Incoming Passenger Card

[Riekie]

[Olly]

I remember filling this out in Singapore before flying to Perth. I was so tired, I could barely remember my own date of birth. Make sure you fill it out right as they keep it on file and refer to it if you later apply for permanent residence. I know someone who accidentally left something off his form, and was told he had lied by withholding info, so had endless hassles and delays getting his PR.

[Fanie Van SA]

Dagsê almal,

Nou dat ek na hierdie kaart kyk val dit my by "WAT VAN MY VUURWAPENS".

Ek het nie hand wapens nie, net jag gewere. 'n 0.22, 303 en 'n haelgeweer. Wat maak ek met dit? Kan ek dit saambring. Ek is nie 'n jagter nie maar die goed is oer oue familie erfstukke.

Thanx

Fanie Enslin

[Olly]

I would say you should contact the quarantine/customs people here. They will be able to tell you who you need to speak to about getting a firearms licence here.

[Pippa]

Hi Riekie,

As always, I am very impressed... ! Thanks so much for sharing this Incoming Passenger Card with us all - now we can be prepared...

I was quite surprised when I saw question 11: "Have you been in Africa or South America in the last 6 days?"

Lovies, Pippa! X

[Ajay]

THis raises an interesting question for me as I prepare to leave SA shores and return home (and that is how I think of Sydney now - confirmed during this trip ). Do mark myself down as a temporary resident entering and state how long I intend to stay (I'm still on a 457, but travelled out on business) or do I mark myself as a returning resident?

All advice welcome!

Love

Ajay

[Jan Stoof]

Fanie. Los daai vuurwapens by die huis ou maat. Jy moet 'n skiet klub join in die eerste plek. Ledegeld is duur. Jy moet opleiding ondergaan. Jy moet aan die klub bedrywighede deelneem om jou lisensie te behou. As jy dit nie doen nie kanselleer hulle jou lisensie. Jy kan die 303 gebruik as jy jag. Nog 'n kurses. Nog geld. Die 22 kan jy in skyfskiet gebruik. DIE HAELGEWEER kan jy maar stukkend slaan of laat vernietig. Hulle soek hom nie in die land nie. Pistole is ook taboe. Ek is besig om my hartgeweer, 'n 3006 in te voer. Kos my al honderde dollars (lees duisende rande) Is nie die moeite werd nie.

Slegte nuus oor die kaart wat 'n ou invul. Ons het op 'n keer by "Africa" nee geantwoord. Want ons het nie Suid Afrika as "Africa" beskou nie. Lyk asof dit nou teen ons kan tel. Ons het na redekawel met die doana beampte erken dat Suid Afrika wel in "Africa" is. Bad news.

[jaxmvr]

Could any one shed some light on the $10000? Is this only cash or does that include the travellers cheques and if it includes travellers cheques, how do we get our R160000 per person and R50000 per child in Australia?

[Guest beninsyd]

Hi,

The golden rule is "If Unsure - check Yes". The immigration people will then determine if it is really a "yes" and they are then more than happy to assist and clarify any uncertainties and change it to a "no" without any nasty consequences.

I think Resident Returning can only be selected if you have PR or Citizenship.

Cheers

[Riekie]

Ajay, in your case you tick Temporary Entrant - option B - your country of residence being Australia, purpose of visit is employment and your intended stay is the expiry date of your current visa (Vasbyt, een van die dae kan jy daai ander blokkie tick!! )

The $10 000 is for cash only (in any currency - i.e. if you have ZAR and it converts to more than $10 000, you have to declare it). It does not include travelers cheques & bank drafts. We had our allowance in bank drafts - that's perfectly legal.

Leave the fire arms. Too much hassle, too costly.....

South Africa is Africa - tick it....

Very important: "if unsure, tick yes" - if you choose not to, the "I did not know" puppy face will get you nowhere. (We declared even our over-the-counter panado's.....) Just be honest & you'll be OK.

PS: You MAY make notes on the card to clarify (e,g Ajay, you may write "457" next to your tick.....)

[SASydneysider]

This raises an interesting question for me as I prepare to leave SA shores and return home (and that is how I think of Sydney now - confirmed during this trip ). Do mark myself down as a temporary resident entering and state how long I intend to stay (I'm still on a 457, but travelled out on business) or do I mark myself as a returning resident?

All advice welcome!

Love

Ajay

Hi Ajay, I would think you would mark yourself as a returning resident. The only justification I have for saying this, is that you currently reside (live and work) in Aus and NOT in Africa. This is what I would do if I was you and if questioned, use the logic I've applied.

Can't wait to hear what you have to say about SAfrica!!

SAS

[Buck]

Hi all

We will be entering Australia on a PR 136.

With us on the plane we will bring: my laptop Fujitsu Siemens +- 1 Year old,a Kodak camera 3 years old, a Panasonic video camera, got it for Christmas and our Sony Ericsson cellphones 2 years and 3 months old, respectively.

Other stuff will only be clothing, Bibles, photo albums, make-up, some inherited jewels and toddler toys.

Cash value were taking along, say about R40 000.

Now, what do I declare or not declare? Any tips for first time PR 136 entrants? We are also doing the 40kg per person special from Quantas and SAA.

Please advise, as we would like to start off in Australia on a good foot.

Thanks, Buck

Edited March 9, 2007 by Buck

[Guest colton]

Every time we have come through customs there have been South Africans that have ticked the block, "have you been in Africa" as NO! Last time one of the customs officers was an ex south african and she was giving them a hard time and saying "The last time I checked South Africa was in AFRICA!" I actually felt bad for the people and the officer said every day we get south africans here who do not know they live in africa.

Sometimes the customs officers can be a bit unsympathetic. Please tick "yes" for "have you been in Africa".

C

[starfish]

Hi all

I would assume that when combining an LSD trip with the First Entry - i.e. entering Australia for a visit, but with PR being awarded, one would answer "No" to the question "Do you intend to live in Australia for the next 12 months", and then select section B - Visitor or temporary entrant on the second page, and then on the trip when one is actually relocating to Australia, "Yes" and section A would apply.

Are my assumptions correct ?

Regards,

Scott

[Riekie]

Hi Ajay, I would think you would mark yourself as a returning resident. The only justification I have for saying this, is that you currently reside (live and work) in Aus and NOT in Africa. This is what I would do if I was you and if questioned, use the logic I've applied.

I guess it would make sense to tick option C if you are a temporary resident returning, 'cause that would be the truth..... (We always tick B with a 457 note next to it, and have not been told otherwise.....So it IS a bit confusing... )

[Marius]

Ajay,

I travel oversees often from Australia for work ( never been back to SA though ) and therefore fill the card in often. If you live and work here in Australia for a prelonged time, you are classed as a resident returning in term of this form and customs is concerned.I can confirm you fill in the section C "resident returning", even if you are on a 457 visa ( like me ). I found this out the hard way by completing section B the first time and had to explain why I will be working here, I then was told that the correct section is C.Section B is for tourists ( and people on LDS trips ) or short stay business visa holders, normally max 3 months. I have even several times been greeted with "Welcome home mate" when I hand my card over to the customs officer and they spot section C is completed apon returning HOME to Australia after oversees trips. I can 100% agree that Austrlalia is now my home, I feel the same everytime I arrive back. One thing, if possible keep a business card with you, they might ask a few questions to confirm you actually work and stay in Australia,just to check you are the legitimate visa holder. I have had this a time or 2.Normally if you show them the business card and answer a few basic friendly questions you get the unavoidable "no worries"and you are on your way.

Pippa - question 11 is for TB risk assessment.

Hope this helps

[LeeInOz]

Could any one shed some light on the $10000? Is this only cash or does that include the travellers cheques and if it includes travellers cheques, how do we get our R160000 per person and R50000 per child in Australia?

Cash is CASH as in notes. It is to stop money laundering. On a TV show here they often catch people with wads of cash they dont decare. You can bring more but they then will ask you a days worth of questions.

They dont care how much FOREX you bring as long as it has to go via a bank (traceable).

Bring the money in as travellers cheques OK but costly and a hassle to get shops to accept them

bank draft Better but the best is

Set up and Australian bank account first , then go to your bank with your plane tickets and passports as you do for the other forex. Get them to transfer it to an Australian bank account.

One problem with this. If you then after transferring decide not to delay or not go, your money is stuck until you appear in person at the arranged bank and ID yourself.

We did Cash $2000 Cheques $10000 and transferred the rest to an account I set up here

There is another way to transfer more but it is slow. Send a PM

[LeeInOz]

Hi all

We will be entering Australia on a PR 136.

With us on the plane we will bring: my laptop Fujitsu Siemens +- 1 Year old,a Kodak camera 3 years old, a Panasonic video camera, got it for Christmas and our Sony Ericsson cellphones 2 years and 3 months old, respectively.

Other stuff will only be clothing, Bibles, photo albums, make-up, some inherited jewels and toddler toys.

Cash value were taking along, say about R40 000.

Now, what do I declare or not declare? Any tips for first time PR 136 entrants? We are also doing the 40kg per person special from Quantas and SAA.

Please advise, as we would like to start off in Australia on a good foot.

Thanks, Buck

We brought similar with no problems, apart from the container. We for some reason could not get 40kg with out paying a whole lot extra. DECLARE and all will be good. They will ask after they scan and see all the stuff anyway.

The problem is when you get here, if you need to catch a local flight, they will nail you with costs for anything over 25kg. We all had about 30 kg, mine 32kg. I was given another bag to put 2 or more kg into. Charged for the over 25kg. She let the other bags few kg slide, as it was slowing down the whole check in process. For this reason some catch bus or train for that first trip in Aus

[Riekie]

I can confirm you fill in the section C "resident returning", even if you are on a 457 visa ( like me ). Hope this helps

Thanks for clearing that up Marius!

[Fanie Van SA]

Dagsê Jan,

Dankie vir die raad, Omdat die gewere meer sentiment is as iets anders, wat sal die kans wees om dit as ornamente te laat beveilig? Miskien weet jy iets, ek probeer net.

[Buck]

Hi LeeInOz

Flightcentre in Kollonade told us on Saturday that the 40Kg special is no longer valid.

So we're back to 20Kg's per person.

Air Singapore apparently allows 30Kg's per person. But then you'd have to go via Singapore and that with a 14 month old toddler......... nope.

We will say good bye to some of our stuff, or use Bagage Solutions, a company in JNB which apparently specializes in excess bagage.

Once in Perth, we will catch a train to Kalgoorlie.

Thanks for the info in anycase.

What is the max amount of AUD cash allowed per person on arrival at Perth International?

Buck

[Amifaye]

Hi Guys

A question on the $10 000 part. We plan to bring over all our assetts in US$ and it will be more than AUD10 000. we will obviously declare it, but do you pay duty, or is it not allowed to bring more than $10 000 in cash?

[Mara]

You can bring in as much money as you like, but if you have an amount in cash notes, larger than AU$10,000 you HAVE TO DECLARE IT! If you don't and they find it on you, you can be fined and you could have it confiscated. They do not really care that you are bringing in more, they just want to know about it. They may ask you what it is for and if you tell them you are coming to settle in Australia and this is your worldly goods, then there will be no problem. Why would you bring US Dollars though? When you exchange your Rand to USDollars you will pay convertion rate commission and the when you get to Australia you will once again pay commission to change the USDollars to AUDollars. If it was me I would buy AUDollars rather. Also, it has never been known that AUDollars can be counterfeit, but they certainly can with USDollars.

[DesV]

Could any one shed some light on the $10000? Is this only cash or does that include the travellers cheques and if it includes travellers cheques, how do we get our R160000 per person and R50000 per child in Australia?

This is actual bank notes, it is not a problem but they want to know if you are bringing in a pile of money and will ask a question or two and you will have no further problems.

[Amifaye]

We sold sometyhing and were paid in USD, now it is a problem as we can't even change to AUD for the reasons you mentioned.

I can send it with family in dribs and drabs or just bring it in declare it, but I don't have a receipt.