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Australia immigration (incl ETA visa) & customs

Old Aug 22, 2016, 9:41 am
  #46  
 
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Australia Customs - Engagement Ring

My gf and I will be going to Australia this fall and I plan to propose while on vacation. Beyond choosing the right location, my one concern is if the ring will cause problems at the border.

Are there any questions in regards to jewelry on the customs form on arrival? And is it something that they would notice and comment on when they scan our luggage?
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 1:15 pm
  #47  
 
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You'll be fine, as you're not selling or conducting any other business transaction, not something that needs to be declared either. Inbound luggage scan not common unless you're some dodgy Canadian. Good luck!
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 5:55 pm
  #48  
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Originally Posted by kirkwoodj
You'll be fine, as you're not selling or conducting any other business transaction, not something that needs to be declared either. Inbound luggage scan not common unless you're some dodgy Canadian. Good luck!
Goods over $900 need to be declared. There will be no taxes to pay as the OP plans to take the item back out of the country. Coming from Canada he's very unlikely to have his bags scanned.

https://www.border.gov.au/Enteringor...ipc-sample.pdf
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 6:30 pm
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Originally Posted by bensyd
Goods over $900 need to be declared. There will be no taxes to pay as the OP plans to take the item back out of the country. Coming from Canada he's very unlikely to have his bags scanned.

https://www.border.gov.au/Enteringor...ipc-sample.pdf
Well how about that.
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 7:12 pm
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by kirkwoodj
You'll be fine, as you're not selling or conducting any other business transaction
No bigger "business transaction" than proposing marriage...

Originally Posted by bensyd
Goods over $900 need to be declared. There will be no taxes to pay as the OP plans to take the item back out of the country. Coming from Canada he's very unlikely to have his bags scanned.
If the ring was bought in on her finger then there would be no expectation that it would need to be declared. Technically you're probably correct that it should also be declared in this case, but I doubt there's a customs official out there that would take any offence at it not being declared.

(I'm presuming that the OP will have a return ticket out of the country, and is on a tourist visa/ETA - for a resident it would potentially be a different story)
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 8:15 pm
  #51  
 
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Australian here! Count that as half good as I understand how customs works here, but half bad because I've only ever entered on an Australian passport rather than a foreign one! Thus my experiences being screened are quite possibly not representative.

Yeah, this is a bit of a hard case. It's technically a requirement to declare it if the value is >$900 AUD (690USD/890CAD) and you have owned/used it for less than 12 months. No Duty/GST would actually be payable, as you only plan to import it temporarily[1]. In reality this is rarely followed to the exact letter of the law, as many people liberally interpret the 12 months part or think goods only refer to something new and re-saleable, or with intent to sell, etc.

Though relatively uneventful, obviously declaring it would be a slight pain on account of not revealing the plan to the future Mrs Eternity000! Sadly they also tend to keep couples together when doing passport control, screening, etc.. making it difficult to wing it on the side.

I believe general intent is to stop people avoiding Duty & GST by way of personal airplane courier. We have a similar limit (which for some reason, is $1000 instead of $900) for importing goods via mail from overseas - i.e. every online purchase and there are similar rules for importing your personal goods (even as a tourist) that do not travel with you (unaccompanied).


The reality is that, unless you have other goods or large quantities of goods that are going to draw attention - a ring in your luggage (or carry on) is incredibly unlikely to attract attention, even during a search. However there is always a chance it would be exposed during during a screening search of either should that occur for some reason because you are likely to be together. Having the ring is unlikely to trigger that search, but it may well be simply moved around / unpacked / exposed during such a search - not just at the AU border, but at departure, or at security checkpoints if in carry-on.

The way the screening process works in my experience is that when you turn in this card, you have gone through passport control, collected your luggage (and have it with you) and then an officer checks your card and will either wave you through with no further checks, or may put you into a line to have your baggage x-rayed and potentially physically checked -- or sometimes if you declared something they'll just get you to unpack the declared items to check and or discuss them. A good amount of the time you just get waived through as an Australian, and from others in the thread seems likely as Canadian/USA - the most common problem they are dealing with is people bringing in food (we have strict quarantine laws compared to many parts of the world, especially europe/asia).

For the proper information page, see: https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/...ee-concessions
Personal goods are free from duty and tax if they are:
- owned and used by you overseas for 12 months or more
- imported temporarily (a security may be required by the Department)


If you don't want to live free and dangerously (which honestly, would probably just work out) and ensure you are 100% legit while also not revealing the master plan, the best suggestion I have is to import it via post to the hotel or something like that. Then you can do all the declarations ahead of time. Not sure I could stomach having it out of my site though! See: https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Send
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 8:55 pm
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Originally Posted by lathiat
If you don't want to live free and dangerously (which honestly, would probably just work out) and ensure you are 100% legit while also not revealing the master plan, the best suggestion I have is to import it via post to the hotel or something like that. Then you can do all the declarations ahead of time. Not sure I could stomach having it out of my site though! See: https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Send
Presuming the ring is worth more than $1000, then importing it via mail/courier/etc is going to mean that GST WILL be due. Add that to the cost of the postage, plus the insurance that you'd absolutely have to get for something like this, and... well... probably not a good idea on any level.
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Old Aug 22, 2016, 9:36 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by docbert
If the ring was bought in on her finger then there would be no expectation that it would need to be declared. Technically you're probably correct that it should also be declared in this case, but I doubt there's a customs official out there that would take any offence at it not being declared.

(I'm presuming that the OP will have a return ticket out of the country, and is on a tourist visa/ETA - for a resident it would potentially be a different story)
Oh I agree with you completely. I don't really think there is even an expectation that such an item would be declared, but the wording on the form is pretty clear that any item over $900 must be declared. It's not like when you bring in golf clubs or a new bike and can just rub some dirt on them beforehand and say you've had them for years. And they often clean them up for you too, lest any noxious dust mites or the like enter.

Last edited by bensyd; Aug 22, 2016 at 9:45 pm
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Old Aug 23, 2016, 2:25 am
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Just bring it, don't declare it, the risk is minute. I wouldn't think twice about it. The posts above are helpful as you should know the rules, and technically you should follow them. But it's a tiny thing and won't be noticed... Now see who flames me
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Old Aug 23, 2016, 7:04 am
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I'm Aussie too, completely agree with you CPMaverick.
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Old Aug 23, 2016, 7:38 am
  #56  
 
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Thanks for the advice everyone. Normally I don't worry about little things like this, but I'll take my chances that I won't get caught.

Worst case there is always the backup option (though thoroughly unromantic) of proposing at the airport.
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Old Aug 23, 2016, 7:48 am
  #57  
 
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Originally Posted by Eternity000
Worst case there is always the backup option (though thoroughly unromantic) of proposing at the airport.
When I read the thread title, for some reason I thought you were going to ask how to get Customs to help you propose...
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Old Aug 24, 2016, 5:44 am
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by CPMaverick
When I read the thread title, for some reason I thought you were going to ask how to get Customs to help you propose...
I arrived at Sydney International with my boyfriend when customs immediately handcuffed and hoisted me away into a small room... something somtehing 10 hours later tired and dazed he popped the question under the dull glow of an interview light.

Not sure if I'm starting a horrifying proposal or some kind of kinky flyer fic
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Old Aug 29, 2016, 3:14 pm
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I would consider taking it out of a ring case where it would be far more likely to be noticed. Put it is a gadget bag, pocket, etc. Then back into the ring case after customs.

I regularly travel with more that $900 in 'goods' Heck, I have 4 lenses each over that amount. A laptop. etc.

A ring mixed in with CF flash cards and other personal items would be my approach. As an alternative, put in in your toiletries bag. I just think a single ring, in a sea of clothing, would be more likely to elicit interest

Could even include a note: "Engagement Ring- Im proposing...dont blow it!"

... Its Australia, I bet it would work!
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Old Sep 9, 2016, 10:04 am
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Originally Posted by CPMaverick
Just bring it, don't declare it, the risk is minute. I wouldn't think twice about it. The posts above are helpful as you should know the rules, and technically you should follow them. But it's a tiny thing and won't be noticed... Now see who flames me
OP:
Step 1: If you get caught with the ring, get on your knees and propose to gf pronto :-)

Step 2: If she says No ...
a) you might as well be deported back, or
b) turn towards the customs agent (hopefully female) and repeat Step 1 ;-) ;-)
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