Immigration in Sydney

We are taking a twenty-eight day cruise from San Francisco to Sydney. We are then staying in Sydney for 3 days. Question.........Will we go through immigration and customs at the cruise port or when we leave at the airport?

We are taking a twenty-eight day cruise from San Francisco to Sydney. We are then staying in Sydney for 3 days. Question.........Will we go through immigration and customs at the cruise port or when we leave at the airport?

You'll go thru Australian immigration when you arrive in Sydney . You have to pre purchase your Australian Visa before you board in San Francisco . If you don't the cruise lines will deny boarding. Also your bags will be checked by dogs for illegal items in your bags.

Believe me, they aren't going to let you loose in Australia without going through appropriate Immigration and Customs procedures!

We've done two trans-pacific cruises -- San Francisco to Sydney and also Honolulu to Sydney. Both times Australian immigration folks boarded at the second to last port, and both passengers and crew were processed onboard. Once we reached the OPT we simply claimed our luggage.

I agree with NorthernAurora. Every cruise we have done which involves entering an Australian port, Immigration has always been conducted on board the ship just prior to arriving in the first Australian port.

Once you have collected your bags you will need to go through Quarantine at the port. You should get your declaration card on board the ship. Quarantine is very strict here so make sure you fill out the card carefully and either don't take any food ashore or if you do, make sure you declare it. Usually you can pass through quarantine quickly especially if you have nothing to declare but sometimes it can slow down due to sheer numbers of passengers.

I hope you have a great cruise and enjoy your stay in Sydney. We lived there until 2 years ago.:)

As others have said, australian immigration officials will board in the last port and conduct the visa & passport checks onboard on the last 2 sea days. We did Hawaii to Sydney and I think they spread in interviews out over the 2 sea days from leaving Auckland, each cabin got an interview time and we went to dining room, short wait and passports stamped. It was quick having an Aussie passport, others would also need their visas checked.

At the terminal you will have a quarantine check but it didn't add to wait time, the queue for taxis was longer than the queue to have quarantine check.

You will also have to go through passport check at the airport when leaving.

Since it appears you are U.S. citizens, you will need to obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) before you leave the U.S. in order to enter Australia. You can easily do this on your own via the Australian Government's website: http://www.immi.gov.au. There is an AUD 20.00 processing fee for each ETA and it is issued almost instantly. It is electronically attached to your passport, but I recommend printing out the confirmation for your records.

If you are working with a travel agent, he or she may offer to obtain the ETA for you at no cost. Some travel agents offer this service.

As all have said. Immigration on ship. QuarAntine on arrival. Customs etc at airport again upon departure.

And you need a visa.

Same rules apply for us Aussies to visit USA.

As all have said. Immigration on ship. QuarAntine on arrival. Customs etc at airport again upon departure.

And you need a visa.

 

Same rules apply for us Aussies to visit USA.

So we have to do it on the ship and then again at the airport 3 days later? And then again in DC when we arrive home :rolleyes: Already have my Visa. Thanks for all the replies.

So we have to do it on the ship and then again at the airport 3 days later? And then again in DC when we arrive home :rolleyes: Already have my Visa. Thanks for all the replies.

Bummer that eh:). And also have to fill out those inbound and outbound immigration cards all over again.

Upon leaving is pretty straightforward, you pass through security, a guy in a booth takes your passport and stamps that you've left the country and you're on your way. It's the same in almost every country in the world.

Plan to get to the gate a little earlier than usual as all flights to the US are subject to additional security checks at the gate (US rules, not ours)

So we have to do it on the ship and then again at the airport 3 days later?

One is incoming immigration, the other is outgoing.

You'll also go through outgoing US immigration before you board your ship.

Thanks again for the "heads up" on what to expect :)