When relocating to Australia, you can send your personal items over as Unaccompanied Personal Effects (UPEs). These items include:
- Household items (ie, kitchen equipment and furniture)
- Personal items (ie, clothing)
You may send these items by sea cargo, air or international post.
Usually when you import goods into Australia, you are required to lodge an import declaration or pay GST, duty or other applicable tax charges. If your items meet certain conditions, however, you may be able to bring them into Australia as UPEs and have them cleared of any customs controls.
How do you avoid paying tax on personal items when moving to Australia?
If you have owned your personal items for at least 12 months before your departure for Australia, they are considered eligible to be imported as UPEs.
If you have owned your items for less than 12 months, they will be subject to duty and GST.
If you need help relocating to Australia, we offer our clients relocation assistance in addition to our visa application services.
