Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australia

[medhead]

Can't use the express lane if declaring something??? That's news to me.


Sent from the Throne

 

[dfcatch]

Can't use the express lane if declaring something??? That's news to me.


Sent from the Throne

2 bags max and nothing to declare

 

[opusman]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

Now, a person could easily see eggs and dairy and think that biscuits and chocolate do fall under that rule.

And indeed if the biscuits are cream-filled (or dulce-de-leche, which is cooked milk) they do fall under that rule, and will be confiscated if they come from a foot-and-mouth country (as I know from experience, having lost $60 worth of alfajores from Argentina a couple of years ago).

 

[medhead]

2 bags max and nothing to declare

Funny. Last couple of times into SYD I've taken the marked express lane channel with something declared.


Sent from the Throne

 

[ReLoad]

Don't kid yourself. They KNOW how to screen mooncakes that have eggs/nuts in them!! I have seen them being x-rayed and then cut open eight ways!

I dont get it? How am I kidding myself?


Sent from my iGizmo

 

[harvyk]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

I am not a fan of this change either.

Before food was food. If you've got it, declare it. Now, a person could easily see eggs and dairy and think that biscuits and chocolate do fall under that rule.

I believe that biscuits and chocolate are ok. Anything which has been commercially prepared and packaged is considered to be low risk, as for the most part any cooking (and irradiation) which happens usually kills out any nasty bugs which could be sneaking into the country, and anything which does survive the cooking process is probably never going to be given the chance to get out into the wild anyway. Things which are considered high risk are things such as raw meats, raw fruits and other plant based materials as these things there is a high chance that a bug or insect could be living inside said food product and thus could represent a risk.

 

[samh004]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

Oh No!!!

This means my staff of incoming passenger cards are now obsolete and I need to grab a new staff next time I travel.

Thinking the same, despite not travelling recently

 

[Major]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

Oh No!!!

This means my staff of incoming passenger cards are now obsolete and I need to grab a new staff next time I travel.

I have the same problem, will have to bin several partially complete arrival cards. Not very sporting of them

 

[markis10]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

Can't use the express lane if declaring something??? That's news to me.


Sent from the Throne

The rules:


• passengers identified by airport operators/airlines as defined passengers
and who have received an Express Path invitation; and
o for the Secondary Examination Area, passengers who
o have declared NO to questions 1 to 10 on the Incoming Passenger Card; and
o have no more than TWO pieces of checked luggage (not including carry-on luggage);

 

[medhead]

The rules:


• passengers identified by airport operators/airlines as defined passengers
and who have received an Express Path invitation; and
o for the Secondary Examination Area, passengers who
o have declared NO to questions 1 to 10 on the Incoming Passenger Card; and
o have no more than TWO pieces of checked luggage (not including carry-on luggage);

That's called the nothing to declare line which is express anyway. As I said I do use the marked express path on arrival and then have been sorted at the secondary screening point accordingly. By the time I get to that point there is just about no difference anyway, IME.


Sent from the Throne

 

[ozmille]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

Can't use the express lane if declaring something??? That's news to me.


Sent from the Throne

Only tried this once in SYD and went to the express lane and they took my pass and said you can't come through here (had declared my Snickers). Ever since I just use the Express pass for passport control and then keep it for colleagues.

 

[markis10]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

That's called the nothing to declare line which is express anyway. As I said I do use the marked express path on arrival and then have been sorted at the secondary screening point accordingly. By the time I get to that point there is just about no difference anyway, IME.


Sent from the Throne

Its the Express Path rules:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ExpressPathPrinciplesAndGuidelines.pdf

 

[anat0l]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

The rules:


• passengers identified by airport operators/airlines as defined passengers
and who have received an Express Path invitation; and
o for the Secondary Examination Area, passengers who
o have declared NO to questions 1 to 10 on the Incoming Passenger Card; and
o have no more than TWO pieces of checked luggage (not including carry-on luggage);

Maybe some people do have items to declare but just go up to the Express Path anyway (even with their card correctly filled with YES ticked on items)? The idea being that the lines are shorter, so you get to a "pre-screening" person quicker. They mark your card and you move to a bench (if necessary) sooner.

It's not following the rules for sure, but.....

 

[medhead]

Maybe some people do have items to declare but just go up to the Express Path anyway (even with their card correctly filled with YES ticked on items)? The idea being that the lines are shorter, so you get to a "pre-screening" person quicker. They mark your card and you move to a bench (if necessary) sooner.

It's not following the rules for sure, but.....

Note that the nothing to declare only applies to the secondary screening area as per the listed rules. So using the express path until that point, which is when you would be screened and directed accordingly, is within the rules.


Sent from the Throne

 

[mhen]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

I always tick the food question as I always have chocolate!
However this change still won't help me as I also tick the medicines questions ever since I got screamed at by the xray operator in Sydney for having a strip of throat lozenges in my bag that I hadn't declared. And I do mean screamed! I was told in no uncertain terms that throat lozenges were medicines and had to be declared! My standard response now when asked what items I am declaring for that question is "prescription and over the counter medicines purchased in Australia". Never been asked anything further.

 

[infinity]

Here here. Commonsense at last. My radioactive chocolate is safe !!!

 

[dfcatch]

Note that the nothing to declare only applies to the secondary screening area as per the listed rules. So using the express path until that point, which is when you would be screened and directed accordingly, is within the rules.


Sent from the Throne

Yes - and this thread is all about the Secondary Inspection Point

You can always use Express Path for Passport Control regardless of bags or answers.


Declaring often means (particularly at BNE/MEL) lengthy lines before you get to someone who can "waive you through".

So I'm a fan.

 

[mannej]

Declaring often means (particularly at BNE/MEL) lengthy lines before you get to someone who can "waive you through".

So I'm a fan.

PER means a lengthy line declaring or not.

Wait - there is only one line!

 

[serfty]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

The rules regarding express have become redundant or at least have been rendered irrelevant by changes in the last few years.
FWIW, I have not used a designated express lane in a long time. SmartGate has generally been quicker (although queues are beginning to appear).

Aside from that, in MEL at least, both express and SmartGate users get funnelled into the gneral exit queue(s) anyway.

My last two entries at MEL this month I had chocolate, so ticked yes to food. First time I made it to the central nexus where the 'food' tick was noted and I was sent to a secondary assessor who upon being advised "just chocolate" sent me directly outside.

Yesterday, again with "Food" ticked I was able to garner the little green stamp before getting to the nexus when I told the officer the food was chocolate.

 

[harvyk]

Re: Lollies Chocs etc get the green light for not being declared on entry to Australi

SmartGate has generally been quicker (although queues are beginning to appear).

Beginning to appear? Last time I used it the queues where long to the point that it really had no time savings at all. It probably didn't help that the photograph machine was having a heart attack on the day and was denying entry for every second person.