kpc

Just typing this from the interanational departure terminal at Syd...ALL the shops have wasted no effort in letting the passengers know the increased duty free allowances...even the sales staff keep reminding you

Kiwi Flyer

I even saw signs about increased allowance at immigration (MEL int heading out).

serfty

Increased?, gee that annoys me. The one thing sure to increase is customs revenue!

What has been done is to take the $50 common allowance and force it to be used as part of the $400 general allowance, making that $900, then "adding" 1.125 litres to the alcohol allowance.

They are actually going to make more $$ out of this is in several ways:
1. Quite a few travellers never use the $400 allowance, let alone $900.
2. The charging of duty/excise/GST on the total amount/quantity if an allowance is exceeded.
3. More $$ on cigarettes as less can be brought in duty free.

NM

Serfty, I agree with you. Before the changes I could bring back just as much booze, just had to declare it and all was ok. So no real increase there. Before the change I would bring back $900 in DF good and as long as declared they would not charge anything. This was the $400 DF allowance plus the $50 duty waiver on the extra $500. So the real amount I could bring in is no different than before, just that I only have to tick the no boxes instead of a few yes boxes before being waved through.

RickyT

Having just stepped off flight CX 105 from HKG to MEL this morning, and armed with an brand new 60Gb iPod Photo (retail value in Aus $949), I could tell you that I still passed through customs in no time (about 5 mins).

The intersting thing to note is that they are still handing out the old forms (with the $400 allowance printed on it) and I quized that custom officer at her desk re whether the allowance is $400 or $900, she simply told me they haven't got the new forms ready yet. But she simply asked what my item was, to which I replied "just an Apple iPod' and she put a cross on the 'No' column of the form (I had ticked the 'Yes' column just in case) and waived me through without incident.

Unfortunately, I didn't buy nor take BOP , so I couldn't comment on that.

ozstamps

I came in from LAX on Monday, and they also handed out old forms.

I have NEVER cleared customs so fast. EVER.

Plane docked at that gate right next to Downtown DF, first off, no-one else at customs (6am) bags near first off with priority tags, (for a change!) and thus first thru green channel and they waved me through.

I did not time it, so this is only a guess, but 10 mins would be from plane to taxi is my best estimate. It was amazing. ^


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serfty

I was in the customs office at MEL waiting to register for "Smart Gate" when in walked three very annoyed ladies. (Of bavarian extraction I surmised).

They needed to pay $91 before customs would release the 3 litres of Alcohol one of the ladies had brought in. She did not appear to speak any English, but a gathered that the other two were there to meet her.

I guess the $91 was Excise + GST on the Alvcohol (approx $20 per litre and 10% of $110).

The customs officer was apologetic but firm.

serfty

I think the allowance is based on the value of goods before GST is applied. So it would have been within the $900 allowance.

If you had exceeded the allowance and they had decided that you needed to pay the tax, it is calculated at the 10% of the value. Previously it would have been calculated at 10% of the value over $400. Tobacco & Alcohol also have excise to be paid.

ALEIN

If I buy duty free alcohol can I consume it then buying the more alcohol upto my allowance? Will the first lot be included in my allowance? What if I bring back half a used bottle?

Cheers
ALEIN

Kiwi Flyer

Yes, no and dont know (never had half a bottle left before!)

NM

Australian customs don't care how much alcohol you take out of the country, not what you do with it while you are out. And by out of the country, that means you have exited through Australian passport control. You can begin consumption once past that point. But the airlines may not take too kindly to boarding after such consumption, and they may not permit you to cinsume your own booze on-board the aircraft. That is airline policy, not customs.

Customs is concerned about how much duty free product (including alcohol) you are being back into the country. So if it was purchased duty free, either in Australia or outside Australia, you cannot exceed the Df limits. I don't believe there is any difference between opened or unopened bottles, the same as no difference beween an opened and used camera vs one still in its original packaging.

But exceed the 2.25 litre limit and expect to pay the duty and excise due to the whole amount, not just the amount over the 2.25 litre duty free limit. So I guess if you purchased 2.5 litres, and consumed 250ml before approaching the Australian customs checkpoint, you would have 2.25 litres and be under the limit. But depending on when the 250ml was consumed, you may not be in much of a state to argue your point . Personally, I play it safe and stay within the rules.

whughes3

Until fairly recently, there was a de-facto rule that you could bring in a partially-consumed bottle of booze of whatever size, in addition to your "official" allowance: I don't know if this is still in effect.

serfty

I completly agree, in fact I am sure of it. My sister worked for customs over 15 years and advised me of such when I first started travelling. It is simply based on total volume, whether it be in 10 x 225ml bottles or a half full 4 litre drum.

It seems interesting to note that there is a concession for "one opened packet (maximum 25 sticks)" of cigarettes.

BTW:
Consumption (and Quality) test executed properly; may have inadvertantly consumed more than 15ml, but no damage done.

dannyr

Except to your liver

serfty

There was probably more damage done to that organ in AKL QP.

At least the liver can regenerate itself ^