Travellers to Australia need a valid passport or similar certificate of identification. Everyone, except travellers with Australian or New Zealand passports, requires a visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders apply for a visa upon arrival in Australia. All other passport holders must hold a visa or ETA before travelling to Australia.
Vaccinations:
Vaccinations are not required unless you have come from, or visited a yellow
fever infected country or zone within six days before arrival. No other health
certificate is required to enter Australia. For further information see Department
of Health and Aged Care and World
Health Organisation.
ETA:
An ETA is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in your passport
and there is no need for you to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit
an application. If you are eligible, the ETA is issued electronically by a
computer system operated for the Department
of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) of Australia.
To make things easy for you the Australian Government has made it possible
to arrange an ETA via the Internet - no application forms and no contact with
an Australian visa office is necessary. For more information click here. Visit
the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs' website for further
information on tourist visas, working holidays, business visits, students,
immigration, Electronic Travel Authority (ETAs), visas and other useful contacts.
For the location of your nearest Australian consulate go to Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website.
Duty Free:
Each traveller over 18 years of age can bring into Australia 1125ml of alcoholic
liquor and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products duty/tax free.
For other goods, including those intended as gifts, a duty/tax-free allowance
of $A400 per person or $A200 per person under 18 is available. These articles
must accompany you through Customs and must not be intended for commercial
purposes.
Cash:
If you bring in or take out of Australia more than $A10,000 cash or the equivalent
in foreign currency (travellers cheques excluded), you must declare it to
Customs. Failure to do is an offence.
Luggage:
Luggage and hand baggage may be inspected before passengers board domestic
and international flights. Also upon arrival into Australia all luggage may
be inspected. You need to declare all items of a quarantine concern, otherwise
you may be fined or prosecuted. For further information please see Department
of Immigration & Multicultural Affairs.
Departure Tax:
Departure Tax is $A38 per person and is pre-paid with your international airline
ticket. Exemptions apply to children under 12 years and 24 hour transit passengers.
Quarantine:
Australia has strict quarantine regulations. Australia is free from many pests
and diseases found elsewhere in the world. It's vital that you declare any
food, plant or animal items upon arrival, including fresh and packaged food,
fruit, eggs, meat, vegetables, seeds, animals, wood and plants. You can dispose
of these items at bins found in international airports.
Taxes:
Australia has a Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10 per cent. Prices in Australia
are shown as inclusive of GST. International and domestic flights purchased
overseas, by non-residents, are GST free. Continuous domestic legs of international
journeys are also GST free. GST is payable on tourism services such as accommodation,
day tours, guides, ground transport (including coach, rail and cruise), translators
and meals. The tax applies to pre-booked and pre-paid goods and services in
Australia, which are purchased before arrival in Australia, for example tours
or accommodation. The prices quoted for your Australian holiday, by your travel
agent, will already include the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The total amount
is payable at the time of ticketing your holiday.
Tourist Refund Scheme:
Departing travellers may be able to claim a refund for GST and WET (Wine Equalisation
Tax) paid on goods purchased in Australia. The refund is applicable to goods,
totalling $A300 (GST inclusive) or more that are being taken out of Australia.
The goods must have been purchased no earlier than 30 days before leaving
Australia. You can purchase several lower-priced items from one store, either
at the same time or on several occasions within the 30 day period. These goods
will be covered by the one tax invoice. Or you can buy goods from several
stores, provided that each store's tax invoice totals at least $A300 (GST
inclusive). Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) facilities are located at international
airports and cruise-liner terminals. To claim, travellers must show their
passport, international boarding pass, retailer's tax invoice and the goods.
Other conditions may apply.
Miscellaneous taxes:
There is a range of government, airport, sea and local taxes applicable on
air and sea travel. These will usually be included in your ticket.
Health:
You will encounter few health hazards when travelling in Australia, and hygiene
standards are high. Below is a brief outline of some of the issues you need
to take into consideration.
Insurance:
Travel insurance, with comprehensive health cover, is strongly recommended.
Comprehensive insurance should be taken out before departure.
Medicines:
Medicinal products brought into Australia are subject to strict controls and
should be declared on arrival. It is advisable to have a letter or prescription
from your doctor describing your medical condition and the medication.
Medicare:
Medicare is Australia's public health care system. Eligibility is generally
restricted to permanent residents of Australia. Australia has Reciprocal Health
Care Agreements with Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
General health:
You should protect yourself from risks such as HIV and other sexually transmitted
diseases.
Sun protection:
Enjoy outdoor activities in Australia's beautiful weather, but minimise your
exposure to the sun. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, cover up and apply water-resistant
sunscreen frequently.
Surf and water safety:
Australia is fringed with superb beaches just waiting to be enjoyed. As with
all beaches, it is advisable to follow basic precautions. Popular beaches
are usually patrolled by volunteer lifesavers from October to April. Always
swim or surf at patrolled beaches between the red and yellow flags which mark
the safest area for swimming. Take your time entering the water, and don't
swim alone. Also, don't forget to protect yourself from the sun - take your
hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and cover up, particularly in the middle of the
day.
From late October to early May, venomous box jellyfish, also called stingers or sea wasps, occur in the coastal waters of northern Australia and around many of the Queensland islands. They are rarely found on the Outer Barrier Reef.
In the Northern Territory, the stingers are present at all beaches, and in Western Australia they are found along the Kimberley coastline. Beaches usually have warning signs during this time, and visitors are advised to swim where protective enclosures are provided.
Seasons & Clothing:
The seasons in Australia are the reverse of the northern hemisphere. The summer
months (December to February) are warm to hot. Bring lightweight clothes,
but keep a jacket or sweater handy as nights may be cool. For the winter months
(June to August), warmer clothes plus sweaters, jumpers, a jacket or light
coat are advisable. In the tropical areas, lightweight clothing (natural fibres)
is suitable all year round. Special occasions For special occasions like business
meetings, theatres and formal dining, men may need a jacket and tie or suit
and women a more formal dress.
Telephones:
Australia has a modern and competitive telephone system. You can make local
calls, long-distance calls within Australia (STD), and International Direct
Dialling (IDD) calls.Local calls from public payphones are untimed and charged
at $A0.40. Long distance and international calls are usually timed. Public
payphones accept Australian coins and some accept credit cards and pre-paid
phone cards.
Mobile phones:
Mobile phones are available for rent, or bring your mobile phone with you.
Australia's mobile network operates on the 900 and 1800 bands for GSM and
800 for CDMA. Contact your telecommunications carrier for activating international
roaming while you are visiting Australia.
Email and Internet:
Internet and email access is readily available at countless Internet cafes,
hotels, hostels and libraries. Australia uses RJ-45 telephone plugs and Telstra
EXI-160 four-pin plugs. If your connection is not correct go to a local electronic
shop. Also check that your PC-card modem is suitable in Australia.
Electricity:
The electrical current in Australia is 220-240 volts, AC 50Hz. The Australian
three-pin power outlet is different from some other countries so you may need
an adaptor. If your appliances are 110V, you may need a voltage converter.
Universal outlets for 240V or 110V shavers are usually found in leading hotels.
Postal services:
Post offices are usually open 9.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday with some city
post offices open on Saturday morning. Stamps are usually available from hotels
and motels, and selected retail outlets. Travellers can arrange to collect
mail at post offices throughout Australia. Mail is held for 30 days free of
charge and should be marked 'Poste Restante'. Your name should be clearly
printed on the envelope. A passport is required when collecting mail.
Time zones:
There are three time zones in Australia, running east to west. Eastern Standard
Time (EST) operates in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria,
Tasmania and Queensland. Central Standard Time (CST) in South Australia and
Northern Territory. Western Standard Time (WST) in Western Australia. CST
is half an hour behind EST, while WST is two hours behind EST.
Daylight saving:
Some Australian states and territories have daylight saving during the summer
months. In New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South
Australia daylight saving runs from the end of October through to the end
of March. In Tasmania, daylight saving runs from the beginning of October
through to the end of March. Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland
do not have daylight saving.
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