Newborns are included
The official PNGDAC FAQ states that all travellers, including infants and children, are required to have PNGDAC. A baby's age does not remove the requirement.
PNGDAC · family groups · children · infants
PNG Digital Arrival Card for Children and Families
Every person entering Papua New Guinea by air under the current PNGDAC system must be accounted for—including infants and children. Families do not need to repeat the whole process separately, however: the official portal provides a group submission option for up to 10 travellers.
ChildrenPNGDAC required
InfantsPNGDAC required
Group sizeUp to 10 passengers
ConfirmationUnique PNGDAC number each
Who needs a card?
No age exemption for children or infants
Each child is a separate traveller record
Even when a parent completes the submission, the child's own passport and biographical information must be entered as part of the family group.
You may submit on their behalf
ICA explicitly allows a person to complete PNGDAC for family members, children or group travellers.
PNGDAC is an arrival declaration, not a visa. Each family member must also hold whatever passport, visa or entry permission applies to that person.
Family group submission
One workflow can cover up to 10 passengers
Maximum 10 travellers
The official FAQ and website-submission guide both confirm a maximum of 10 entries per family or group submission.
Individual traveller details still matter
Add each traveller in turn. Every child still needs their own personal, passport, trip, goods and health information to be accurate.
One email can receive the batch
The group workflow sends the submitted PNGDAC information to the email address entered during the submission process.
Unique PNGDAC number per person
ICA's group-submission instructions state that everyone in the group is assigned a unique PNGDAC number.
OTP verification
The system sends a six-digit one-time code to the chosen email address before the submission is confirmed.
Not a shared family visa
Group submission only streamlines the arrival-card workflow. It does not merge passports, visas or immigration status.
Official web workflow
How to submit a family PNGDAC
Go to the PNGDAC website and start a group submission.
Complete personal, passport, trip, goods and health information.
Use “Add Other Travellers” and repeat the required details for each child and adult.
Review names, passport numbers, dates and declarations before submission.
Use an email address you can access while travelling.
Enter the six-digit code sent to your email.
Save the family PNGDAC documents locally on your device.
Have the confirmations ready for airline and arrival processing.
Timing
Submit within 72 hours before arrival—and before boarding-pass issuance
The official PNGDAC FAQ states that the card should be submitted within 72 hours before arriving in Papua New Guinea, including the date of arrival.
A later ICSA directive dated 6 August 2026 tells international airlines and check-in personnel that PNGDAC is mandatory and must be completed before a boarding pass is issued.
For families, the simplest approach is to complete the group submission after final flight details are confirmed and before leaving for the departure airport.
What information do you need?
Prepare the family records before starting
ICA says the PNGDAC requires passport details, flight number and arrival date, the address in Papua New Guinea, travel purpose, health information, goods/prohibited-item declarations and an email address.
The portal does not save an unfinished submission, so gathering all family information before you begin avoids repeating the process.
Accuracy
Children's passport details deserve a second check
Check passport number
Passport number is one of the fields the system does not allow you simply to edit through the normal update function.
Check full name
Full name, nationality and date of birth are also restricted update fields. If one is wrong, ICA recommends submitting a new form.
Latest submission wins
If multiple submissions exist for one traveller, ICA says the system considers the most recent submission valid.
Food, baby supplies and Customs questions
Answer each traveller's goods declaration accurately
Do not guess when a food question applies
Formula, packaged snacks and other food items may fall within Customs or biosecurity declarations depending on their ingredients and origin.
If unsure, declare “YES”
ICA's official PNGDAC submission guide explicitly says: when completing the Goods and Prohibited Items Declarations, if you are unsure, declare “YES”.
Know which bag contains what
Before completing the declaration, check which family member's baggage contains food, medicines or other declarable items so the information reflects the actual travelling group.
Do not assume that commercially sealed baby formula or snacks are automatically prohibited. Declare when required and let PNG Customs or biosecurity officers decide whether an item can enter.
Confirmation documents
You do not have to print every PNGDAC
ICA's official FAQ states that printing is not mandatory. The recommended approach is to download the PNGDAC confirmation after submission or keep the emailed document on a phone or other device.
For a family, save every confirmation in one clearly named folder and make it available offline. Printing a backup can still be helpful if a phone battery fails or airport connectivity is poor.
What not to claim
Keep the family guidance aligned with the official manual
Not “one shared card”
A group workflow does not create one family identity. Each traveller receives an individual PNGDAC number.
Not necessarily separate QR codes
The current official manual confirms unique PNGDAC numbers and downloadable documents; it does not require an unsupported promise about a separate QR-code format for every person.
No verified passport OCR requirement
The current web-submission guide instructs travellers to enter passport details but does not document a mandatory or guaranteed passport-photo OCR feature.
Common family problems
Fix errors before you reach the airport
Child omitted from group
Add the child through a new or corrected submission. Every infant and child entering PNG needs to be included.
Wrong passport number
ICA recommends submitting a new form when a restricted identity field cannot be updated.
Flight changed
Update the existing submission where possible, or submit a new form. The most recent valid submission is used.
Email never arrived
Check spam folders first. The official FAQ says travellers who do not receive the confirmation should contact Immigration at the entry checkpoint.
Family larger than 10
Because one group submission is capped at 10 passengers, divide the travelling party into additional valid submissions.
No internet on airport day
Complete the PNGDAC before departure and save confirmations offline rather than relying on live access at the check-in desk.
Family PNGDAC FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does an infant need PNGDAC?
Yes. ICA's official FAQ says all travellers, including infants and children, are required to have a PNGDAC.
Can one parent submit PNGDAC for the whole family?
Yes. ICA permits submissions for family members and children, and the group workflow supports up to 10 passengers.
Does the whole family receive one PNGDAC number?
No. Each traveller included in a group submission is assigned a unique PNGDAC number.
Can I submit more than 10 family members at once?
No. The official system caps one group submission at 10 passengers. A larger party should use additional submissions.
Do I have to print the confirmations?
No. ICA says printing is not required. Download the confirmations or keep the emailed copies available on a device; a printed backup is optional.
What if I enter my child's passport number incorrectly?
Passport number is not one of the fields that can be corrected using the normal update function. ICA recommends submitting a new form with the correct details; the latest valid submission is used.
Should I declare baby formula or snacks?
Answer the goods and prohibited-item questions based on what you are carrying. ICA's official instructions say that if you are unsure whether something should be declared, select “YES”.
Does PNGDAC replace my child's eVisa?
No. PNGDAC is not a visa. Each child must separately meet the visa or entry-permission rules that apply to their passport and travel purpose.
Related VisaPNG guides
Prepare the family's complete entry file
Family arrival preparation
Submit the group only after every passport is in front of you
PNGDAC does not save an unfinished application, and core identity fields can be awkward to correct. Gather every passport, the final flight details, accommodation address and family declarations first, then complete the group in one sitting.
Official sources
Family workflow verified against the PNGDAC manual
Official PNGDAC FAQ — User Manual v1.5
Official PNGDAC Website Submission Guide
ICSA — Mandatory Completion Notice, 6 August 2026
Official PNG Digital Arrival Card Portal
VisaPNG is an independent visa and travel-support website. It is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority. The live PNGDAC portal and official instructions take precedence if the process changes.