Send a parcel to Australia

• In order to check that your items are not prohibited or restricted, please check our dedicated page here
• Should you require specific customs advice and the latest rules please visit the Australian customs website 
• For additional UPU advice on prohibited and restricted items, please download the UPU guide here
   

Khapra Beetle - Foods banned from entry to Australia from 15 October 2020

• The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (department) is implementing urgent actions to address the risk of khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), entering Australia.
• The urgent actions will result in changes to unaccompanied personal effects, low value air and sea freight, travellers, mail and commercial imports.
• From 15 October 2020, the department will implement a complete ban on high-risk plant products, like rice, grains, seeds, nuts, beans and pulses, being sent to Australia via international mail (including EMS) and as goods carried by international travellers.
• For more information please refer to the Australian Government page here
   

Tobacco Products

• From 01 July 2019, all tobacco products, including cigarettes and loose leaf tobacco, will be deemed a ‘prohibited import’.
• This will affect all tobacco products except chewing tobacco and oral snuff in amounts up to 1.5kg and cigars.
• Tobacco sent to Australia without a permit will be managed in accordance with national legislation.
• The Australian Border Force offers additional information on the prohibition of tobacco here

Bank Holidays & Non-Working Days

• Bank Holidays for this year in Australia can be found here
• Typical Non-Working Days in Australia are: Saturday and Sunday

Postcode Areas (globalpriority ROW)

• Australia is split into 4 Areas (Area 1 - 4) and each area has a different delivery speed - details of which can be found in the attached document.
  AU postcodes all areas 241224.pdf (PDF 8.08 mb)

Additional information (globalpriority ROW)

High Level Standard Offered By Australia Post

globalpriority ROW parcels - Norfolk Island 

• Parcels bound for Norfolk Island should not be sent to Australia (postcode 2899) as these will almost certainly result in delays. 

    globalpriority ROW parcels - Christmas Island

• Parcels bound for Christmas Island should not be sent to Australia (postcode 6798) as these will almost certainly result in delays. 

    globalpriority ROW parcels - Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Parcels bound for Christmas Island should not be sent to Australia (postcode 6799) as these will almost certainly result in delays.

General Advice

• In order to ensure a delivery on time, please ensure that your parcel has the full, correct address, an email address in the correct format and a mobile or landline number for the intended recipient. This will help the delivery partner to ensure the parcel is delivered correct first time. This should be clearly marked on the parcel. 

• Timescales shown above do not include delays caused by destination country customs processes. Please be aware that customs could add additional time to your parcel delivery. 

Product Specific Advice

• The definition of 'working days' and other important information can be found here

    globalexpress parcels

• To avoid delivery / customs issues, our carrier partners request that a full name is mandatory for globalexpress parcels (e.g. Mr John Smith)
• Also, our partners require recipient contact numbers to be on the Airway Bill (AWB) to avoid delays or other issues
• Consignments exceeding 1000 AUD require formal entry. This will trigger a Regulatory Processing Fee the latest version of which is here
• globalexpress transit times are based upon collection times, sender and recipient locations.
• For details, please use the globalexpress calculator in the section at the end of this page.

Taxation

• From 01 July 2018 Australian goods and services tax (GST) of 10% applies to consumer sales of low value goods (below A$1,000) sent to consumers into Australia.
• Businesses that meet the annual A$75,000(c. £42,000) / year registration threshold on low value goods sales to Australia will need to:
  • register for and charge GST on sales of low value goods (unless they are GST-free),
  • lodge returns and remit the GST to the Australia Taxation Office (ATO)

• These businesses may be merchants who sell goods, electronic distribution platform (EDP) operators such as marketplaces, or re-deliverers (for example shopping services).
• Priority rules determine who is responsible:
  • If an EDP operator is responsible for GST on a sale, the merchant will not be responsible for GST
  • If an EDP operator or the merchant is responsible for GST on a sale, a re-deliverer will not be responsible for GST

• Duty and GST will be charged at the border on the following, and should not be charged during the sale:
  • On goods with a Customs value over A$1,000
  • On multiple goods with a Customs value under A$1,000 but that will be shipped together as one parcel
  • On alcohol or tobacco products
• Businesses can register for Australian GST quickly and easily using the ATO’s simplified online registration and pay only process designed for international businesses.
• Once businesses are registered for GST, they will need to:
  • include GST in the price of low value goods shipped to Australia
  • issue receipts to customer showing the GST component
  • provide the seller’s GST registration number on the receipt
  • If the buyer has an Australian Business Number (ABN) this should be provided on the receipt
  • meet reporting, payment and record-keeping requirements
  • ensure the required information is included on customs documents
• The GST registration number of the seller should be provided:
  • On the CN23, in the Sender’s Customs Reference field,
• If the buyer has an ABN, it should be provided:
  • On the CN23, in the Addressee’s Reference field,
• Further information and who to contact for advice is available here:

This is for information only and should not be considered to have legal basis. Where doubt exists appropriate legal advice should be sought.