Oceania (Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific) - Oz Border Controls

I know I'm wasting my time ...... but as Ozland already encourages visitors to apply for online visas before they arrive .... wouldn't it be great if they could allow you to pre-register things like the mundane doctor prescribed medication that is always OK if you declare it ..... but you have to tick the yes box then queue for them to wave you through. A simple database where you tick the medication you'll be coming with before you leave and you are then pre-approved and you simply print off the approval and keep it with you. It'd save Oz money, reduce congestion and save time ........

It seems daft to have to declare medication that is approved for prescription by Australian doctors for Australian citizens.

Surprisingly ticking yes has almost always ensured I get through faster. One question then straight on your way.

Surprisingly ticking yes has almost always ensured I get through faster. One question then straight on your way.

But you have to queue in order to answer the question and you aren't talking about those first few flights of the day are you.:mad:

First thing in the morning the queues can be dire - particularly if you're really tired and grumpy.:(

If you get one of those lovely people with their little rubber stamps lurking around the baggage reclaims and ask them to stamp you and you have said "no" then you are through absolutely pronto.

Anyway ...... I think it's a good idea even if you don't.:p

But you have to queue in order to answer the question and you aren't talking about those first few flights of the day are you.:mad:

First thing in the morning the queues can be dire - particularly if you're really tired and grumpy.:(

Oh but I am talking about those flights (and yes they're a PITA).;)

I always tick yes for food and make sure I have some chocolates -- just to get the queue, as this is always faster than then non-queue (based on dozens of entries into Australia).

If you did pre-declare as you indicate, then the customs agent has to have computer access (which they don't in their hand). So it would slow down the process for everyone, as they looked up the computer record for each person on exit). Great idea for those who make computer equipment and software to sell to customs, but at the expense of all the regular pax who don't have anything to declare :)

I always tick yes for food and make sure I have some chocolates -- just to get the queue, as this is always faster than then non-queue (based on dozens of entries into Australia).


Commercial samples are the best. In one move you have declared something (which apparently means you're not hiding anything), and you've shown the purpose for your trip.

Commercial samples are the best. In one move you have declared something (which apparently means you're not hiding anything), and you've shown the purpose for your trip.

Except ... I once took a set of proofs (book proofs) into Sydney, because I was going to show them to some Australian colleagues, and I had enormous trouble explaining to the customs people what they were and the fact that they had no commercial value, etc, etc. (I had declared them.)

Still, it was better to have declared them, I'm sure.

I always tick yes for food and make sure I have some chocolates -- just to get the queue, as this is always faster than then non-queue (based on dozens of entries into Australia).



But if you find one of the wandering agents in baggage reclaim there isn't a queue at all. She/he stamps your card and you hand it to another agent as you leave ..... you don't stop walking. A faster queue cannot be quicker than no queue.:confused:

If you did pre-declare as you indicate, then the customs agent has to have computer access (which they don't in their hand). So it would slow down the process for everyone, as they looked up the computer record for each person on exit). Great idea for those who make computer equipment and software to sell to customs, but at the expense of all the regular pax who don't have anything to declare :)

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFRR72TIGprONibFqygpgZaMrhS3BUt W7JPiIAQ0IFD1rKQMoOIGsfhng

Except ... I once took a set of proofs (book proofs) into Sydney, because I was going to show them to some Australian colleagues, and I had enormous trouble explaining to the customs people what they were and the fact that they had no commercial value, etc, etc. (I had declared them.)

Still, it was better to have declared them, I'm sure.

Damn, you lucked out! My conversation usually goes along the lines of:

Customs officer: "What are these for"
Me: "Commercial samples"
Customes officer: "Do you bring a lot of samples in yourself"
Me: "No"
CO: "OK, have a nice day"


But if you find one of the wandering agents in baggage reclaim there isn't a queue at all. She/he stamps your card and you hand it to another agent as you leave ..... you don't stop walking. A faster queue cannot be quicker than no queue.

I'd say it probably depends what you look like. Under 30 and travelling from Europe or SE Asia and they figure you might have something in your bag that you forgot was there.

I find it more annoying to arrive in non-peak times. No express queue for premium passengers, and no staff giving stamps in the baggage hall. Last time I had to wait over an hour at about 2 pm....

There are two things to remember. 1, the vast majority of travellers will have their bags x-rayed regardless of what they have declared. Predeclaring would not change this as the x-ray is more about ensuring that you do not have quarantine risk material or concealed narcotics.

2, ticking the box makes the x-ray a hell of a lot easier and the customs agent can get their answer in seconds. Eg, "I see you have declared medication. What is it?" "XYZ prescription meds. Would you like to see the script?" "No, follow the signs to the exit".

To sum it up, I don't see the point given that the overall process would have to remain the same.

I find it more annoying to arrive in non-peak times. No express queue for premium passengers, and no staff giving stamps in the baggage hall. Last time I had to wait over an hour at about 2 pm....

Try OOL, last time I went there it took 1hr30minutes to get out. Whereas BNE/MEL/SYD seems to take less than 5minutes when on a flight from NZ

I always tick yes for food and make sure I have some chocolates -- just to get the queue, as this is always faster than then non-queue (based on dozens of entries into Australia).

This. Once I even picked some up at SYD duty free (which is NOT the cheapest) to avoid standing in the long winded queues to clear quarantine; which, during the morning banks of arrivals from Asia, can be a royal pain in the proverbial.

If you did pre-declare as you indicate, then the customs agent has to have computer access (which they don't in their hand). So it would slow down the process for everyone, as they looked up the computer record for each person on exit). Great idea for those who make computer equipment and software to sell to customs, but at the expense of all the regular pax who don't have anything to declare :)

Besides, the customs agent would/may still want to ensure that the medication you declared on any such web based, pre-departure declaration form was the same as what you were carrying on your person.