Customs & Travel Visas

Customs & Quarantine

When arriving in Australia, you must declare all food, plant and animal items.

Seemingly harmless plant, food, wood or seeds can introduce deadly pests or disease.

Prohibited products may include meat, nuts, live plants and fruit.

Trade in endangered and threatened wildlife and native Australian wildlife is strictly regulated.

Products made from hard corals, giant clamshells, reptiles or whales may be prohibited or restricted.

Please visit the following link for further information www.customs.gov.au

As of 31 March 2007, there are new rules for taking liquids, aerosols and gels on flights into and out of Australia.

  • All liquids, aerosols and gels must be carried in containers of no greater than 100ml/3.3oz capacity.
  • All containers must fit comfortably into a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag, which is no more than 1 litre in capacity
  • There is a limit of one plastic bag per passenger.
  • The plastic bag must be removed from carry on baggage and presented to security personnel at the checkpoint for inspection and separate x-ray screening.

Containers that will not fit in the plastic bag or are larger than 100ml, even if only partially filled, will not be accepted.

There are no changes to the amount of these items that can be packed into checked baggage, within the weight allowance.

The new rules apply to drinks, creams, perfumes, sprays, gels, toothpaste, lipstick, lip balm and similar substances.

Basically, anything you can pour, spray or smear.

Medication and Baby Products

  • Prescription medication and prescribed medical devices may still be carried on board.
  • Reasonable amounts of non-prescription medication required for the length of the flight are permitted
  • Baby products to be consumed in-flight including baby milk, sterilised water, baby juice, baby food in liquid, gel or paste form and wet wipes may be carried on board
  • All medication and baby products may be subject to additional security checks

For more information go to: www.dotars.gov.au/transport/security/aviation/LAG/index.aspx

Passports and Visas

You will require a valid passport to travel to Australia.

Your passport must be valid for longer than the period of your stay.

Every visitor travelling to Australia is required to apply for a Visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), except for Australian and New Zealand passport holders.

  • An ETA is an electronic authorisation for travel to Australia to visit or conduct short term business in Australia. It replaces a visa label or stamp in your passport.
  • Passport holders from around 33 countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, are eligible for ETAS. Click here www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAAus1En.html for a list of ETA-eligible countries.
  • ETAs can be obtained from the Internet (www.eta.immi.gov.au), your travel agent or airline offices throughout Singapore.
  • An ETA allows for multiple visits to Australia for stays of up to three months at a time. The ETA is valid for 12 months or the life of the passport (whichever is shorter), but each visit must be less than 3 months.
  • A non-refundable service charge of A$20 applies per application.
  • It is recommended that you apply for an ETA at least 3 working days before you plan to travel.
  • If you are NOT the holder of a passport issued by an ETA eligible country, you cannot obtain an ETA. Instead you will need to apply for a visitor visa at the Australian High Commission during counter hours.

For more details on visa applications, please visit the Department of Immigration & Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs www.immi.gov.au.

For a list of Foreign Embassies, please visit the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade www.dfat.gov.au/embassies.html