Entry Declare form (Not VISA)

[rhsjr]

We will be arriving via air into Sydney from the U.S.  We have our VISA's, but was thinking we could pre fill out the declaration form i.e. medications, food......, but can't see to fine one online.  Anyone have a link?

[The_Big_M]

It's usually done electronically on arrival at Sydney now at the egates.

[Beanb41]

You will be given a customs / immigration  declaration card on the aircraft by the cabin crew. It is normally done at the start of the flight to give you plenty of time to fill it out. They are also available in the arrival hall

[rhsjr]

Maybe I'm getting paranoid, but do you need to declare things like Tums that are loose in your pocket or Prep-H that is in your checked baggage?

[Beanb41]

4 hours ago, rhsjr said:

Maybe I'm getting paranoid, but do you need to declare things like Tums that are loose in your pocket or Prep-H that is in your checked baggage?

Read the form carefully. The NZ form and Australian ones are slightly different and ask slightly different questions. There is no excuse for no complying with the immigration / customs declarations. If in doubt declare it. If it is not an issue the border officer will have you on your way in no time at all

[The_Big_M]

If an item needs to be declared it doesn't matter whether it's in your pocket or in a bag.

 

That said, they're not out to get you - just declare if it qualifies and it will be assessed; most non-prescription drugs from a chemist are fine.

[Globaliser]

On 1/21/2019 at 1:37 AM, The_Big_M said:

It's usually done electronically on arrival at Sydney now at the egates.

 

On 1/21/2019 at 5:19 AM, Beanb41 said:

You will be given a customs / immigration  declaration card on the aircraft by the cabin crew. It is normally done at the start of the flight to give you plenty of time to fill it out. They are also available in the arrival hall

 

I think the form's still required, as the customs people have been wanting my completed form every time even since the electronic gates were installed.

 

I wouldn't rely on this task soaking up much of the time taken to fly to Australia. Even if you're only coming from New Zealand. It really is a pretty simple form. It still looks much like the following images (which were the first to pop up on a quick search), although it's possible that the detail has changed slightly.

 

Please note: the question about criminal convictions does not suggest that it is still compulsory to have one in order to enter Australia.

 

 

[Toryhere]

You wouldn’t bother declaring proprietary medicines unless you doubt that they are illegal in Australia. 

[Beanb41]

14 hours ago, Toryhere said:

You wouldn’t bother declaring proprietary medicines unless you doubt that they are illegal in Australia. 

 

Sorry disagree. Aussie Border protections are very fussy about these forms. If you have medicines of any type declare them. The officer will ask what the meds are and you are on your way.

Food: If it goes in your mouth it is food - declare them. Most commercial items apart from fruit that you may have with you are allowed. If they find food that isn't declared its $400 fine.

 

Don't try to be cute and say I didn't know that wont get you anywhere apart from the "Pay the FIne" here counter.. You will also be documented should you try the same thing on another visit then its off to court and up to $10,000 fine.

 

For the sake of about a 2 minute conversation chat with the Border Protection Officer its not worth it. The little beagle dogs you see walking around the terminal just love finding food

[Toryhere]

9 hours ago, Beanb41 said:

 

Sorry disagree. Aussie Border protections are very fussy about these forms. If you have medicines of any type declare them. The officer will ask what the meds are and you are on your way.

Food: If it goes in your mouth it is food - declare them. Most commercial items apart from fruit that you may have with you are allowed. If they find food that isn't declared its $400 fine.

 

Don't try to be cute and say I didn't know that wont get you anywhere apart from the "Pay the FIne" here counter.. You will also be documented should you try the same thing on another visit then its off to court and up to $10,000 fine.

 

For the sake of about a 2 minute conversation chat with the Border Protection Officer its not worth it. The little beagle dogs you see walking around the terminal just love finding food

I just noticed that I should have said “legal” rather than “illegal”.

i have travelled all over the worlds and never ever bothered declaring proprietary medicines, unless there was some doubt as to whether they are legal in the country concerned.

The Australian entry cards asks you to declare illegal medicines, not legal ones.

Preparation H is not illegal in Australia, but an ordinary medicine. There would be no need to declare it.

[Beanb41]

The Aussie entry forms asks if you have medicines and illegal substances. One should never assume what medicines are acceptable in one country are acceptable in another. A case in point is the common medicine Codeine Phosphate available in many countries on prescription but in Thailand one must get pre approval to take this "medicine" in. As I said earlier don't be cute. Declare and be on your way in minutes, don't declare and you may be delayed hours as they go through your luggage with a fine tooth comb. Your choice

[PerfectlyPerth]

Bean the form specifically asks you to declare "goods that may be prohibited or subject to restrictions" in relation to medications. 

 

You are only required to declare medications that appear or the prohibited or restricted list. This is the current list: https://www.odc.gov.au/travellers

 

There is utterly no requirement to declare basic over the counter medications, or any medications that are not prohibited or restricted, when entering Australia.

 

When entering other countries - yes you look for the equivalent quarantine government website in each respective country to ascertain the restrictions for that specific country. I travel with high dose codeine and morphine based meds and check the requirements for all places I am planning to travel to, or through.

[Beanb41]

When I pass through The border of another country I want to pass through asap. Having crossed the Aussie border more times than I care to remember I will continue to declare that I am carrying medicine rather than run the risk of an extensive inspection what may or may not be restricted or prohibited. I leave it to others to make their own choices. I can only offer my advice and experiences

[Globaliser]

On 1/26/2019 at 1:29 AM, Beanb41 said:

Aussie Border protections are very fussy about these forms. If you have medicines of any type declare them. The officer will ask what the meds are and you are on your way.

 

8 hours ago, Beanb41 said:

I can only offer my advice and experiences

 

So what is it that you're actually declaring? Do you think that the quarantine officers actually have the time and patience to hear 40,000 passengers every day declaring their paracetamol and ibuprofen?

[Beanb41]

The Aussie TV industry have made a living out of TV programmes about visitors crossing the border and not reading the entry forms correctly. IF you don't want to do as I suggest don't do it but please don't complain about being detained at the border whilst border protection staff ascertain just exactly what you do have and yes they have the time ask the necessary questions and do randam bag searches which they do.

[Globaliser]

1 hour ago, Beanb41 said:

yes they have the time ask the necessary questions and do randam bag searches which they do.

 

No, they don't - not for the kind of stuff being discussed here (the paracetamol/ibuprofen level of medication that every traveller should be carrying as a matter of routine). They do, however, have the time and energy to look for food, because that really is important for the biosecurity priorities - hence the focus in CC discussions on declaring all food, even that which is permissible.

 

You and I have both seen the changes that have taken place in Australian quarantine procedures over the last 30 years.

[John Bull]

Flew into Oz a week ago, IIRC the form was identical to the one posted by Globaliser.

I'm aware that they're very fussy about food.

but I really don't think they're interested in over-the-counter medicines or even prescription meds that can't be used recreationally. I didn't declare mine.

One thing I did declare was cigarettes - before I was given the form on the aircraft I didn't realise that the already- miserly allowance of just 50 cigs per person had in the last year or so been cut to just 25 cigs. Customs official said "no worries" 

 

JB 

ps Queensland is very soggy at the moment

[Keith1010]

We just flew into Sydney the other day.

 

The form has changed.

 

It no longer asks you about Medications.

 

Last year it did.  My wife takes three different medications.  We checked yes on the form to be safe.  We pointed it out when we arrived that we were not sure whether to check yes or no but checked yes to be safe.  We had original letters from the doctors noting name(s) of prescriptions and the dosage which matched to the container.  We brought new letters this year but as I said the new form does not ask about medications.

Keith

[clmom]

We just got back from our NZ/Aus cruise. Flew into Aukland. First port of entry into Australia (and immigration processing) was Hobart, Tasmania. With all the dire warnings I had heard about declaring EVERYTHING I was a bit stressed. I did not want to begin our vacation with a $400 fine because I was confused as to what needs to be declared and I think the Declaration form is a bit confusing in how the questions are asked. 

 I always pack a First Aid kit with a little bit of a lot of things. I bring hard candies and gum on the plane. I have packets of instant coffee and creamer, etc. for hotel room stays. My solution was to write it all down, 2 lists (medications, food) that I could hand to the Customs agent. This was actually a two-fold blessing. It got me to update my first aid kit AND reorganize my "go-to" carryon kit. So now, I have a printed list that remains in the first aid kit. They did ask me about the Sudafed allergy medication on my list, how many pills I had and warned me that it is not allowed but because I had such a small amount (12) they would allow it this time. 

On the airplane there was an announcement about bringing food into NZ. On the cruise, at every port, there were several announcements warning against bringing food ashore. No one can claim they weren't warned.

[Beanb41]

Sudafed is a precursor to making more potent illicit Class drugs and has been banned in NZ for many years. The above experience despite doubters to the contrary reinforces my advice to have a list available of all meds carried which can be produced on demand. Had the Sudafed not been declared and found during a random bag search the end result would have been long delays at the airport and whilst unlikely in this instance arrest for importation of class A drugs. Declare declare and you are on your way. Border protection staff are not interested in personal meds