit and / or a quarantine clearance.
You are urged to seek advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) or Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) about restrictions in relation to importing medicines.