Duty Free Alcohol into Australia

[Gold Member]

Hi

The latest ruling from Customs re Duty Free Alcohol into Australia is:
"Per Adult:

• Up to 2,250ml of alcohol (total)
• One carton of 250 cigarettes or 250g of loose tobacco, plus one opened packet (up to 25 sticks)
• Up to AUD900 worth of personal goods (AUD450 for minors).

Please note that families can combine their Australian personal goods allowance. For example, two adults can pool their personal goods allowance to purchase goods worth AUD1800. Alcohol and Tobacco Allowances can not be shared between travellers."


I will be travelling with a colleague and would naturally like to use every last millilitre of the combined 4.5L total. However, I am not sure what is meant by the term "Alcohol and Tobacco Allowances can not be shared between travellers".

So for example, could we purchase 4 x 1L bottles and a 500 ml bottle and a single person make payment in company of the second? Or would the stash need to be broken up into 2.25L quantities? That is, each would have to take 2 x 1L bottles with perhaps a little 200ml bottle (or 2 x 1.125L botles)??

These are the big issues in my life...

Cheers

 

[JohnK]

So for example, could we purchase 4 x 1L bottles and a 500 ml bottle and a single person make payment in company of the second? Or would the stash need to be broken up into 2.25L quantities? That is, each would have to take 2 x 1L bottles with perhaps a little 200ml bottle (or 2 x 1.125L botles)??

You would have to split it so you are both carrying a maximum of 2.25L each.

 

[Dave Noble]

You need to split between the 2

There are some spirits that get sold in a smidgen over 1.1L sizes , so 2 of those would fit in the allowance but there are only certain spirits that come in that amount

e.g. in the US , some spirits are sold in 1 Quart size which is 1.136L. 2 of those would exceed the allowance by 22ml . I doubt that you would have too much issue being over by 22ml

Only likely to work if coming back from US though

Dave

 

[opusman]

The rule about not combining alcohol limits is not rigorously enforced - last time Mrs Opusman and I came back together we had 3 x 1L spirits plus 2 bottles of wine and were happily waved through. So YMMV...

Incidentally, has anyone ever thought to try arguing that the declaration card (which, as they love pointing out on Border Security, is a legal document) only says "alcohol" and not "alcoholic beverage", and therefore the limit should really only apply to the percentage of total alcohol?

 

[Dave Noble]

Incidentally, has anyone ever thought to try arguing that the declaration card (which, as they love pointing out on Border Security, is a legal document) only says "alcohol" and not "alcoholic beverage", and therefore the limit should really only apply to the percentage of total alcohol?

The argument is flawed. You could try arguing that the card is only asking about alcohol but it does not take away from the fact that the limits are defined outside of the card that you fill in

If you tick no when over on the permitted allowance of alcoholic beverages, then you may have fun arguing the fine points of the law in court if desired. It would not take away from your attempting to smuggle goods in over the allowance if you did not declare them

Dave

 

[Evan]

Australia is rather good, 2.25l is heaps of spirits each trip into the country
Just get your could ob bottles and enjoy , or maybe suggest your friend travels some more than he does now.

When you travel a bit you stop bringing things for yourself and only get things for others. Or i do, i coud not hope to drink what i can legally import

As it happens though i did read it differently i read it was if you have 4.5L you can put it all in 1 bag for instance and present yourself both to the customs at the same time.

E

 

[Dave Noble]

When you travel a bit you stop bringing things for yourself and only get things for others. Or i do, i coud not hope to drink what i can legally import

Which is of course perfectly fine as long as you accept that the DF laws do not apply to you

As it happens though i did read it differently i read it was if you have 4.5L you can put it all in 1 bag for instance and present yourself both to the customs at the same time.

It does state that the allowances cannot be combined, so if with 4 x 1L and 1 X 500ml bottle ( for example ) , there can be 2 x 1L each but the 500ml would been to be asigned to either passenger 1 or passenger 2 and not just treated as 250ml each

Dave

 

[Evan]

Which is of course perfectly fine as long as you accept that the DF laws do not apply to you

yes... well drinking with my friends is 'personal' use But the question is only what you are importing right, if your not selling it and its a gift then i figured that would be conidered fine. In any case they could really never tell.

It does state that the allowances cannot be combined, so if with 4 x 1L and 1 X 500ml bottle ( for example ) , there can be 2 x 1L each but the 500ml would been to be asigned to either passenger 1 or passenger 2 and not just treated as 250ml each

Dave

Oh, i don't know the website had been updated, i was sure it was ok ?
This is the website i was looking at..
duty free concession

I think they cards will not be used much longer anyway for express pass holders... you just goto the kiosk and put your passport in answer you questions on the computer screen and get your ticket and then proceed to the line and it compares your photo and lets you in.

So far i have only seen the question about last 6 days have you been in South Africa but on the way in yesterday my written card was completely ignored, not touched looked at written on or anything, the guy just collected my card from the kiosk only.

I still have my incoming card with me... i notice the last time the card was updated was the 15th time, 10/2008, but i am not sure of the change since i only have the last update in my office at work.

E

 

[Gold Member]

My arrival into Australia will be in Sydney. I then have a domestic flight (different airline) to Melbourne.

Will I be able to treat the alcohol as hand luggage? Since I will have collected my luggage at SYD International, then got the bus to domestic, does this mean I will not have to pass through security again? If I can't treat is as hand luggage, could I put it in my suitcase?

 

[Evan]

My arrival into Australia will be in Sydney. I then have a domestic flight (different airline) to Melbourne.

Will I be able to treat the alcohol as hand luggage? Since I will have collected my luggage at SYD International, then got the bus to domestic, does this mean I will not have to pass through security again? If I can't treat is as hand luggage, could I put it in my suitcase?

As long as you dont exceed you cary-on allowance for the airline then yes, no liquid restrictions from AU domestic flights departing domestic terminals.

And yes you can of course put things in your bags... since you have to haul them fron international to the re-checkin for domestic.

E

 

[straitman]

My arrival into Australia will be in Sydney. I then have a domestic flight (different airline) to Melbourne.

Will I be able to treat the alcohol as hand luggage? Since I will have collected my luggage at SYD International, then got the bus to domestic, does this mean I will not have to pass through security again? If I can't treat is as hand luggage, could I put it in my suitcase?

Gold Member,

You will have to go through security at either the QF transfer desk or as you enter the domestic terminal.
Normally duty free alcohal is treated as hand luggage without question.

 

[Gold Member]

As long as you dont exceed you cary-on allowance for the airline then yes, no liquid restrictions from AU domestic flights departing domestic terminals.

And yes you can of course put things in your bags... since you have to haul them fron international to the re-checkin for domestic.

E

Thanks. I've done the bus between terminals once before but can't recall whether or not they want to see your boarding pass before letting you on the bus.... ? Since I will not have checked in to my QF domestic flight at that point (in the International Terminal), will that pose a problem? Or is the bus a free service for anyone, BP or not?

 

[straitman]

Thanks. I've done the bus between terminals once before but can't recall whether or not they want to see your boarding pass before letting you on the bus.... ? Since I will not have checked in to my QF domestic flight at that point (in the International Terminal), will that pose a problem? Or is the bus a free service for anyone, BP or not?

They will check you in at the transfer desk, give you a boarding pass which you then need for the bus.

 

[Gold Member]

sweet thanks all

 

[opusman]

Actually in doing some googling I came across this:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/r...-statement-Passenger-and-Crew-Concessions.pdf

Which actually says "Passengers in the same family may pool their concessions". Nothing about "except for alcohol" etc...

I had a quick look to try to find the actual legislation but ran out of time...

 

[Dave Noble]

Actually in doing some googling I came across this:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/r...-statement-Passenger-and-Crew-Concessions.pdf

Which actually says "Passengers in the same family may pool their concessions". Nothing about "except for alcohol" etc...

I had a quick look to try to find the actual legislation but ran out of time...

I was assuming that the OP was quoting from a new ruling as he indicated in his post (plus of course, in his case, he isnt travelling with a family member so would be irrelevent)

Dave

 

[JohnK]

As far as I am aware the OP is travelling with a colleague, I assume not a family member, so the advice given back in post #2 is correct.

 

[Hvr]

Actually in doing some googling I came across this:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/r...-statement-Passenger-and-Crew-Concessions.pdf

Which actually says "Passengers in the same family may pool their concessions". Nothing about "except for alcohol" etc...

I had a quick look to try to find the actual legislation but ran out of time...

Do remember that family members under the age of 18 do not have an allowance for either alcohol or tobacco. Therefore there is nothing to pool in those circumstances.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, these concession limits are not "New".

The have been in force for four years.

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/changes-to-duty-free-allowances-5236.html

 

[medhead]

Within the last four years I have entered the country with a family member. We were separated at immigration. The customs guy waved my companion through. But stopped me as I had all the luggage including the duty free grog- 4 bottles clearly in the open. As soon as he realised we were together he lost interest completely. No questions on who owned which bottles - they were mostly mine. I don't think they will actively enforce the no grog pooling rule provided the total is within limit. Or just get your mate to carry it through.