Before heading out on your much anticipated Australian vacation, it is important to have a clear understanding of what to expect when entering and leaving the country. Most importantly, you will need a passport and an Australian tourist visa. When arriving in Australia, you will be asked to declare what you are bringing with you. If you travel with prescription medicine, you will need to check with customs prior to your visit to ensure your medication does not contain a controlled substance currently prohibited in Australia. If your medication is acceptable, you will need to declare it to customs officials and present your written prescription and/or a doctor’s note to them. You should not have more than a three month supply on hand. When leaving the country you must take all medications with you, and also be prepared to present your written doctor’s note to custom officials.
Australia’s quarantine laws protect the country from foreign diseases and insects. Be prepared to declare all food, dairy products, animal products, fruits and vegetables, and seeds or nuts. You will be given a legal document called the Incoming Passenger Card prior to arrival at the airport, and here you must declare any of the above items that you are carrying with you. Once arriving at the airport, quarantine officials will let you know whether your items can safely be taken into the country. If not, you may have several options, including paying for the item to be treated, storing the item at the airport until you are leaving the country, or disposing of the item in a quarantine bin. Your baggage may be x-rayed or subject to detector dogs, and if you are found to have prohibited, undeclared items, you will be subject to an immediate fine and could even risk jail time.
There are also important security measures undertaken at Australia’s airports, as with airports all over the world. Any containers of liquid, gel, or aerosol, must be under 100mg to be taken onboard in your carry-on luggage.
