Question 6 in incoming passenger declaration form

[crm911]

If you have watched Border Security, you'll know all about the "food" question #6. They always point it out to errant pax.

I just came back on Monday and could not see the word "food" on the form, in question 6 or elsewhere. We were carrying chocolate and had to declare it via the "dairy" question. I don't have a spare copy so I can't quote what I saw. Has the form changed recently? I don't recall this situation two weeks earlier when I made another entry to Oz.

 

[Hvr]

There was a change recently where you didn't have to declare food that essentially was processed and not able to cause a problem. Can't see it being any easier for pax and indeed suggest it would lead to greater confusion.

I've always found it easier to declare everything and let them decide. Can't be prosecuted if you declare it on the card, tell the truth and show it when asked.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

no need to declare chocolate anymore. changed last year. chocolate is not considered a dairy product.

i've seen a few comments here who don't think the change is worthwhile but I love it myself. brought in lots of chocolate and similar sorts of product with no declaration over my last few trips.

 

[samh004]

Can't be prosecuted if you declare it on the card, tell the truth and show it when asked.

Same if you're a drug mule?

 

[Fantic125]

Looking through my stash of entry and exit cards I've got one from 11/2010, 11/2011 and 9/2012.

Question 6 hasn't changed. lt asks;

6. Any food - includes dried, fresh, preserved, cooked, uncooked?

Not sure if the cards have been updated since September 2012 though.

Edit; just checked on google - the form has been updated again in November 2012.

It now does not state "Any food". It just lists specific items.

 

[jetlagger]

There was a change recently where you didn't have to declare food that essentially was processed and not able to cause a problem. Can't see it being any easier for pax and indeed suggest it would lead to greater confusion.

I've always found it easier to declare everything and let them decide. Can't be prosecuted if you declare it on the card, tell the truth and show it when asked.

Agree with the declare option.. Quarantine really despise passengers that are being sneaky intentionally or not.

 

[albatross710]

Had some inexperienced travelers come through customers last week and they knew to declare foodstuffs. Couldn't find 'Food' so they went for No 4 - Goods Samples for Business Use. They were giving the goods to business colleagues as gifts. Customs just fixed it and they moved through.

Here is the latest card by the way.

http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-aus...l/passenger-cards/_pdf/english-ipc-sample.pdf

 

[Cynicor]

Slightly OT but I have always wondered- if you declared illicit drugs and handed them over, do you get in trouble? Assume you come from a country where they are legal (if such a country exists).

 

[drewbles]

I'm guessing they just got sick of Border Security filming everywhere, and rather than tell them to sod off, they just changed the question

 

[albatross710]

Slightly OT but I have always wondered- if you declared illicit drugs and handed them over, do you get in trouble? Assume you come from a country where they are legal (if such a country exists).

You go first and let us know how it goes.

 

[crm911]

I'm guessing they just got sick of Border Security filming everywhere, and rather than tell them to sod off, they just changed the question

I saw the sign for Border Security filming at BNE or SYD on 20/2 but didn't qualify for it. I hope they leave the word "food" in the foreign language versions - the show would collapse without it. There is a whole micro-economy dependent on that single word.

 

[Shelf]

Slightly OT but I have always wondered- if you declared illicit drugs and handed them over, do you get in trouble? Assume you come from a country where they are legal (if such a country exists).

I am speechless...

 

[crm911]

Slightly OT but I have always wondered- if you declared illicit drugs and handed them over, do you get in trouble? Assume you come from a country where they are legal (if such a country exists).

Didn't some state in the US legalise marijuan_ recently?

 

[harvyk]

I've always found it easier to declare everything and let them decide. Can't be prosecuted if you declare it on the card, tell the truth and show it when asked.

That's what I've always done, if in doubt about something I'll either ask about it before ticking the box, or I'll tick yes and declare it on arrival. Often I've found I was asked about any "yes's" before being sent down a certain line and more often than not they said "that's fine" and ticked the "no" box and sent me on my merry way taking exactly 3 seconds longer (but without the risk of being $220 lighter in the pocket) than I otherwise would have. In fact I've only ever once had to do the unpack my bag thing thanks to declaring something, and I've lost count of the number of times I've been through customs lines.

 

[harvyk]

Slightly OT but I have always wondered- if you declared illicit drugs and handed them over, do you get in trouble? Assume you come from a country where they are legal (if such a country exists).

Whilst I would never try it, I expect if you simply declared them on the form, and then handed them over without any prompting (that would be the key, you would need full and frank disclosure before they could utter a word) you'd probably get a very strong talking to, but they would probably let you go on your way. Esp if it was only a small amount and obviously only for personal consumption.

The other thing which would probably be better is if you realised you had such things on you prior to entering any lines would be to put such stuff into amnesty bins near the gates.

Of course the best course of action is to not even consider taking such stuff with you in the first instance as the penalties for even the tiniest amount (ie barely personal use qty's) of certain drugs in certain countries is death.

It's probably not even a good idea to use such stuff prior to travelling, there are certain countries out there that consider substances in your blood stream to still count as procession complete with the penalties which go with it (UAE is one of those countries from memory), and it wouldn't surprise me that if you turned up a certain countries (I'm thinking USA, but can't be sure, never really looked into it as not a problem I'd ever have) boarders still high I strongly suspect that your Visa would be cancelled on the spot.

 

[Sprucegoose]

There was a change recently where you didn't have to declare food that essentially was processed and not able to cause a problem. Can't see it being any easier for pax and indeed suggest it would lead to greater confusion.

I've always found it easier to declare everything and let them decide. Can't be prosecuted if you declare it on the card, tell the truth and show it when asked.

Agree I always declare for that very reason. They tried to ping me once because I identified the wrong bag and just waived my declaration around. A solid defence

 

[Cynicor]

Oh, I've never even experimented with illicit drugs, nor prescription drugs. I've seen enough on the wards, even from first time users that I feel it is madness.

It's just one of those things I wonder about when I have hours on a plane staring at a little yellow card. The other reason is those that said they were made to do it, etc. surely they could hand them over unprompted/declare them then explain the situation...

 

[SFSC]

Slightly off topic but does anyone else find the colour of the card makes it difficult to differentiate the field boxes and spaces in low cabin lighting even with the reading light on or is it just my tired old eyes?

 

[Cynicor]

Yeah, i just write anywhere as they don't run it through any machines when I'm there. They barely look at most fields with smart gate.

 

[Fantic125]

Slightly off topic but does anyone else find the colour of the card makes it difficult to differentiate the field boxes and spaces in low cabin lighting even with the reading light on or is it just my tired old eyes?

I'm the same. The pale yellow is terrible, but my writing is usually so bad that it never stays within the boxes anyway. They've always let me back in the country.