Quarantine and Duty-Free

Quarantine

Australia�s quarantine regulations are among the strictest in the world. As an island continent, there are many diseases (such as rabies) that are not found in the country. You must declare possession of animal, food and plant products. For a detailed list of banned items, go to the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service. In some cases, items will not be allowed into the country without treatments or quarantines. These can be expensive procedures; know about them before you go.

Duty Free

Shopping duty free can be a great way to save a couple of bucks. Duty free means items are without government tariffs, taxes and levies that are normally charged. Popular duty free items include alcohol, cigarettes, fragrances and technological products. Non-travelers cannot buy these items, and you usually cannot buy them less than 30 days before you leave a country. In many cases, the items must remain sealed until you leave the country, and displayed for inspection at the airport. Duty free fragrances and spirits are generally 40%-60% larger than domestic sizes. The Downtown Duty Free chain, which can be found in all large Australian cities and at all international airports, guarantees savings of at least 30% on fragrances, 40% on alcohol and 10% on technology products. You can buy duty free items before you enter Australia in your home airport or your arrival airport, before going through customs. You can also shop duty free upon leaving the country. There are legal limits on what you are able to take into Australia, and your home country. You may purchase up to 2250ml of alcohol to bring into Australia. However, you must declare to customs any alcohol over 1125ml. Here is a list of legal allowances.

Tags: Basic Info on Oz