Pipe Tobacco Duty Free Allowance - Australia

[Ahi Ka]

Yes I have looked at the OZ customs website, as well as those of a few of the airlines/duty free stores which operate there.

It seems the tobacco allowance is one 25g sealed packet and one open packet.

For cigarette/RYO smokers this isn’t confusing, however for someone wanting to take some pipe tobacco over with them, I’m confused as heck.

Can anyone who has recently travelled to (or back to) Australia confirm whether or not you can take a full 50g tin/pouch - sealed or open?

Please don’t feel the need to comment or bitch about tobacco laws. This is a genuine query with some urgency to it.

Cheers

 

[Scottmi]

call the airline you are flying with. i'd be surprised if they distingush or care. if you do find specifics about this on the Aussie Customs website, print it out and bring it along.

 

[OzPiper]

It depends on the Customs Officer on duty.
If he wants to be nice, he'll probably let you through - too much trouble collecting duty on a small amount.
But do declare it

Last couple of trips - once carrying a bundle of quite a few cigars (gifted). Just got waved through.

On previous trip had box of cigars plus a couple of tins of pipe tobacco.
He looked at us and said "Oh so you're travelling as a family - no problems."

 

[AJL67]

As someone who has made a few trips back and forth from Cuba to the US and carrying way more than i should bring back i can honestly say being nice to the customs agents and being honest goes and long long way, on the cuban side you just have to put cash in your passport when you hand it to them (socialism lol) on the US side i only get questioned once about what i brought back being "personal consumption" but i told him i smoke 6 cigars a day 7 days a week every week and this was barely a months worth of cigars for me and he just waved me through.

Sorry i can't help you with your instance but i think being nice and not trying to be sneaky is universal in these cases.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Totally agree on being nice. Personally I’ve had no issues when travelling with tobacco, and if it were me travelling home via Australia in this instance, id just take a tin and throw it in the bin if needed.

However it is my brother travelling home from Indonesia and as usual he has offered to bring a tin for me. Normally this isn’t an issue as NZ’s limit is 50g before you need to declare anything, but this time he is going to Sydney for the weekend on the way back.

I’m not going to put any extra hassle or inconvenience on him to declare anything or pay duty. I’d rather just pass on his offer this time.

This is from the OZ customs website:

 

[OzPiper]

Totally agree on being nice. Personally I’ve had no issues when travelling with tobacco, and if it were me travelling home via Australia in this instance, id just take a tin and throw it in the bin if needed.

However it is my brother travelling home from Indonesia and as usual he has offered to bring a tin for me. Normally this isn’t an issue as NZ’s limit is 50g before you need to declare anything, but this time he is going to Sydney for the weekend on the way back.

I’m not going to put any extra hassle or inconvenience on him to declare anything or pay duty. I’d rather just pass on his offer this time.

This is from the OZ customs website:

View attachment 216024

Unfortunately the Oz excise duty on tobacco is now @USD$1 (>AUD$1) per gram
The duty increases every 6 months
Only 25gm of loose tobacco allowed duty free

 

[Ahi Ka]

Unfortunately the Oz excise duty on tobacco is now @USD$1 (>AUD$1) per gram
The duty increases every 6 months
Only 25gm of loose tobacco allowed duty free

Thanks for clarifying that.

 

[AJL67]

So what you can bring in X amount of grams with no duty, but if you being in XX you have to pay duty on the duty free amount at well??? What kind of fuckery is that???

 

[canucklehead]

So what you can bring in X amount of grams with no duty, but if you being in XX you have to pay duty on the duty free amount at well??? What kind of fuckery is that???

The "Down Undah" kind.

 

[Ahi Ka]

The "Down Undah" kind.

Hey don’t lump NZ in with that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Hey don’t lump NZ in with that.

 

[kcghost]

A sad but true argument about governments is that they don't write their provisions to make things easier for the people. All you can do is declare the stuff and be nice towards your customs officials.