International Information

Australia has strict immigration, customs and quarantine laws.

Immigration

All international visitors to Canberra for the 2008 Pacific School Games (PSG) will require a visa. International visitors must have a valid visa before boarding their plane; they cannot apply for a visa upon arrival.

Visitors are advised to apply for a visa at least 4-6 weeks in advance of their intended date of travel, if possible. The only exception is New Zealand and Norfolk Island passport holders who may be issued a visa on arrival in Australia and do not normally need to lodge a visa application prior to their departure, unless there are character or health concerns. If this is the case, participants should contact their nearest visa office prior to their departure. See www.immi.gov.au contacts overseas.

2008 PSG participants and team officials (managers, coaches, etc) will be eligible to apply for the subclass 421 Sport Visa through their nearest Australian visa office to their current place of residence. See www.immi.gov.au contacts overseas.

As the participants will be competing in an amateur capacity, no application fee will apply.

For more information on the subclass 421 sports visa or to obtain an application form, please visit the department of immigration’s website at www.immi.gov.au special activity.

PLEASE NOTE that underage participants (under the age of 18 years) will need to provide with their visa application either:

• consent for travel from each and every parent/legal guardian (preferably on Form 1229, or alternatively on a statutory declaration, however other forms of consent may also be supplied) OR

• evidence from their home government that the child can be granted the applicable visa

Form 1229 (Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years) can be found at  www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1229.pdf 124kb (PDF)

Parents, family members or other spectators wishing to visit Australia to watch the event may require different visas to competitors and team officials. For more information, please visit www.immi.gov.au visitors and tourists.

The PSG office is working closely with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to assist PSG competitors and team officials with the visa application process. Visa information will also be supplied directly to the organisation responsible for the selection of PSG competitors to further assist PSG competitors and team officials with this process.

For further information on visa processing and requirements, please visit www.immi.gov.au .

Customs

For information on customs regulations for Australia, please visit  www.customs.gov.au (and click on the “Guide for Travellers” quick link on the right hand side).

Quarantine

For information on quarantine requirements for Australia, please click here.

Further information on what goods can or cannot be brought into Australia may be found at www.affa.gov.au/aqis or on the Import Conditions database (ICON) at www.aqis.gov.au/icon.

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