Pollyana

Not sure when it was changed but its very recent (last couple of months).

Arriving passengers no longer need to declare all food items.

You still need to declare meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy items, fruit, and vegetables, but stuff like sweets, crisps and biscuits can now sail through undeclared

The difference that made in Brisbane this morning was stunning. ONE counter open for declared items, with a queue of 6 people from the 9 international flights in at that time. Everyone else was just walking straight out, no Xrays, nothing. Landed at 5.20, and I was out at the pick up point by 5.45

Thanks AQIS

Dreamy

Oh! A bit of common sense!

Mind you, I can just see the scenes on Border Security now 'no, no, I didn't know it was seafood' will be their defence

Are the food dogs trained to just pick up on those particular foods, does anyone know? Or are they trained to pick up any foods?

Pollyana

I think they are trained for specific items - one sniffed at the front of my bag today, which was stuffed with chocolate, and didn't bat an eyelid!

Swerv-o

Gah! This was always my distraction gambit if I had something else - Declare some pointless foods, and then they wave you through past the X-Rays!

I'll need to find a different sacrificial strategy...


S

jad n rich

Thank you ! and welcome back to brisbane

Have friend arriving on Tuesday and can now ask her to load up guilt free

KJCherokee

We flew back into Sydney on 11th May, declared our British lollies and Italian olive oil, were put in a queue with about 6-7 others whilst the dog sniffed our bags and were then waved through. Much quicker than it used to be.

commonwealth

I always declare something and they just usually ask whats it i say chocolate or dried fruit, they just let me thru. If they find something then you have the defence of ticking yes neway.

Amazulu

I noticed this the other day - got through much quicker than usual

Perth has been slacking off on inspections for a year or two now anyway

Pollyana

Now it specifically asks which items and you don't need to declare chocolate
Brisbane used to be quicker if you declared something (ANYTHING!!) rather than nothing, but now its the other way round. The "no"people were straight through with hardly a pause, the "yes" people had to open bags.

moneypenny20

We had a moment's confusion on filling out the landing card and not seeing space to put lollies and chips etc. They were more interested in the large TV box holding a couple of pictures.

ABCD......

That is the safest way, and WAS always the fastest.

Last time coming in to Brisbane I was asked what I had, and I said "Nuts", he said; "what type", my answer; "Packaged", his reply: "OK, off you go" and that was it.

The current forms were changed in November 2012.

Phoodilicious

I see 'medicines' - does that include standard prescription medicines such as asthma inhalers and headache pills?

commonwealth

Yes. Even Panadol I declare.

commonwealth

I noticed the new forms when i wentback fr NZ last xmas. Couldnt find "food" so i just ticked everything. The officer just said merry xmas after showing him my chocolate bar with nuts etc.

Pollyana

...must have changed just after I got back last time