Are you about to travel to Australia, yet a bit concerned about the country’s notoriously strict customs control? Your well-deserved and worry-free holidays start with proper preparations, including a timely application for the Australia travel visa. Read on to find out what things you take, when packing your bags for Australia and how to apply for the eVisitor Australia visa.
Tobacco
If you travel to Australia and are 18 or over, you may bring tobacco products without a permit. A maximum of 25 cigarettes or 25 grams of other tobacco products can be brought duty-free. If you bring more tobacco than the amount which is tax-exempt, you must declare it to customs and pay excise duty on it. Please note that in this case, you will not just pay excise duty on the amount above the quantity permitted. Rather, you will then have to pay the import tax on all the tobacco you are carrying. If you fail to declare the excess tobacco above the duty-free limit, you are at risk for legal action. Alternatively, you could have your visa for Australia revoked.
Food Items and Contaminated Goods
It is important to see to it that you leave any leftover snacks provided during your flight behind. Food provided on a plane or ship arriving in Australia should not be carried at border control. If you plan to bring foods you packed yourself, you must at all times take careful note of the Australian regulations. There are certain foodstuffs which must meet strict conditions, whilst some others are banned entirely, as a potential biohazard to Australia’s living organisms. Items such as tinned food, packaged jam and pickles are allowed if declared, but fresh fruit and vegetables are strictly prohibited. Pollen, soil and clay pose an environmental risk and may not be brought into Australia. Seeds, on the other hand, are allowed if they are free of bugs, soil and other plant materials. All high-risk imports are inspected and non-compliant items will either be exported or destroyed at the passenger’s expense.
Fishing Gear
All fishing gear you are bringing along must be clean and dry. Make sure to wipe and disinfect your equipment thoroughly to remove soil, mud, clay and any animal or plant material. This means that, in addition, you need to make sure that all equipment used in freshwater lakes or rivers is free of algae.
Arms and Prohibited Items
Weapons such as firearms, tasers, automatic knives and concealed knives are not allowed in Australia. You are allowed to carry fixed blade knives, such as kitchen or hunting knives, provided that you declare these. You may not import pepper spray without a special permit, issued only for use by police or government officials. Counterfeit brand clothing, accessories, and cosmetics and other pirated products, such as bootleg DVDs, are all illegal.
In short, if you are not entirely sure whether your belongings are permitted into Australia, even after checking requirements, you are advised to declare these. This way you will avoid delays, extra costs or even custom seizures.
Applying for your Australia Visa
Before you carefully pack your bags for a trip ’down under’, make sure to apply for your Australia visa. Passengers from the UK, Ireland and other European Union countries can easily apply for the eVisitor visa Australia online. This visa is valid for 12 months from the date of approval and can be used for an unlimited number of trips to Australia within this validity duration. The visa enables you to stay in Australia for up to three consecutive months on each occasion.
Please note: this news article about the visa for Australia is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Australia.