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  1. Home
  2. While you’re away
  3. Returning to Australia

Returning to Australia

The Australian Border Force controls our borders. You'll need to comply with all requirements from border agents. This protects Australia's environment, economy and security. If you don't, penalties and fines may apply.

To reduce the risk of experiencing delays and problems when you return to Australia, consider:

  • the documents you need to pass through SmartGate or border control
  • biosecurity requirements
  • import requirements

Documents, passport and SmartGate

All travellers returning to Australia must have a:

  • valid passport
  • completed Incoming Passenger Card (IPC)

You can use SmartGate when arriving at Australian international airports if you:

  • hold an Australian or New Zealand ePassport
  • are aged 16 or older

All Australian passports are ePassports. An ePassport contains electronic information that helps to confirm your identity.

SmartGate uses ePassport data and facial recognition technology to let you go through passport control by yourself. It is quick and secure, meaning you may leave the airport faster.

Biosecurity

Australia has strict biosecurity controls to help minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering the country.

All travellers must comply with the requirements before entering Australia, this is regulated by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture.

You must declare certain food, plant material and animal products on your Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). An IPC is a document that identifies and records a person's entry into Australia. It is where you declare goods for custom and quarantine inspection.

If you declare goods on your IPC, go to an inspection point on arrival. A biosecurity officer will assess them.

If you don't want to declare goods, dispose of them in the bins at the terminal before the inspection points.

You could be fined or prosecuted for carrying undeclared controlled goods.

Officers screen your luggage using:

  • detector dogs
  • x-ray machines
  • baggage inspection

In many cases, they'll return your declared goods to you after inspection. Some items may need treatment to make them safe. Some items are not allowed into Australia because of the risk of pests and disease. Officers may seize these for export or destruction.

Before you travel, check if you can bring your items back into Australia.

Check detailed import conditions on the Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) website.

Importing goods

Australian Border Force regulates which goods you can and can't bring in and whether you'll need a permit.

Restricted items

You must declare these restricted or prohibited items upon arriving in Australia:

  • firearms, weapons and ammunition
  • currency (A$10,000 or more, or foreign equivalent)
  • agricultural and veterinary chemical products
  • pornography and objectionable material
  • heritage-listed goods, such as works of art, stamps, coins, archaeological objects and specimens
  • defence and strategic goods

Medicines, drugs and herbal remedies

You need to declare all medicine including:

  • prescription medications
  • alternative and herbal medicines
  • vitamins and mineral preparation formulas
  • performance- and image-enhancing drugs
  • veterinary medicines

Wildlife, plants and animals

Wildlife products need approval from Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture. Many also require permits from the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy.

'Wildlife' includes any whole, part or derivative of a plant or animal, living or non-living. Examples include:

  • protected wildlife, such as coral, orchids, caviar and hunting trophies
  • wood and seeds
  • ivory and products made from ivory
  • insects
  • leather or fur
  • traditional medicines containing animal organs, teeth or body parts
  • faeces
  • live plants
  • fresh or dried flowers

If you buy wildlife products overseas, find out if you need a permit. If you don't have the correct permit, authorities will seize your product. Penalties or fines may apply.

See also

  • Read the Department of Agriculture's advice on bringing items back to Australia
  • See the Australian Border Force information guidance on returning to australia through quarantine
  • The Department of the Environment and Energy publishes information for travellers returning to Australia
  • See the Therapeutic Goods Administration for information about bringing medicines and medical products into Australia
  • The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority regulates what veterinary pharmaceuticals you can and can't bring in to Australia

 

Related content

Notarial services (legalising documents) in Australia

Explore this page for information about how to find out if you need your document legalised and which documents we can legalise in Australia.

View details
Notarial services

The Australian Government can provide some notarial services. The services we provide depends if requested in Australia or overseas. We charge fees for our service.

View details
Certificates of No Impediment (CNI) to Marriage

If you're going overseas to get married, you may need a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI) to prove you're single and free to marry.

View details

Main navigation

  • When things go wrong
    • Arrested or jailed
    • Lost property
    • Medical assistance
    • Money problems
    • Someone is missing
    • Someone died
  • Crime overseas
    • Assaulted
    • Kidnapped
    • Robbed or mugged
    • Scammed
    • Sexually assaulted
  • Crisis or emergency
    • Demonstration
    • Earthquake
    • Severe weather
    • Terrorist situation
    • Volcanic eruption
  • Returning to AustraliaAll travellers returning to Australia must have a valid passport and completed Incoming Passenger Card. Learn more about entry requirements.

Contact us

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

+61 421 269 080 from SMS

For non-urgent enquiries, visit the contact page

About us

Smartraveller is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

For more information go to about us.

Resources

View resources for travel industry and media.

Feedback

To provide feedback on our website or subscription service, email us at smartraveller@dfat.gov.au

To provide feedback on consular services that you have recently received, email consular.feedback@dfat.gov.au

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Main navigation

  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Hajj
      • Ramadan
    • Health
      • Death
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Mental health
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health
      • Vaccinations
    • Staying safe
      • Assault
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
    • Returning to AustraliaAll travellers returning to Australia must have a valid passport and completed Incoming Passenger Card. Learn more about entry requirements.
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese (simplified)
      • Chinese (traditional)
      • Vietnamese
      • Thai
      • Indonesian
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
      • Passports in Australia
      • Passports overseas
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
    • Voting overseas
    • Resources
      • Communities
        • Arabic
        • Chinese (simplified)
        • Chinese (traditional)
        • Indonesian
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • Missing overseas (PDF)
      • Arrested or jailed overseas (PDF)
      • Sexual assault overseas (PDF)
      • Death overseas (PDF)
      • Travel Smart (PDF)
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement (PDF)
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide (PDF)
      • Before you go checklist (PDF)