Australian Border Force Lists 4 Items Travellers Must Declare at Customs on Arrival

• The Australian Border Force published fresh guidance outlining which goods international travellers must declare at the border upon arrival
• Duty-free purchases, prescription medicines, coffee, and honey products all fall under mandatory declaration categories
• Border authorities clarified that declaring an item does not mean it will be confiscated, but allows officials to assess it

International travellers heading to Australia face stricter scrutiny at the border after the Australian Border Force published updated guidance on what passengers must declare when they arrive in the country.

The advisory, available on the Australian Border Force's official portal under its "Can you bring it in?" section, groups goods into three broad categories: items freely permitted, those that are outright banned, and a conditional category that requires travellers to present the goods to border officers before entry is granted.

Crucially, the guidance stresses that declaring an item does not guarantee confiscation. Instead, disclosure gives officials the chance to inspect the goods and determine whether they satisfy biosecurity and customs requirements.

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4 Items you must declare at the Australian border

The updated advisory singles out four common categories that travellers are required to disclose:

• Duty-free goods: Alcohol, tobacco, and general merchandise purchased at duty-free outlets must all be declared to customs personnel on arrival, regardless of their value.
• Prescription medicines: Travellers may carry personal medications into Australia, but these must be presented to border officials during the entry process.
• Coffee products: Roasted coffee, green coffee, and specialist varieties including Kopi Luwak (also known as civet coffee) are classified as "maybe" items, meaning their entry depends on the outcome of a border inspection.
• Honey products: Honey and related items carry the same "maybe" status as coffee, requiring formal declaration before an officer rules on whether they can enter.

Other goods that require disclosure

Beyond the four headline categories, the Australian Border Force also requires travellers to declare seeds, tea, whole eggs intended for human consumption, and laser pointers, which are classified under the weapons category.

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In many cases, such as tea and whole eggs, the items are typically permitted entry once properly disclosed to an officer.

Australian border authorities advise all incoming passengers to review the full regulations on the official Australian Border Force website ahead of their trip to avoid unnecessary delays or complications at the port of entry.

Australia opens new visa pathway for graduates

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Australia had introduced a special visa pathway that could give eligible international graduates more time to remain in the country.

The new route also provided an important opportunity for qualifying family members to join successful applicants.

The Department of Home Affairs had outlined key requirements and conditions for those seeking the extended stay.

Source: YEN.com.gh