Studying in Australia

Food

The following commercially prepared and packaged products are permitted:

• breakfast cereals
• chocolate
• coffee—instant, ground or roasted (excluding Kopi Luwak)
• confectionery (excluding Indian dairy sweets and meat-based sweets)
• instant noodles
• muesli bars
• plain bread, rolls or buns (without fillings or toppings)
• tea (black and green tea only).

Household items and clothing

These items must be clean and free from seeds, soil, bark, insects, food residue, animal tissue and plant debris and other biosecurity risk material prior to arrival in Australia:

• bamboo items (must be made from dried bamboo, not fresh or green bamboo)
• bedding
• clothes
• commercially prepared and packaged cosmetics and personal hygiene products
• down and feather filled items (including jackets, sleeping bags, quilts and pillows)
• kitchen equipment (including pans, blenders and rice cookers)
• musical instruments
• shoes
• wooden items.

Be aware that some toys, heat pillows, snow domes and souvenirs may contain material that is subject to import conditions, such as waste cotton, wheat grains, seeds, beans, soil, straw or water.

Other goods

The following goods are not a biosecurity risk and are allowed into Australia:

• alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and other processed tobacco products
• electronic equipment (including laptops, tablets, phones and cameras)
• valuable items (including jewellery, watches and currency).

These imports are regulated by the Department of Home Affairs who may need to inspect and clear these goods before they are released. Check the Department of Home Affairs for more information on clearing goods through the border and import duty and taxes.

For over-the-counter medicines, vitamin supplements and other therapeutic goods, please check with the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

• dairy products (including milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter)
• dried chillies/capsicum (unless commercially ground or milled)
• eggs and egg products (including whole, dried and powdered eggs, century eggs, egg noodles and egg-based mayonnaise, sauce or custard)
• flowers (including fresh cut and dried)
• food or medicines intended for animals (including worming tablets, antibiotics, canned or dried pet food)
• fruit and vegetables (including dates, apples, bananas and citrus fruit)
• home-cooked meals (any meals not commercially prepared and packaged)
• live animals (including mammals, birds’ eggs, insects, amphibians, reptiles, fish and silkworms)
• meals or snacks received on your flight (including fruit, yoghurt, milk drinks and sandwiches)
• meat (including salami, sausages and ham)
• plants (including potted plants and cuttings)
• pulses (including beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas)
• rice
• seeds (including spices) and nuts
• seeds or bulbs for planting
• soil (including samples, specimens and dirt on equipment or shoes)
• sporting/camping equipment that is dirty or wet
• traditional remedies and medicines that contain herbs, animal products or dried medicinal mushrooms (strict import conditions apply)
• wheat (unless commercially ground or milled).

Check Australia’s Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for the latest import conditions.

You must pack your own bag and be aware of all its contents. Everything in your bag is your responsibility. Items that need to be declared on arrival should be packed separately or at the top of your luggage.

Complete your incoming passenger declaration. You must declare if you are carrying food, plant material or animal products. If you fail to declare, or provide a false declaration, you can be penalised. For example, you may be given an infringement notice for up to A$2,664. Your visa may also be cancelled and, if so, you may be refused entry into Australia and held in immigration detention pending removal from Australia.

You will not be penalised under the Biosecurity Act 2015 if you declare and present all goods, even if they are not allowed into Australia.

You will have the opportunity to voluntarily dispose of food, plant material and animal products in bins located at the airport. Remember to dispose of any food received during the flight from the airline immediately.

Your baggage may be assessed to identify items of biosecurity concern. This may include questioning by biosecurity officers or screening using X-ray, detector dogs and/or physical inspection.

If your items do not meet Australia’s import requirements they may be directed for treatment, export or destruction at your expense.

Goods that do not pose a biosecurity risk will be returned to you after inspection.

The same import conditions apply to items sent to Australia by post. It is important to tell your family and friends overseas about Australia’s biosecurity laws and ask them not to send food, plant material or animal products.

For information on bringing or sending goods to Australia visit Travelling to Australia or email Imports.

To find detailed import conditions, visit the Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON).