Australian customs and import duty
For migrants holding a permanent or long-stay visa, household effects (Unaccompanied Personal Effects, UPE) are duty and GST exempt subject to: items owned and used overseas for 12+ months, items not for sale or commercial use, applicant is a first-time entrant under the visa or returning resident. Documentation: passport, visa, packing list, completed B534 form. We prepare the documentation; AQIS inspection is unavoidable but routine for properly packed shipments.
Cities served
Direct delivery via partner network: Sydney (all suburbs from CBD to Western Sydney to Northern Beaches), Melbourne (CBD, inner suburbs, outer suburbs to Geelong), Brisbane (CBD, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast extensions), Perth (CBD, Fremantle, suburbs), Adelaide (CBD, suburbs). Smaller cities and regional Australia served via inland transport — typically 2-5 days from port.
Pricing — what to expect
Australia routes price by volume and destination port. Indicative: 20ft FCL Sydney/Melbourne RM 22,000-28,000. 40ft FCL Sydney/Melbourne RM 32,000-40,000. Perth slightly cheaper due to shorter route. AQIS inspection fees and any treatment costs are payable at destination per Australian rules. We quote everything we control upfront.
Vehicle and pet shipping to Australia
Vehicle shipping to Australia is restrictive — vehicles must comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR) or face complex compliance certification. Most Malaysian cars are not worth shipping. We'll be honest during survey.
Pet relocation to Australia is the most demanding route we work on — multi-month preparation, mandatory quarantine at Mickleham (Melbourne), and tight titre-test timing windows. Plan 6+ months ahead. Pet relocation is handled through specialist partners experienced with Australia's rules; coordination through Florette PM keeps pet timing aligned with the household move.
AQIS packing — what we do differently
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service looks for: soil and organic matter attached to outdoor furniture, garden equipment, and footwear; untreated timber and wood products; food items and food packaging residue; used camping, garden, and outdoor sports equipment with organic debris. Our pre-export process specifically addresses these: outdoor items cleaned to visible soil-free standard and wrapped or bagged; all food items removed and discarded before packing — no exceptions, including dried spices and condiments; timber furniture with ISPM 15 treatment documentation where required; used equipment inspected item-by-item before packing. A container that fails AQIS inspection incurs fumigation fees (AUD 1,200-2,500), container offloading and reloading costs, and weeks of delay. Prevention at the Malaysia end is the only reliable approach — failed inspections cannot be appealed after the fact.
UPE documentation — what you need to prepare
B534 form (Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement) is submitted to Australian Border Force before or at vessel arrival. Required: passport, visa, detailed packing inventory with item descriptions (not just "miscellaneous"), and the completed B534. We prepare the B534 and the itemised inventory — you review and sign. Documents transmitted to Australian customs before vessel arrival so clearance can begin on arrival day. UPE status does not exempt shipments from AQIS inspection — biosecurity is separate from customs and applies to every container regardless of UPE approval. All shipments are covered by All Risk transit insurance via Berjaya Insurance Berhad from Malaysian packing through Australian delivery.
The Malaysia-Australia client profile
Australia routes from Malaysia serve four main groups: Malaysian nationals on permanent residency or Australian citizenship, including the significant cohort who studied in Australia and later returned to Malaysia; Indian-origin families migrating under skilled-worker, employer-sponsored, or family-reunification visas; corporate transferees in mining, resources, healthcare, and banking; and Malaysian-Chinese families following children who studied or settled in Australia. Each profile has different UPE eligibility, different volumes, and different sensitivities around AQIS. We've handled all four since 2016 and our packing approach is calibrated for each.
