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Travel Information

To help protect Australia's agricultural industries and unique environment, AQIS officers screen all flights, passengers, baggage, mail and cargo using X-ray machines, detector dogs, physical inspection, questioning and profiling.

If you are entering Australia to holiday, study or live permanently, or if you are an Australia resident planning an overseas trip it is a good idea to learn what can't I take into Australia.

If you are bringing souvenirs home with you, you must declare all food, plant material and animal products when you arrive in Australia. They will be inspected (and possibly treated) – this will help keep Australia free of pests and diseases. You make this declaration on your Incoming Passenger Card, which is handed to you by the airline before you land. You must complete this card truthfully – it is a legal document.

If you have items you don't wish to declare, you can dispose of them in quarantine bins in the airport terminal. Some products may require treatment (at a cost) such as fumigation or gamma irradiation to make them safe. Items that cannot be treated will be seized and destroyed by quarantine. 

All luggage is X-rayed or screened. If you fail to declare or dispose of any quarantine items, or make a false declaration:

  • you will be caught
  • you could be fined $220 on-the-spot, or
  • you could be prosecuted and fined more than $60,000 and risk 10 years jail.

You will not be penalised if goods are declared. If you are not sure, ask an AQIS officer.

We can also help you identify what you can and can't take across state and territory borders when travelling within Australia.

When you buy souvenirs to bring or post home, make sure you choose items that will make it back into Australia. In general, all food, plant material and animal products from overseas (including many common souvenirs) must be declared for quarantine inspection (and possibly treatment) when you get home. For more information view the following brochures:

What can't I take into Australia - Quarantine Brochure What can't be mailed to Australia - Quarantine Brochure

To help you determine which souvenirs will make it safely back into Australia, information about health, quarantine, safety and more to popular travel destinations, view our:

Tips for travellers

If you’re leaving for good or for a holiday, there is plenty of information available to help you get organised before you go:

Useful links

Essential planning:

  • Australian embassies
  • Australian passports
  • Visa requirements
  • Visa First
    Visa First assists thousands of Australians with UK and Irish Working Visa Applications, work permits, bank accounts and arrival packs. Contact Visa First to see how they can help you start your working holiday adventure!
  • Travel health
  • Travel Clinics Australia
    Travel Clinics Australia is the national association of GP-based WHO-authorised travel health clinics, that provide a complete range of travel health services to individuals, corporate groups and organisations.
  • The Travel Doctor
    The Travel Doctor TMVC provides travel health, medical advice, travel medicine clinics and vaccination services and current health alerts for travel overseas
  • Student travel card

Know your destination:

Australian Government Travel Advice:



Last reviewed: 17 Aug 2010
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