Sydney Airport Customs

[euroflash]

*** SORRY, WRONG FORUM. DON'T KNOW HOW TO MOVE THE POST... ***

I have read that Australian customs are very strict. I wonder if it will be a problem to bring prescription drugs with me to Sydney? And do they check almost all arriving passengers' luggage and hand bagage? (I could imagine this being the case with planes arriving from Bangkok...).

Any good or bad experiences out there?

Edited October 21, 2007 by euroflash

[Farma]

I think you will find all Australian airports x-ray ALL your baggage. It doesn’t matter if you go through the green or red lane. They also have sniffer dogs checking passengers as you wait to collect your luggage.

Just declare your medication and any other items on the arrivals form. Keep your prescription or doctor’s note handy for customs. You won’t have a problem.

My past experience has been to declare it on the arrivals form. I was asked what I had to declare by customs as I joined the checking queue, I had some serious post operation painkillers, they then asked if it was prescribed by a doctor, I confirmed and they let me pass through to the x-ray machines.

[LeungKen]

Aussie Customs wanted to see inside one bag of mine 2 years ago saying there was food matter inside - on opening there was an unopened packet of liquorice allsorts ! Which as it turned out wasn't a problem - the point was they had equipment sensitive enough to indicate something suss !! Australian Customs can be hot - always declare ANYTHING you think may be a problem.

[jingjoe]

Agreed, bring a doctors prescription and declare EVERYTHING. These guys are pedantic.

[euroflash]

Thanks all for your replies.

Certainly sounds like a good idea to declare everything!

[Mighty Mouse]

I arrived home in Australia last week and had a loooooong wait to get through Customs/Quarantine. (almost 2 hours) I had nothing to declare but it didn't matter, I still had to queue up to put all of my bags through their x-ray machines.

The officers are very thorough with all passengers, so as others have wisely advised you, declare all of your medication and anything else that may be questionable, particularly food and any plants/seeds that you may want for your garden.

My wife brought with her some dried herbs that she declared. She was allowed to keep them.

The other long queue you can expect is buying duty free goods just before you reach the Customs desk. The wait to get to the cashier is probably not worth the few dollars you will save on duty. Buy your duty free goods at your departure point and carry them with you on the plane.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I arrived home in Australia last week and had a loooooong wait to get through Customs/Quarantine. (almost 2 hours) I had nothing to declare but it didn't matter, I still had to queue up to put all of my bags through their x-ray machines.

The officers are very thorough with all passengers, so as others have wisely advised you, declare all of your medication and anything else that may be questionable, particularly food and any plants/seeds that you may want for your garden.

My wife brought with her some dried herbs that she declared. She was allowed to keep them.

The other long queue you can expect is buying duty free goods just before you reach the Customs desk. The wait to get to the cashier is probably not worth the few dollars you will save on duty. Buy your duty free goods at your departure point and carry them with you on the plane.

Will they let you carry booze in your carry on luggage ?

[euroflash]

I arrived home in Australia last week and had a loooooong wait to get through Customs/Quarantine. (almost 2 hours) I had nothing to declare but it didn't matter, I still had to queue up to put all of my bags through their x-ray machines.

The officers are very thorough with all passengers, so as others have wisely advised you, declare all of your medication and anything else that may be questionable, particularly food and any plants/seeds that you may want for your garden.

My wife brought with her some dried herbs that she declared. She was allowed to keep them.

The other long queue you can expect is buying duty free goods just before you reach the Customs desk. The wait to get to the cashier is probably not worth the few dollars you will save on duty. Buy your duty free goods at your departure point and carry them with you on the plane.

Wow, Thai customs seem to be a ride in the park compared to this...

[peter991]

Yes, Dr Pat, you can bring in your alcohol in your carry-on luggage - but remember, you have to get it through under the 100ml Liquids, Lotions and Potions rule.

Because I travel regularly taking lots of prescription medications for a heart condition, I have a letter from my Doctor, on his Medical Centre's letterhead, listing the medications I have been prescribed. I have laminated the letter and it travels in my hand luggage with me.

I have not had a problem in Australia, but I was once asked for proof the medications were mine at Bangkok airport.

Peter

[ProThaiExpat]

I definitely feel age and ethnicity are a factor. Having done it many times with a Thai traveling companion, the Thai was thoroughly baggage searched every time. There was a special on a few weeks ago about Aussie Customs at Sydney and it was Chinese with bags full of food that were featured. I have been passed through every time without a hitch as I am old and white and vanilla appearing.

I saw one Chinese woman who had bags of foodstuffs, none of which got through.

I made the mistake of declaring my prescription drugs the first time and that triggered an inspection. There were many chuckles and grins as they saw my "drugs" were prescription meds or generic easily identifiable hypertensives.

The customs guys last comment to his mate before signaling me through was "I guess we should let him through this time!" All the conversation was very pleasant and warm. I felt a little foolish for declaring my meds as "drugs" and haven't done it since on many occasions.

My guess is that if you have the documentation for your meds or they are clearly that, if you are searched without declaring them, they are legal anyway so you will not be detained for bringing in legal personal use meds and not declaring them.

My recollection is that they ask if you are bring in any "drugs", arguably meds are not "drugs". Perhaps I just encountered affable guys the first time and the xrays didn't reveal my meds on the other visits.

[samran]

Declare everything, whether they are prescription or not. At passport control, they'll usually ask briefly about what you have declared, and if they don't think it needs to be declared, they'll change the customs declaration for you (and sign off on it).

I made the 'mistake' once of declaring only my anti-biotics which were prescription, but nothing else. Cause I was male, alone, and travelling from Bangkok, of course, I got pulled up for a thorough bag search.

Anyway, towards the end of the inspection they discovered Immodium which I had on me from a trip the week before to India (which to be honest, I forgot I had on me). That made their alarm bells go off, as I found out later, drug mules who swallow the drugs use immodium to stop them passing anything during the flight. Eventually, they were fine about it (technically though, I didn't have to declare it) but it did hold me up an extra 15 mins (on top of the bag search) as they tried to decide if I was a drug mule.

[Daewoo]

I definitely feel age and ethnicity are a factor.

There is a fine line between 'profiling' and 'racism' and Australian Customs tread that very fine line... Their experience has led them to 'profile' which passengers, which airlines, which ports of embarkation, which age sex and colour shirt they should focus on... see my previous post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1586404

As you head into the queue at customs there will be someone their to look at your declaration card and they will ask you what you have declared... if it isn't an item of concern, they will change your card and sign it and direct you to the 'nothing to declare' queue... you will still need to get your luggage X-Rayed most of the time... then it is straight through the arrivals gate...

I don't think that they are as vindictive as some would suggest US Officials are, but they are thorough... if you can get away without anything that should make you need to use the 'something to declare' queue, it is a good idea...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[Mid]

snip

Anyway, towards the end of the inspection they discovered Immodium which I had on me from a trip the week before to India (which to be honest, I forgot I had on me). That made their alarm bells go off, as I found out later, drug mules who swallow the drugs use immodium to stop them passing anything during the flight. Eventually, they were fine about it (technically though, I didn't have to declare it) but it did hold me up an extra 15 mins (on top of the bag search) as they tried to decide if I was a drug mule.

the things one learns ......................

[ProThaiExpat]

Well said, Daewoo, I omitted country of origin as a big profiling issue as is the frequency of travel. If your itinerary in the past few weeks involve multiple countries, I think your a prime target for search.

[Mighty Mouse]

Will they let you carry booze in your carry on luggage ?

It's crazy and this is the bit that I don't understand. As you enter any airport, you are searched and any liquids are confiscated from your hand luggage, but you are then permitted to buy all your duty free liquids at the airport and take them on board in your hand luggage.

For Sydney, passengers are allowed one litre of alcohol. No declaration required.

You may bring in two litres of alcohol but must declare the second litre.

[samran]

snip

Anyway, towards the end of the inspection they discovered Immodium which I had on me from a trip the week before to India (which to be honest, I forgot I had on me). That made their alarm bells go off, as I found out later, drug mules who swallow the drugs use immodium to stop them passing anything during the flight. Eventually, they were fine about it (technically though, I didn't have to declare it) but it did hold me up an extra 15 mins (on top of the bag search) as they tried to decide if I was a drug mule.

the things one learns ......................

next time I'll offer to do a turd there and then. Probably would shut them up.

[tw25rw]

Will they let you carry booze in your carry on luggage ?

It's crazy and this is the bit that I don't understand. As you enter any airport, you are searched and any liquids are confiscated from your hand luggage, but you are then permitted to buy all your duty free liquids at the airport and take them on board in your hand luggage.

The stuff you buy has already been security screened....

[tw25rw]

I often get stopped at Australian ports.. Think it's because of all the Amsterdam and BKK stamps in my passport..

Our customs are thorough and can be strict, but won't care about legitimate drugs..

BTW, I had my laptop scanned a few months ago, so be careful what you have on it.. Ordinary porn ok, but animals etc not ok..

[Youbloodybeauty]

BTW, I had my laptop scanned a few months ago, so be careful what you have on it.. Ordinary porn ok, but animals etc not ok..

For the animals... TrueCrypt

YBB

Edited October 22, 2007 by Youbloodybeauty

[tw25rw]

BTW, I had my laptop scanned a few months ago, so be careful what you have on it.. Ordinary porn ok, but animals etc not ok..

For the animals... TrueCrypt

YBB

Yes, I would use that... Why people like Gary Glitter get caught baffles me.

I had a messenger icon of someone humping a dog and he asked if I had any actual animal porn.. Don't think it was because he wanted some..

Edited October 22, 2007 by tw25rw

[jonniebkk]

BTW, I had my laptop scanned a few months ago, so be careful what you have on it.. Ordinary porn ok, but animals etc not ok..

For the animals... TrueCrypt

YBB

Yes, I would use that... Why people like Gary Glitter get caught baffles me.

I had a messenger icon of someone humping a dog and he asked if I had any actual animal porn.. Don't think it was because he wanted some..

I would think having encrypted files or drives or "hidden" drives (if discovered) would really peak their interest. At the least, they would demand that any encripted stuff be unencrypted before letting the notebook through. One question I would have concerns legitimate encrypted files like financial information or confidential business data.

[Khutan]

Sydney certainly is strict as with the other Australian points of entry. This has been the case with Quarrantine for a very long time, and Customs / Immigration has been tight since 2001.

As others have said before, always declare. Particularly if you are over with your smokes / alcohol, just declare and pay the extra duty.

......One question I would have concerns legitimate encrypted files like financial information or confidential business data.

They have a procedure for that. It has happened to me, I had some very confidential pre-sales information on my lap-top, I was asked to show it all, turned it on, and gave them a breif description of the layout of the folders and files, I opened the password protected section and they could see they were all .pdf files, and then I opened a few samples. They are more interested they are real documents than the content.

[tw25rw]

duplicate removed

Edited October 23, 2007 by tw25rw

[tw25rw]

duplicate removed

Edited October 23, 2007 by tw25rw

[tw25rw]

BTW, I had my laptop scanned a few months ago, so be careful what you have on it.. Ordinary porn ok, but animals etc not ok..

For the animals... TrueCrypt

YBB

Yes, I would use that... Why people like Gary Glitter get caught baffles me.

I had a messenger icon of someone humping a dog and he asked if I had any actual animal porn.. Don't think it was because he wanted some..

I would think having encrypted files or drives or "hidden" drives (if discovered) would really peak their interest. At the least, they would demand that any encripted stuff be unencrypted before letting the notebook through. One question I would have concerns legitimate encrypted files like financial information or confidential business data.

With Truecrypt, you can name encrypted volumes with any name you like, so you be unlucky to have them found. Not sure what the law says about detaining the PC if you don't tell them the password.

[Crushdepth]

Bottom line is you can't get in shit for declaring things. Just declare it, they'll ask if its personal medication and then wave you through no problem. They're going to see it in the x-ray anyway.

[jingjoe]

I got the 3rd degree a couple of weeks ago arriving in Cairns.. a few days in Thailand, a week in Holland, a few days back in Thailand. I got pulled aside, my passport examined, and then endless questions about why I go to Thailand, what I do there, where I go, why I go alone, why I go SO often, why I look tired in my passport photo and look tired now, which side my cock slips to etc. (It was all about Thailand).

My entry card clearly identified me as a "brother" government agency member, but that carried no weight, I was treated with serious suspicion (of something?).

The more she asked the more terse my replies.

I walked out to FREEDOM (an hour or so later) thinking firstly, that 40 year old white guys that travel alone to Thailand are the new drug mule/kiddy porn peddler stereotypes, and secondly that Aussie customs couldn't give two roots weather you're aussie or not, they just stick it up everyone.

[tw25rw]

I walked out to FREEDOM (an hour or so later) thinking firstly, that 40 year old white guys that travel alone to Thailand are the new drug mule/kiddy porn peddler stereotypes, and secondly that Aussie customs couldn't give two roots weather you're aussie or not, they just stick it up everyone.

That fits me exactly and an Australian passport makes no difference.

On my last trip, my passport was brand new so the only question I was asked was whether I'd been to the UK in the last month.. Usually I get the treatment.

[Guest madcow]

I got the 3rd degree a couple of weeks ago arriving in Cairns.. a few days in Thailand, a week in Holland, a few days back in Thailand. I got pulled aside, my passport examined, and then endless questions about why I go to Thailand, what I do there, where I go, why I go alone, why I go SO often, why I look tired in my passport photo and look tired now, which side my cock slips to etc. (It was all about Thailand).

My entry card clearly identified me as a "brother" government agency member, but that carried no weight, I was treated with serious suspicion (of something?).

The more she asked the more terse my replies.

I walked out to FREEDOM (an hour or so later) thinking firstly, that 40 year old white guys that travel alone to Thailand are the new drug mule/kiddy porn peddler stereotypes, and secondly that Aussie customs couldn't give two roots weather you're aussie or not, they just stick it up everyone.

The last three times to Oz all through Cairns , each time the 3rd degree , they definitely think I am a drug dealer .

In my opinion they are incompetent , inefficient and totally out of touch . They should know us guys go to Thailand for other stuff

[tw25rw]

The last three times to Oz all through Cairns , each time the 3rd degree , they definitely think I am a drug dealer .

In my opinion they are incompetent , inefficient and totally out of touch . They should know us guys go to Thailand for other stuff

They do know, and they want to see the pictures...