When it comes to commercial cargo and shipping of personal effects whether you’re moving overseas or simply want to send excess baggage or to send household goods to relatives abroad, there may be many reasons why you will need to go through customs clearance and be met with various customs regulation processes involving AQIS, which stands for Australia Quarantine Inspection Service. Transco Cargo has written up the generic process of customs clearance that usually happens.
Commercial Cargo/Personal Effect shipments coming into Australia are subjected to physical inspections from AQIS that will be conducted at AQIS facilities and usually takes up to 2 weeks for clearing. In terms of duties to be paid, if the cargo in question is pre-owned household goods and personal effects, where they have been owned and used for up to a period of 1 year, you will be relieved from duty charges. If you choose Transco Cargo for Customs Clearance, we are able to clear your personal effects through customs ahead of arrival in Australia. It’s important that you have communicated all the necessary information in the required documents which will be in hand with Transco Cargo at least 10 days prior to the shipment vessels arriving in country. It’s also important for all items to be listed correctly in the Inventory/Packing list.
Whether it’s commercial cargo shipping or sending personal effects, some of the requirement documents for customs clearance through AQIS includes the following;
- Copy of Passport with Photo Page and Australian port of entry. The first page needs to be attested.
- Completed Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration (Customs Form B534)
- Bill of Lading/Air Waybill
- Certified Australian Commercial Invoice
- Comprehensive Inventory/Packing List
- Itemised list of personal effects shipping items that have not been in shipper’s possession in last 1 year
- Invoices/Receipts of all Electronic Items and Items that have been bought less than 1 year before shipping
There have been a few changes occurring in the international end to end cargo environment with the turn of the year, which has made rifts in the industry with enhanced trade solutions being a necessity, with the release of the Customs Strategic Outlook 2015 and how it will affect commercial cargo and personal effects shipping, as well as how customs clearance and AQIS will move towards paperless trading and clearance improvement mechanisms. Nevertheless, with the aid of Transco Cargo, that offers customs brokerage services and being industry specialists, you and your commercial cargo/personal effects are in good hands.