Australia is ready and waiting for you to have the most unbelievable holiday experience. It is a beautiful and friendly country that welcomes visitors with open arms and offers a multitude of experiences for people of all ages, and from all walks of life.
There is a lot to plan so that your travel runs smoothly right from the start. It is always wise to have a travel checklist and to tick things off the list as you get yourself organised. Here is some of the most important information to consider when planning your trip Down Under.
Your Electronic Visa
Regardless of the amount of time you plan on spending in Australia you will require the right Visa. This has to be a valid Australian visa, for every passenger who is not an Australian citizen.
All Australian visas are processed electronically and are directly linked to your passport. You will receive a letter about your visa and any specific entry requirements before you travel. It is up to you if you want to carry this letter on your person when travelling, you need to keep it for your records though, as you can use it to check the status of your visa online.
Your length of stay, the status and limitations of your passport, your current location and the purpose of your travel will determine the type of visa that you need. If your purpose is to work or live in Australia for any period of time, you will need to meet different requirements
Documents that must be presented when travelling to Australia include:
- Valid passport
- Valid visa
- Incoming passenger card
What is an Incoming Passenger Card?
This is another document that will clarify your identity, and includes a declaration in regards to health and character. You will be required to fill one of these out on entry into Australia and also when departing. You will need to fill these cards out in English, so you can download a translated version before you travel so you will know how to fill out this form in English. This is an official document that will need to be signed and dated.
What will you be signing on your IPC?
- Declarations relating to customs
- Declarations relating to Quarantine items
- Intended address in Australia
- Flight number
- The country you boarded from
- Date of birth
- Occupation
- Nationality as shown on passport
- Contact details while in Australia and an emergency contact person
- Prior criminal convictions
Without these documents you may be refused entry, or your entry may be significantly delayed until your identity and travel claims have been confirmed.
Other travel documents that may be accepted
There are occasions where other documents are the only ones available to a passenger. In this instance, it is still necessary to hold a valid visa. Some of the acceptable documents include:
- Document of identity
- Certificate of identity
- DFTTA – document for travel to Australia
- Laissez Passer
- Convention travel document
- Documents issued to refugees
- German minors may be issued with Kinderausweis
- Military documents
Will anything delay my travel or entry into Australia?
When you are keen to get your holiday started the last thing you want is to be delayed in your travel from your home country or upon arrival at the airport in Australia. There are some precautions you can take to make sure this process runs smoothly.
- Update your passport if you received it after initially applying for your visa
- Ensure you have the correct documentation
- Check the online status of your visa before you check in to fly
- Provide accurate information on the IPC form
What can I take onto the plane?
Making sure you follow the guidelines of what you can and cannot take onto a plane is of extreme importance for the safety of all passengers and yourself. People are often shocked when they pass their hand luggage through the scanners and are then stopped and needing items to be removed and confiscated.
Different airline companies may also have their own specific set of conditions relating to what they will and won’t accept on their aircraft. It pays to make sure you are informed and consider the specific airline you have chosen to fly with. If you are unsure about something, it is always best to go with your common sense.
Liquids, aerosols and gels that are carried on your person or in your hand luggage on any flight, has limited allowable quantities per passenger. There are exceptions for things you might need such as baby formula. If you have purchased any types of liquids, aerosols and gels duty free, put them in your hand luggage in the sealed bag with your proof of purchase. When your hand luggage is scanned, this will ensure everything can be clearly seen by airport officials. If something does not pass security checks or screening, then airport officials will advise you on the steps that will be taken, the main one being that you would need to surrender the items.
The storage, quantity limits and types of items that you can carry in your hand luggage that fall under the liquids, aerosols and gels umbrella, are as follows:
- Stored in containers of 100 millilitres or less
- Sealed in a clear re-sealable plastic bag
- The measurements of the sealed bag must be no greater than 20×20 cm, or it could be no greater than 15×25 cm
- The best sealed bags to use are sandwich bags that have a self contained sealing mechanism
- You may only have one sealed bag on your person or in your hand luggage
- Any container that is greater than 100 millilitres (or the equivalent 100 grams) will need to be surrendered to airport officials and will not be returned. This is regardless of the amount of liquid in the container
- Deodorants, shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, perfume, sauces, alcohol, water, canned food that has a high liquid content, hair gel
