What should you pay attention to in Australia?

Notes on traveling in Australia

1. Australia is the smallest continent and the largest island in the world. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the northeast and the Indian Ocean to the southwest, it consists of the Australian continent and the island of Tasmania. It covers an area of ??7.6823 million square kilometers and has a population of 17.841 million. Most of the residents are descendants of European immigrants and believe in Christianity. It is one of the countries with the lowest population density in the world. It became an independent country of the Commonwealth in 1931. January 26 is its National Day. It established diplomatic relations with China on December 21, 1972.

2. English is the official language of Australia. If you understand English, you will hear a lot of slang and a unique Australian accent.

3. The bank’s office hours are 9:20-16:00 from Monday to Thursday, and 9:00-17:00 on Friday. Currency is a decimal system, measured in yuan, with one hundred cents per dollar. Banknotes are available in one hundred, fifty, twenty, ten and yuan; coins are available in one, two and fifty, twenty, ten and five cents. There are no restrictions on the amount of money an individual can bring into or out of Australia. However, if the amount exceeds 10,000 Australian dollars (or the equivalent value in foreign exchange), it must be declared to the customs upon entry. There are foreign currency exchange services at the entry and exit offices of Australia's major international airports, and most banks and larger hotels also provide traveler's check and foreign currency exchange services.

4. Australia uses 240/250 volts and 50 Hz current. Australian sockets all require three-pin flat plugs, and a universal socket is required.

5. If you need an ambulance, fire brigade or police station, call 000 for emergency services.

6. All drivers in Australia drive on the left side of the road. When turning left, give way to all vehicles coming from the right. Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts while driving. When crossing the road, pay attention to vehicles on the right. Before crossing an intersection, you need to press the arrow button on the intersection signal pole.

7. Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 2 hours ahead of Beijing time. Daylight saving time is 3 hours ahead of Beijing time. Central Standard Time (CST) is half an hour behind EST. Western Standard Time (WST) is two hours behind EST and the same as Beijing time. Daylight saving time is in effect from the end of October to the end of March in New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and South Australia, and in Tasmania from the beginning of October to the end of March.

8. The duty-free items that tourists over 18 years old are allowed to bring are: 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco; 1 liter of alcohol, including wine, beer or spirits; other gifts are not taxed The maximum value of items is AUD 400 (for tourists under 18 years old, the limit is AUD 200). These items must be carried through customs and are strictly prohibited for commercial use.

9. Tourists can bring appropriate amounts of prescription non-narcotic drugs, which should be labeled and annotated. If you are bringing a large amount of medication, you must present a doctor's note.

10. Australian law strictly prohibits the entry of drugs, weapons, and other items that require strict control.

11. Tourists are not allowed to bring any kind of food or plants into the country. Including cats, dogs and other small animals, birds, feathers, poultry products, eggs, egg products, aquatic products, crop seeds, live insects, soil, cultured bacteria, organisms, animal sperm and eggs, dairy products, including cheese, Meat products, including salami and other sausages, canned meat products, fresh fruits and vegetables, live plants, slices and bulbs, straw and straw products.

12. Items that can be carried but must be presented to the customs: one kilogram of children's food per infant, furry leather, undyed leather products, decorations or antiques made of animals or plants, Wood products, bamboo products.

13. If you have declared the relevant food, plant or animal products on the incoming passenger registration card, you must exit through the red channel of the customs. The customs will guide you to the inspection office for inspection. If you hide items that require inspection and fail to declare them, you may be fined or prosecuted.

14. Australia basically has two climate zones: In the northern region, above the Tropic of Capricorn, 40% of Australia is in the tropics. In other areas, south of the Tropic of Capricorn, it belongs to the temperate zone.

15. Australia has mild winters, and no region is as cold as England or Canada. Summers are not as real as "summer" in terms of temperature and humidity. Go to extremes. Spring: September to November Summer: December to February Autumn: March to May Winter: June to August.

16. In the tropical areas of Cairns and Brisbane, lightweight natural fiber clothing is suitable all year round. In the southern temperate regions (such as Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth), the climate is warm and hot from December to February of next year. It is advisable to wear light clothing. The weather is cooler at night, so you may want to bring a coat or sweater with you. In the southern winter - June to August, it is suitable to wear sweaters, coats or other warmer clothes.

1. Instructions for entry into Australia

1. When entering Australia with a Chinese passport, you need to apply for an entry visa in advance at the Australian embassy or consulate in China that is consistent with your purpose of going to Australia.

2. Fill out the "Inbound Passenger Registration Card" carefully. If there is any false report or concealment, once found out, you will be severely punished.

3. The Australian customs and quarantine departments are very strict in inspecting incoming passengers, and specifically prohibit or restrict the carriage of animals, plants and their products.

4. Do not bring any form of food, including dry, fresh food, cooked food, pickled food, etc.

5. Do not carry wooden products, roots, stems, leaves, fruits, seeds or any other parts of plants. Do not bring Chinese herbal medicines, straw products, etc.

6. Do not carry animals, any parts of animals, or products that come into contact with animals, including equipment, eggs, biological samples, birds, fish, insects, corals, shells, bee products, and pet food wait.

7. Do not carry mud or objects stuck with mud, such as sports equipment, sports shoes, etc.

8. Drugs, steroids, firearms, various weapons, drugs, etc. are not allowed.

9. Restricted items: alcohol must not exceed 1125 ml; cigarettes must not exceed 250 (tobacco must not exceed 250 grams).

10. Goods or samples for commercial use must be declared.

11. Australian dollars or equivalent foreign currencies with a total amount exceeding or equal to AUD 10,000 must be declared.

12. Those with a total value of items, gifts obtained overseas, and duty-free items purchased in Australia exceeding AUD 400 must declare.

2. Australian Airport Customs Regulations

The first place to arrive in Australia is the airport. The following are the things you need to pay attention to when entering Australia.

1. Before entering the customs, all immigrants must fill in a yellow immigration card with personal data. In addition, they must also fill in a white declaration form. In addition to the English version, these two forms are required. There are also Chinese, Japanese and other language versions. When entering the customs, you need to prepare your passport, visa, return ticket and relevant health certificate for inspection.

2. Vaccination is not compulsory unless the person entering Australia comes from an area with infectious diseases (such as cholera, yellow fever, etc.) in the first six days. In this case, the Australian authorities will pay special attention to it. , and even need to do relevant inspections regularly.

3. Australia is a country with low man-made pollution, so they try to maintain and maintain their original features as much as possible. Therefore, it is strictly prohibited to enter all kinds of items that may harm their natural landscape or humanities.

4. It is prohibited to bring all kinds of fresh items into Australia, especially food and meat. Others such as fruits and vegetables, plants, seeds, animals, etc. are prohibited. If you really need to bring food in, it is best to declare on the white declaration form that you will accept inspection, and do not rush through the inspection.

5. Regarding luggage, unless there are special items that need to be inspected (entering through a specific entrance), general inspections will be carried out as usual entry procedures.

6. Australia is a disease reserve because it is an island and can be isolated from some of the most dangerous diseases in the world. These diseases not only endanger rare wildlife, but also It also endangers livestock, crops, trees and other plants. Australia is one of only a few countries in the world that is free from the following disease-causing diseases: foot-and-mouth disease, which affects domestic animals; Newcastle disease, which affects poultry and wild birds; and rabies—all warm-blooded animals, including Killers including humans. Australia is the only continent free of rabies. The above diseases must not be allowed to invade Australia. Therefore, Australia has strict quarantine departments to conscientiously implement the control of animal and plant diseases. If you have any questions upon arrival in Australia, you can discuss them with the uniformed quarantine officers at the Customs House. They will not only be happy to help you, but also reasonable.

7. Things that cannot be brought into Australia (prohibited items)

Some things pose disease threats to the survival of Australian animals and plants, so they are not allowed to be brought into Australia. These Includes:

1. Cats, dogs and other small animals

2. Birds, feathers and poultry products

3. Eggs and egg products

4. Aquatic animals and plants

5. Crop seeds

6. Living insects

7. Soil

8. Culture fluid, microorganisms, animal semen and eggs

9. Dairy products include cheese (cheese)

10. Meats include salami and other sausages

11. Canned meat

12. Fresh fruits and vegetables

13. All live plants, cuttings and bulbs

14. Straw and straw weavers

15. Food left on planes and ships

The following items can be brought in separately if quarantine conditions permit and with prior certification from the Australian quarantine authorities. These permissions must be obtained before you travel overseas; these items There are:

1. Cats, dogs and other small animals

2. Culture fluid, microorganisms, animal sperm and eggs

3. Live plants, cuttings and bulbs

You can bring some items but you must show relevant documentation to the quarantine officer.

The following items may be brought into Australia but documentation must be presented to a quarantine officer for inspection upon arrival in Australia.

1． Woodenware

2. Bamboo and rattan ware

3. Fur, unmade leather goods

4. Flower seeds

5. Nut kernels

6. Display souvenirs and treasures made of animals or plants

7. Baby food (one kilogram per baby)

8. A small amount of holy water

Quarantine officials will check these items and return them to you if they do not contain animal or plant diseases or pests. If necessary, the items will be processed and returned to you. . Cars can also be brought in, but they must be strictly inspected and cleaned after being unloaded.

If you have any animals or plants with you or in your luggage, you must declare them to customs when you arrive. Failure to do so may result in a prison sentence of up to ten years, or both a fine and prison time if necessary.

3. Social order and security in Australia

Overall situation:

The overall security situation in Australia is good, and on average the population distribution is sparsely populated. nation. However, due to climate, resources, and a series of immigration and population policies implemented in the past three decades, urban scale has expanded dramatically. In terms of state conditions, the vast majority of the population is concentrated in a few large cities. Almost all immigrants resulting from social unrest in Southeast Asia and Indo-China in the 1960s and 1970s were accepted by the Australian government. This is reflected in the social security situation, mainly in large cities, where the boundaries of agglomeration areas classified according to economic status are relatively clear, and the social security situation in some areas is poor. According to statistics, the following issues have a greater impact on social order and public security for Chinese people coming to Australia;

1. Violent Crime The number of violent crimes against Chinese people has increased in Australia's major cities in recent years, mainly robbery and robbery.

2. Theft In recent years, China's economic situation has been relatively good, and the number of people coming to Australia for business, tourism, and study has increased rapidly. Due to imperfect domestic financial services, people going abroad usually use more cash. Criminals take advantage of this loophole to frequently carry out street and tourist activities. Thefts from attractions, parking lots and even hotel rooms. It is worth noting that people who keep passports and cash in groups in the country are usually the main targets of criminals for theft. Due to the large amount of money, when the theft fails, it often turns into robbery. In addition, the rate of car theft in Chinese group groups is relatively high. It is recommended that people going abroad keep their passports and personal belongings, and try to reduce the carrying and use of large amounts of cash. If they stay abroad for a long time (residing, studying abroad, working), they should apply for personal registration as soon as possible. banking business.

3. Blackmail: There are a large number of people coming to Australia. Most of them rarely go abroad, have language barriers and are very curious. Under unclear circumstances, bad places and events are often involved. It is recommended that people going abroad keep themselves safe, choose popular areas when going shopping and leisure, avoid remote and dark streets and alleys, improve their awareness of self-protection, and get out of the surrounding environment as soon as possible when they find that the surrounding environment is not good.

4. Making friends For relatively long-term and stable living situations, especially studying abroad, further education, and work. A very important rule of thumb is to be careful when making friends. I hope this will attract the attention of overseas students and their parents and guardians. While making friends, you should pay attention to protecting personal privacy, strengthen the cultivation of personal independence, do not listen to partial beliefs, and handle personal affairs as independently as possible.

5. Respect social norms. Different languages ??and cultural backgrounds lead to different responses to things and events. Individuals should adapt to society, fully respect the established norms and customs, and avoid conflicts.

4. Common sense about transportation and travel

Domestic intercity transportation

Australia has a very vast land, long distances between cities, and transportation mainly relies on aviation. Its characteristics are generally the same as those in China. It should be noted that personal identification is generally not required unless the electronic ticket system is used. In addition, the catering service on the plane is very simple.

Another aspect of intercity transportation is ground transportation, which mainly consists of trains, long-distance buses, and self-driving vehicles. Self-driving vehicles traveling long distances along the highway should pay attention to various rest points. Resting on some highway sections is mandatory. Staying less than the prescribed time between two checkpoints will be punished as a violation (choose one of fatigue driving or speeding).

Intra-city transportation

The main transportation methods in big cities include buses, subways, and light rails. Some cities have ferries, and some cities have free city buses. car. Many places cannot be reached by the above-mentioned means of transportation, so you can only take taxis or self-driving vehicles. Note that local taxis generally do not solicit customers along the street, so if you want to use a taxi, you have to go to a special parking place or call a taxi. For those who want to use a taxi Be especially careful when driving to the airport or to an appointment, and it is best to book a taxi in advance. You can rent a car and drive yourself. A Chinese domestic driver's license can be used, but a translation needs to be attached to a designated agency. The driver's seat is on the right side of the car, and driving is on the left. It will take some time for those who come to get used to it. Drivers and passengers must use seat belts.

The use of bicycles is restricted and can only be used on dedicated sports sections or on certain sidewalks.

Precautions for walking

Australia adopts the Commonwealth Highway Traffic Rules, which means driving on the left. There are many pedestrian lights at intersections. Press the lights and wait for the crossing signal. Intersections and roundabouts without indicator lights adopt a "give-way" system. Intersections with give-way signs must give way unconditionally. Make it a habit to look both ways when crossing the road, and pay attention to bicycles on the sidewalk.

7. Handling of Frequently Asked Questions and Related Matters

Before coming to Australia, you should make preparations in advance, including applying for a passport and visa, purchasing air tickets, booking hotels, and obtaining all necessary insurances. Understand the local customs, climate conditions, public security conditions, laws and regulations, as well as the address and contact number of our embassy and consulate in Australia; you can consult the provincial or municipal foreign affairs office, public security department or Australian embassy or consulate in China for information ; You can also log on to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to find relevant information.

It is strictly prohibited to carry drugs, internationally prohibited items, protected animal and plant products, etc. out of the country; if you carry large amounts of cash, you must declare it to the customs in accordance with regulations; it is not appropriate to carry luggage or items for strangers.

Upon arrival, those who plan to stay in Australia for a long time should go to the nearest embassy or consulate to complete the relevant registration procedures, so that in the event of an unexpected incident, the Chinese embassy or consulate in Australia can contact you in time. The family got in touch.

Learn about Australia’s fire, police, emergency and other emergency telephone numbers so that you can seek help from the relevant authorities in an emergency.

Take care of your passport, important documents, money and valuables, etc. It is best to store them separately from other luggage to avoid being stolen, robbed or lost. Make copies of your passport, visa, and ID card, and carry the copies together with a few passport photos separately from the original documents in case of emergency.

Carry out necessary vaccinations in advance and carry the vaccination certificate (yellow booklet) with you.

Currently, the airport has stepped up inspections of medicines carried by incoming passengers. Therefore, you should pay attention to the appropriate amount of personal medicines you carry, and prepare English instructions (including medicine ingredients), doctor's prescriptions and medicine purchase invoices to avoid encountering to unnecessary trouble.

Abide by Australian laws and regulations and respect local customs. Strictly abide by traffic rules and pay attention to traffic safety. Pay attention to guard against theft, fraud, fraud, robbery and beating. Be calm in public places, don't speak loudly, and don't stand out; take as few cameras or cameras with you when you go out as possible, especially at night to avoid being robbed; don't carry a large amount of cash with you, and don't store it in your place of residence. A large amount of cash; do not participate in other people's quarrels on the street or on the bus; do not leave valuables or bags in your car in the open. If a tire is punctured, be sure to lock the door when you get out of the car to repair the car; do not leave it in the dark Call a taxi everywhere; don’t open the door to strangers at home; don’t let strangers ride in your car, and don’t walk with strangers; if you pick up something on the street, hand it over to the police to prevent being extorted or framed; don’t go to the black market Exchange currency at the store; keep documents, wallets, and passports separately, and do not put them in plastic bags that can be easily cut by sharp objects; it is recommended to install security doors and alarms; if the police checks your passport and other documents, you can ask him to show them first , write down his police plate number and police car number; when paying a fine, do not hand it to the police on the street, but hand it over to a designated place such as a bank with the fine slip.

How to seek help for common problems

1. What should I do if my Chinese passport is lost, stolen or robbed while abroad?

Report the loss immediately to the nearest police department. Please note that it is illegal to buy, sell, transfer, forge or intentionally damage Chinese passports, and violators may bear relevant legal liabilities.

2. How can I seek help if my entry, exit or transit with a valid visa is blocked?

First of all, you should truthfully explain the reasons for entering, leaving or transiting the country, and understand the reasons for the obstruction. If you still cannot get the relevant permission despite your request, you can also ask to contact the Chinese embassy or consulate for help. The consular officer will learn about the situation from the relevant authorities and reflect the requester's request as appropriate, or make necessary negotiations, but there is no guarantee that you will be released. If the negotiation fails, you should accept the decision of the local competent authority; if you are indeed treated unfairly by the other party, you should pay attention to collecting and preserving evidence so that you can file a complaint in the future or handle it through legal procedures.

3. What should be done if an accident such as a traffic injury occurs overseas?

If you encounter a traffic or work accident in Australia, you should immediately report the accident to the local police or notify your employer, and ask to notify your relatives and friends or the Chinese embassy or consulate. You can ask consular officials to urge the authorities to punish the perpetrators, or to help you obtain compensation through legal channels or from insurance companies (if you are insured).

4. How can I seek help if a family member is missing or kidnapped in Australia?

The relevant situation of the Chinese embassy and consulate in the local area should be notified as soon as possible, including the name, gender, age, occupation, appearance and address of the missing or abducted person. At your request, consular officials will request the relevant Australian authorities to locate the missing person or rescue the abducted person.

5. If I enter or stay in Australia illegally, without valid documents and no financial resources, how do I go through the procedures for returning to my country?

Report truthfully to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in Australia your true and detailed information, including name, date of birth, place of birth, occupation, home address, contact number, illegal exit or stay, etc.

Only after the public security authorities in your original place of residence have verified and confirmed your identity and your family members have advanced your return expenses, can the consular officer issue you a travel document to return to your country.

6． If emergencies such as racial, political or social unrest, military conflicts or severe natural disasters occur in your location, how should you seek consular protection and protect yourself?

Contact the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate immediately to register and obtain the latest relevant information. Keep your important documents and records, including passports, exit records, insurance and bank records, etc., in a safe and secure place. Check whether your passport and visa are valid. If you need to renew your passport, please go to the embassy or consulate immediately. In addition, you should make double backups of important data stored at home or carried with you, just in case. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the safety and normal driving of the car, and to reserve necessary food and medicine.

5. Australian related websites

Chinese Embassy in Australia: www.chinaembassy.org.au

Australian public *** website summary: www.gksoft .com/govt/en/au.html

Australian Embassy in China: www.austemb.org.cn