Australian Quarantine

General Quarantine in Australia
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)

Every country of the world has its own specifications concerning their quarantine regulations. You will find the Australian regulations very strict, but you have to bear in mind that Australia is nothing but a huge island.

Therefore AA Education Network will provide usefull information you will need to know about Australian quarantine regulations before you plan your trip to Australia.

General Quarantine in Australia
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is in charge of controlling the Australian quarantine regulations to ensure that diseases are not likely to endanger human health, native plants and animals, agricultural industries and the Australian environment.
Importation of fresh or packaged food, fruit, eggs and egg products, vegetables, seeds, cultures, plants and plant products is strictly controlled.

On arrival in Australia, AQIS may inspect your hand luggage to check for items such as food and animal products that are forbidden to bring into Australia. If such items are found, they are confiscated and destroyed.

Anyone carrying any of these items on arrival in Australia, must tick the appropriate box on the Customs, Quarantine and Wildlife statement. This is handed to you before arrival and must be presented with your passport upon arrival.

If you attempt to import prohibited products, it is likely you will be fined.

You can check with The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) for information on what you may bring in to Australia and what you can send by mail.
For further information please:

  • Get in touch with us.
  • Check out the forum.
  • Read the AQIS FAQ.

Quarantine Law Australia

Australia's quarantine laws are very strict. All incoming passengers to Australia are required to fill in a customs form, answer all questions truthfully and upon arrival, submit it to a customs officer.

If you declare that you have forbidden items, then these will be inspected by a Customs officer and if found to be harmless will be returned. If the items present a health risk, then the items may either be fumigated, held in custody until clearance is granted, stored at the airport for later collection, re-exported or destroyed. This of course depends on the quarantine risk assessment conducted by Customs.

For more information about quarantine requirements and forbidden items, please visit the Quarantine website. If you wish to bring prescription medicine into Australia, then the best referral for further information would be the Australian Therapeutics Goods Administration website.