Advice please: Importation into Australia (B709B) Question

[eccles23]

Hey guys,
I'm specifically aiming this at our friends in Australia. It feels like there should be a more appropriate forum for this but I couldn't find one called "Nanny State Questions".

OK - so as people probably know, the australian border force (federal jurisdiction) lists daggers as prohibited. They require a B709B permit to import (from the state police) - which perversely in this case is a form that says "no permit required" for daggers - because in my state (NSW) they are not prohibited.

So anyway, I downloaded the B709 and B709B forms several weeks ago, filled them in, scanned them and converted to pdf - and then emailed to the customs/permits email address that the forms referred to.


so - long story short - I have heard nothing back. so I'd really love to be contacted by ANYONE who has done this before - and get their experiences - like how they submitted (mail vs email) if they had to do anything to overcome any issues... and maybe take a look at copies of my forms and tell me if they think I've done something wrong or left anything out that might be causing delays.

really I'd just love a fellow NSW collector who has gone through this to get in touch.

thanks very much
James

[Danmark]

I dont collect daggers so cant help, but the way knife crime is going here ( more than guns ) I wouldn't be surprised if the fun police DO end up restricting edged "weapons"!!

[KMMorris]

Pretty much regardless oh how you send the forms and who you sent them too when your item arrives, customs will seize it until you come in and show them the forms and they will release the items back to you.

If you send with DHL, Fedex ect usually they go straight through because customs is barely looks at express posted items

Mail service from Europe and US is being suspended through regular channels so I suggest you use a express carrier.
I have had some Militaria coming from the US to only be told today its being RTS because USPS is cancelling all Mail to AUS, even tho its been sitting in a distribution centre for a month.

Morris

[Brig]

Will they believe it's just a letter opener?

[Geoff Ward]

I recently had problems with a sword I had sold to a friend in Queensland there is NO PRIORITY SERVICE FROM THE USPS TO AUSTRALIA Because of "COVID" and all...I checked with FedEx and could be shipped but for express the shipping would have been between $250.00 and $300.00 Perhaps Someone's son is interested in buying a company!......

[sweersz]

I have the same problem as Geoff. I run an online business that ships merchandise all over the world except Australia right now. Early last month, USPS suspended services to the whole country because Australia Post is refusing foreign mail due to COVID-19 concerns. It's a bummer for sure.

[MAP]

Is the suspension still in place? Odd because I went to ship something to Rene last week. The USPS was happy to take it and said nothing of a suspension? But they were going to charge me ~$80.00 to ship a $20 item.......so I walked away.

[Danmark]

Aussie post cant keep up with domestic supply Michael.... its a dead horse at the moment. Thats why its halting OS.

4 weeks to get me a small package interstate -Xmas post will be a nightmare

[MAP]

Aussie post cant keep up with domestic supply Michael.... its a dead horse at the moment. Thats why its halting OS.

4 weeks to get me a small package interstate -Xmas post will be a nightmare

I was just surprised that USPS didn't say anything when I went to mail it. Guess they just wanted the $$$$.

[reneblacky]

Haven't had anything shipped to me recently but Wifey did from the US and it arrived in two weeks time!
In regards to the OP a telephone call always helps going by my experience!