If you are an arriving passengers to Cairns from overseas, you are advised to be aware of the following border processes:
Customs and Border Protection and Immigration
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service manages the security and integrity of Australia's borders and works closely with other government agencies, in particular the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, to detect and deter unlawful movement of goods and people across the border.
In preparation for your arrival into Cairns please ensure you have your passport, completed Incoming Passenger Card and airline ticket available for inspection. If you are unsure what to declare to Customs and Border Protection, tick 'yes' to the question or ask a Customs and Border Protection officer. Customs and Border Protection staff will assist you in determining what goods should be declared.
A Guide For Travellers
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has a guide for international travellers to familiarise themselves with Australia's prohibited goods laws, the Tourism Refund Scheme (TRS) and personal duty-free concessions.
Visit Know Before You Go to view this guide in one of 14 languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese).
Some Australian and New Zealand ePassport holders, aged 18 years or over, can choose to use SmartGate to self-process through passport control. SmartGate uses the data in the ePassport and face recognition technology to perform the customs and immigration checks that are usually conducted by a Customs and Border Protection officer. Travellers will still need to complete an Incoming Passenger Card prior to using SmartGate. For more information on SmartGate please visit www.australia.gov.au/smartgate
Click here to link to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service website
Quarantine - Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
Airports Program officers are trained to apply risk management techniques to identify and appropriately deal with items carried by incoming passengers that could threaten animal, plant or human health, or harm Australia's environment. Basically they ensure the effectiveness of quarantine clearance of incoming aircraft passengers and their baggage at international airports.
Other key functions undertaken by Airports staff include: clearing incoming aircraft; monitoring for insect vectors of human disease; managing under the direction of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) the arrival of passengers with symptoms of quarantineable and prescribed human diseases; and conducting auditing and surveillance of quarantine waste treatment and disposal arrangements.
These responsibilities are prescribed in legislation, including the Quarantine Act 1908, relevant regulations and proclamations, as well as various international agreements/conventions.
All passengers arriving into Australia from overseas are subject to AQIS processes which includes surrendering certain foodstuffs, x-raying of luggage and physical inspection of some natural items for example wooden artefacts carried in passenger’s luggage. For more information please visit the AQIS website.
Duty Free Shopping
Duty Free Shopping is located on the arrivals concourse just prior to the Customs and Border Protection processing line for your duty free shopping needs.