Australia is the only country in the world to be its own continent and it's the sixth largest country in the world by land area. From the rugged wilderness of the Australian Outback to the beautiful modern-day architectural marvels of the country's largest coastal cities like Sydney and Melbourne, there is something for everyone in Australia.
Whatever your reasons for relocating to Australia, you'll need to be properly prepared when entering the country through customs.
Here's what you need to know when preparing to travel to Australia from the United States:
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY
When you relocate to another country, the process of entering through customs and declaring your shipment of goods is complicated. In addition to the usual documents required when traveling abroad (passport, visa, etc.) there are several more important documents that you'll need if you're going to be relocating to Australia:
- All shippers (excluding Australian and New Zealand citizens) are required to have a visa to gain entry and to import household goods shipments
- A customs form B534 Unaccompanied Effects Form is required for all shipments to be imported. This form can be obtained from the destination agent or downloaded.
- The agent can clear the shipment if the shipper is not in the country, provided the form B534 is complete and there are no dutiable items with the shipment
- The B534 must be the original as completed by the client--customs will not accept faxed or photocopied forms, customs will also ask for a photocopy of each page of the client's passport
- An Authority to Act form must be completed by the client to authorize clearance on their behalf
- Owner packed goods require a list of contents from the owner
- A descriptive inventory (English) is required
- Any receipts for goods not owned and used for at least 12 months
- All arriving passengers must complete an Incoming Passenger Card
- All other travelers must present their passport and completed Incoming Passenger Card to a Customs and Border Protection officer on arrival before collecting their baggage
SHIPPING AND CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Customs regulations are always changing, so you should make sure that you're well-versed in the current rules and guidelines for people entering customs in Australia.
Here are some of the customs regulations for shipping your goods to Australia:
- Shipments of household goods and personal effects are allowed duty free entry, provided that they have been owned and used by the shipper for at least twelve (12) months prior to importation.
- Goods may be cleared before the client arrives in the country provided that all of the necessary, correctly completed documents are in order.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Before you move, take a moment to familiarize yourself with what items are prohibited in your destination country.
The following items are prohibited from entry into Australia through customs and may be seized upon arrival:
- Food:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables (do not use fruit boxes to pack items, they are prohibited)
- Grains such as popcorn (popped and unpopped), barley, beans, seeds, etc.
- All meat and dairy products
- Plants or parts of plants, soil, seeds, dried flowers and the like
- Ensure that ALL soil is PROPERLY washed off garden implements or shoes/boots, all grass/soil is removed from lawnmowers and bicycles, vacuum cleaner bags are disposed of, Christmas decorations do NOT contain any pine cones, pieces of bark, branches, or any leaves (i.e. parts of any plant)
- Most animals, including wildlife and endangered species, animal products (such as ivory, skins, feathers, bones, shells and the like or products made from these items) or animal equipment and biological specimens
- If any of the above items are in your shipment, the shipment will be seized by Customs for identification
- Radio transmitters, citizen band radios, cordless telephones (must be approved by the Department of Transport and Communication)
- If above items in shipment, shipment will be seized by Customs for safety checking
- Importation of any prohibited item without the necessary Australian Import Permit, may result in $50,000 to $100,000 fines and a jail term of 5-10 years
RESTRICTED ITEMS
While the items on this list are not completely prohibited from entering the country through customs, there may be a tax or duty placed on them upon arrival, or other restrictions.
The following items are dutiable and/or restricted:
- Firearms, weapons, ammunition, explosives and some types of martial arts weapons
- Firearms are subject to severe restrictions
- Weapons will undergo safety check
- All firearms will be held by Customs upon arrival and held in Queens Bond pending approval by the Police Department for a Shooters License
- Illegal pornography
- Performance and image-enhancing drugs
- Currency ($10,000 Australian dollars or more)
- Medicines and substances which may be subject to misuse, abuse or dependence letter from doctor must state that medication is required for Customer's treatment, and it has been supplied by prescription)Protected wildlife and wildlife products
- Heritage-listed goods
- Veterinary products
- Defense and strategic goods
Any alcohol brought into Australia must be declared and is subject to duty/GST. Charges are calculated on the following:
- Value of each bottle
- Percentage of alcohol content
- Volume
- Each bottle of alcohol needs to be listed, and have the above noted, on a separate inventory sheet.
MOTOR VEHICLE REGULATIONS
If you're relocating to Australia, you may want to have a car with you in your new country. If you already own a car and you are considering having it shipped to Australia, you should pay close attention to the rules and regulations regarding motor vehicle shipments. If you will be shipping your car to Australia, the following guidelines and regulations will apply:
- The importation of motor vehicles into Australia is strictly controlled and there are no duty/GST free concessions available. This means that all motor vehicles, including motorcycles, will be subject to duty and/or GST which will be calculated on the value of the vehicle.
- High value vehicles will attract a Luxury Car Tax
- All vehicles must comply with Australian Design Regulations which, in almost every case, will require modification to be undertaken to the vehicle to bring it up to the required standard. It is possible that in some instances a vehicle may not be able to be modified, or alternatively may require extensive modification so as to allow registration.
- All such modifications must be undertaken and certified by an accredited Australian automotive engineer and can be a very costly undertaking which often results in an uneconomical situation arising in preparing a vehicle for road use.
- Customer must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident
- Customer must have owned and used the auto for at least 12 months prior to import
- The applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a license or permit to drive a road vehicle
- The applicant undertakes to comply with any requirements as to road safety that are imposed in respect of the vehicle by the Administrator of Vehicle Standards
- Customer has not imported a road vehicle owned by him or her within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia
- All vehicles intended to be imported, including motor vehicles, motorcycles, caravans, trailers etc. must have an individual Vehicle Import Approval prior to their arrival in Australia
- An 'Application For Vehicle Import Approval' must be lodged with the Vehicle Safety Standards office in Canberra, prior to the arrival of the vehicle in Australia. This action must be undertaken as early as possible as motor vehicles are unable to be cleared until an approved application has been obtained
- Further information on vehicle compliance requirements and access to the Application for a Vehicle Import Approval is located here.
- The owner or spouse must produce the documents listed below and complete a B357 Form (Statement for Vehicle Imported by a Passenger)
- Documents Required:
- Bill of Sale
- Certificate of Steam Cleaning
- Current Passport (previous passport required together with current, if current passport has been issued after purchase of vehicle)
- Import Permit (will not be granted to Customers who are on a temporary visa)
- Original Purchase and Registration Papers (showing purchase price and purchase date)
- Receipts for any modifications to the vehicle which would add value to the purchase price
- Insurance Policy
- Drivers License
- Service records and log books
- Car Condition Report
- Authorization from Federal Office of Road Safety
- Clearance from the Australian Quarantine Service
- The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) inspects all vehicles on arrival, and requires them to be properly cleaned. This is usually achieved by steam cleaning. The customer should remove all soil and any other matter from your vehicle (including and especially the underside) prior to its exportation
- Further information on Australian Quarantine Inspection Service can be located on their website and select the Quarantine and Inspection option
- CUSTOMER MUST BE IN AUSTRALIA FOR AUTO CLEARANCE TO AVOID BONDED STORAGE CHARGES AND DEMURRAGE
- LEFT-HAND DRIVEN VEHICLES SUBJECT TO TEMPORARY PERMIT FROM DEPARTMENT OF ROAD SAFETY
- Further information relating to the current Customs clearance and valuation process and the applicable Customs Duty, GST and Luxury Car Tax rates can be located on the Australian Customs Serviceweb site.
PETS AND ANIMAL REGULATIONS
It always helps to have a companion by your side when you're beginning your life in a new country, so bringing your pet along with you is a great way to enjoy the comforts of home. However, you should first familiarize yourself with the regulations regarding traveling with pets to Australia, as well as what kind of documents you'll need to clear customs:
- Strict regulations and quarantine apply (quarantine space very limited)
- Length of quarantine will depend upon the type of animal and country of origin
- Proof of inoculation
- Must obtain an Import Permit from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
- Birds prohibited
- Further information on the importation of pets to Australia can be found here.
INTERNATIONAL MOVES
International moves are unique in the amount of preparation and planning that is required to relocate from one country to another. Besides securing the services of an international moving company to handle your shipment, packing your belongings and planning your moving budget, you must also consider the customs regulations in your destination country. These regulations often vary and are subject to change.
To help you prepare for your move, we've provided you with a few helpful links to learn more about the complicated international moving process: