Taking Shilajit Between New Zealand and Australia: Customs and Biosecurity
New Zealand's biosecurity system is genuinely strict, more so than Australia's in several respects, and that is worth knowing before you travel with shilajit in either direction across the Tasman. This is general practical information, not legal advice. We are not a customs or biosecurity authority for either country.
In this article
Key takeaways
- Importing goods into New Zealand can involve three separate agencies: Medsafe, New Zealand Customs, and Biosecurity New Zealand, which is known for a genuinely strict approach to risk goods.
- We could not find an Import Health Standard specifically naming shilajit, or a comparable mineral resin. This is a real, unresolved gap, not something we can respectably fill in for you.
- Declaring an item you are unsure about is a small step that avoids a real penalty risk on either side of the Tasman.
Three agencies, not one
Bringing a product like shilajit into New Zealand can potentially involve Medsafe (which handles medicine and supplement classification), the New Zealand Customs Service (border processing), and Biosecurity New Zealand, part of the Ministry for Primary Industries, which administers Import Health Standards for categories of risk goods under the Biosecurity Act 1993. Most unprocessed goods cannot be imported into New Zealand without an applicable Import Health Standard covering that category. We searched specifically for a standard naming shilajit, mineral pitch, or a comparable mineral resin exudate and found none. That gap is genuine and unresolved in what is publicly documented, and it is not something this article can responsibly resolve for you.
Arriving in New Zealand
New Zealand's biosecurity declarations apply to goods of plant, animal, or organic origin, with real penalties for failing to declare risk goods regardless of quantity or packaging. Given the genuine uncertainty around how a mineral-organic resin like shilajit is categorised for biosecurity purposes, the safe, standard approach that applies generally is straightforward: if in doubt, declare it on your arrival card. New Zealand's biosecurity system has a reputation for being strict, and that reputation is broadly deserved based on the general framework we reviewed, so treating any uncertainty conservatively is the sensible default.
Arriving in Australia
Australia has its own biosecurity declaration requirements, administered separately from New Zealand's system, with the same general principle applying: declare goods of plant, animal, or organic origin if you are unsure whether they need to be declared. See our companion article on taking shilajit while travelling for the fuller detail on Australian arrivals and airport security specifically.
Airport security: solid, or gel?
Shilajit resin softens at room temperature and does not hold a fixed shape the way a rigid solid does. This means it is realistic that airport security screening, on either side of the Tasman, could treat it as a paste or gel subject to standard liquids restrictions on international departures, even though it starts out feeling more solid than liquid. We could not find a source specifically naming shilajit in either country's aviation security guidance, which is not unusual, since screening agencies generally assess borderline items case by case.
Practical tips for trans-Tasman travel
- 1Pack it in checked luggage where possible, which avoids the international carry-on liquids question entirely.
- 2Keep it in its original, clearly labelled container, which makes any customs or biosecurity conversation faster.
- 3Declare it on arrival in New Zealand or Australia if you are at all unsure whether it needs to be declared. This is a small step that avoids a real penalty risk.
- 4If you are travelling for business or bringing a larger quantity, check directly with Biosecurity New Zealand or the equivalent Australian agency before you travel, rather than relying on general guidance like this article.
Lab-tested, see batch #1093
Keep the batch number and report to hand
If anyone asks what you are carrying, a named batch and an independent report are simpler to show than to explain. Batch #1093 was tested by Eurofins Food Australia, including heavy metals and fulvic and humic acid content, and the full report is public.
Read the batch #1093 reportA lab report describes one batch. It is not a customs or biosecurity clearance and does not show that a product treats or prevents any condition.
FAQ
Is New Zealand's biosecurity system really stricter than Australia's?
New Zealand's system has a genuine, well known reputation for strictness, and the general framework we reviewed, requiring an Import Health Standard for most unprocessed goods, is consistent with that reputation.
Do I need a specific permit to bring shilajit into New Zealand?
We could not find an Import Health Standard specifically covering shilajit or a comparable mineral resin. This is an unresolved gap in what is publicly documented, and anyone bringing a commercial quantity should confirm directly with Biosecurity New Zealand.
What should I do if I am simply unsure whether to declare it?
Declare it. This is standard, uncontroversial advice for biosecurity declarations generally and avoids any question of a non-declaration penalty.