A passport beside a cup of coffee at a rain-streaked airport window

Moving to Australia: your pre-departure checklist

ByDan Forest

The last few weeks before a move go fast, and the things you forget are usually the hardest to fix from the other side of the world. Work through this before you fly.

Check your visa, properly

Read your visa grant letter, then check your visa details and conditions in VEVO, Home Affairs’ free online service. Look for any date you must enter Australia by, whether you can work or study, and any conditions about where you live or who you work for. Your passport should match the one linked to your visa.

Documents to carry, not ship

Keep originals in your hand luggage, with scans saved somewhere you can reach online:

  • passports and visa grant letters for everyone travelling
  • birth and marriage certificates
  • degrees, transcripts, trade certificates and your skills assessment
  • work references on letterhead, with contact details
  • your driving licence, and your driving record if you can get one
  • children’s school reports and vaccination records
  • medical and dental records, and prescriptions

Anything not in English may need a translation once you’re here, so check what your employer, school or licensing authority will ask for.

Medicines

According to the Australian Border Force, most prescription medicines can come with you without a permit, as long as they’re in your accompanied baggage, you carry a letter or copy of your prescription in English from your doctor, and you bring no more than three months’ supply. Keep medicines in their original packaging and declare them when you arrive. A few substances need separate permission, so check the ABF list if you’re unsure.

Money

There’s no limit on how much money you can bring, but AUSTRAC says you must declare cash or other forms of money worth A$10,000 or more (or the foreign currency equivalent) when you enter or leave Australia. For larger sums, a bank transfer is usually simpler. Tell your home bank you’re moving, and keep at least one card that works overseas for the first few weeks.

Driving

Licence rules are set by each state and territory. In New South Wales, for example, permanent residents can drive on a current overseas licence for up to three months after arriving, and temporary visa holders staying longer than six months must get a NSW licence within six months. If your licence isn’t in English, you must also carry an English translation or an International Driving Permit. Check the rules for the state you’re moving to before you leave.

Pack clean

Shipped belongings go through biosecurity checks, and the Department of Agriculture often inspects them. It says to clean and dry anything that has touched soil, plants, animals, food or water, from shoes and tents to bikes and garden tools. Don’t pack fresh fruit, vegetables, live plants or seeds. Some items may need treatment, or be destroyed or exported, at your expense.

The checklist

Want this as a printable list? Get the free move checklist. Then read your first 72 hours and what it really costs to move.

Sources

Checked against official sources in October 2026. General information only, not immigration, legal or medical advice.

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