irishmolly

We arrive in Brisbane airport at the end of next month, the flight arriving at 06.30am from Singapore.

We are arriving with brand new PR visas - can anyone tell us how long it takes to clear Immigration and exactly where to go and any 'shortcuts' to avoid un-neccessary queues.

Friends are meeting us off the flight and they know it arrives very early in the morning and I'd rather tell them to come later depending on time getting through Immigration than at 6.30am.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

Sharpy67

Strange question!!!
You may have brand new PRs but you're still classed as NON Australian, so you'll have to get in the queue with all the other NON Australians.

Be assured though it doesn't take long to get through. Suppose really it depends on how many other flights have turned up at that time. I recall that we were through and out with our luggage within 20 mins of landing. Its not immigration that takes the time but customs and quarantine. If you have any....ANY......foodstuffs, you'll best advised just to go and declare it (Even things like teabags). This is quicker than going through the nothing to declare bit and then getting your cases opened after they XRAY them. Yes your cases are xrayed through customs.

Hope this helps
Nick

Pollyana

We met my mate off a 6.30 flight at Brisbane earlier this year. Took no more than 20-30 mins to get through. Much much quicker than somewhere like Sydney or Heathrow.

bundy

When we went through Brissie last November, it took me about 2 seconds to get through with my pommie passport and Mr B considerably longer with his Aussie one, which made me laugh (he was less amused). We were out literally within minutes of landing, it was fantastic.

Pollyana

Ah well, might have been quicker if Alex hadn't had an experience involving a sniffer dog and several socks smelling of apples.......:scared:

CPW

I don't think the fact that you have new PR visas will make your wait any longer; it all depends on how many other flights land at the same time. Brisbane though is usually much quicker than Sydney - fewer people in general and a smaller proportion of non-Australians as well, which speeds up the non-Australian queue.

BKate

I flew in to Brisbane a few weeks back, about 8.30pm, I had to queue for immigration got stoppped twice and answered several questions got my luggage had it scanned had it searched had several pairs of shoes taken away so they could remove soil from them and it still took only 25 mins they are pretty efficient there. Saying that a couple of years ago at Brisbane we had an early arrival and there were several other flights we queued about 40 mins at immigration. Just depends!

irishmolly

BKate,

What did they do with your shoes ? clean them for you and no doubt charged highly for the service ? or worse destroy them ? :scared:

Amazulu

We passed through Brisbane a few weeks ago on our validation trip. Short queue at Immigration, went quickly (& we got a 'welcome to Australia'). We declared baby food & formula at customs, no problems there (they x-ray ALL luggage). Whole thing took about 30 minutes.

Jacko1

Been to Brisbane loads of times usually takes 10 mins through Aussie lane, or 20 - 40 mins through usual lanes. However customs is another issue you either have no trouble at all , straight through, or you can, as we did once, get stuck for an hour.

PJ

PS; PR VISA is through "others " lane.

BKate

Hi Irish Molly,

The very nice man took away 3 pairs of my shoes and cleaned them very nicely didn't cost a thing. He was adament I'd been on a farm which I hadn't, they seemed to be checking most peoples cases, mine was packed tightly so I watched extremely embarassed while everything spiled out!! If they had wanted to destroy my shoes I would have put up a fight!!

heatherandpaul

we could have been through in about 20 minutes if i hadn't been carrying a 5kg box of midget gems in my case for a friend!!! Heather