Older PNGDAC instructions describe airport kiosks as an arrival fallback. A later Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority notice issued on 6 August 2026 makes PNGDAC a mandatory pre-arrival requirement and tells airlines that travellers must complete it before boarding-pass issuance. Do not plan to rely on an airport kiosk as your normal submission method.
What Jacksons Airport passengers need to know
Jacksons International Airport (POM) is Papua New Guinea's principal international air gateway. PNGDAC replaces the traditional paper incoming passenger card for travellers using the system and brings passenger, journey, health, goods and declaration information into the government's digital border process. It is separate from your visa or other authority to enter Papua New Guinea.
The official service is free. The ICA website allows travellers to submit PNGDAC up to 72 hours before arrival. Under the August 2026 directive, incoming passengers are expected to have completed it before a boarding pass is issued.
Complete PNGDAC before leaving for the airport
Have your passport, flight number, expected arrival date, Papua New Guinea accommodation address and email address ready. The form also asks for travel purpose, health information and goods/prohibited-item declarations. If your flight or accommodation changes, the official service provides an update function.
- Submit online. Enter the passport details exactly as they appear in the travel document.
- Check the journey. Confirm the flight number, arrival date and PNG accommodation.
- Answer the declarations. Complete the health and goods questions accurately.
- Save the confirmation. Download it to a device you will have after landing. Printing is optional as a backup.
- Keep visa documents separate. PNGDAC is not a visa and does not grant entry permission.
What happens after you land at POM?
Follow the international-arrivals signs to border processing. Official PNGDAC instructions say arriving travellers should present their passport and PNGDAC submission confirmation to a Papua New Guinea officer for verification. Completing the declaration in advance is intended to reduce paper handling and support faster processing.
The confirmation does not guarantee admission. Immigration still checks your passport and authority to enter. Customs, biosecurity or health declarations can also lead to additional questions or inspection.
Do officers scan a PNGDAC QR code?
Keep the complete PNGDAC confirmation available. Official ICA guidance instructs passengers to present the confirmation with their passport, but it does not require travellers to depend on one specific QR-scanning procedure at every counter. Saving the complete confirmation is therefore better than keeping only a cropped barcode or screenshot.
Are self-service kiosks still available?
ICA's PNGDAC guides and FAQ describe self-registration kiosks at Jacksons International Airport. Those instructions pre-date the stronger August 2026 airline directive. Kiosks may remain available for operational assistance or exceptional cases, but travellers should not intentionally wait until arrival to complete PNGDAC.
If the website fails before travel, the official FAQ recommends keeping a screenshot of the error and contacting airport or immigration staff. Because the current rule operates before boarding, also seek instructions from your airline before travelling to the departure airport.
Transit passengers at Jacksons
The key question is whether you are entering Papua New Guinea. The official FAQ says transit travellers who do not enter PNG do not need PNGDAC. If a connection requires immigration clearance and entry into PNG—for example, because the itinerary requires landside processing—complete the card.
Separate tickets and baggage arrangements can change the connection procedure. Confirm with the operating airlines whether you will remain airside rather than assuming your connection is exempt.
Customs and biosecurity declarations
PNGDAC includes goods and prohibited-items questions, so the form is more than an immigration identity record. Declare controlled or declarable goods truthfully and follow the directions given by border officers after baggage collection. Food, plant material, animal products, biological items and soil-contaminated outdoor equipment can attract additional controls.
If you are carrying hiking boots or camping gear, clean visible soil and organic material before packing. This is sensible biosecurity preparation for Papua New Guinea.
Four mistakes that create avoidable delays
Waiting until POM
Airport-kiosk advice is no longer a sound normal plan because ICA now requires pre-arrival completion before boarding-pass issuance.
Treating PNGDAC as a visa
It is an arrival declaration. Your passport must separately meet the visa or entry-permit rules that apply to you.
Leaving old flight details
Update the declaration if important journey or accommodation details change before entry.
Forgetting children
Infants and children also require PNGDAC information. The official system supports family/group submissions of up to 10 people.
Jacksons International Airport arrival checklist
- Passport ready for border inspection
- Correct visa, permit or other entry authority where required
- PNGDAC completed before boarding
- Confirmation downloaded to your phone or another device
- Flight and PNG accommodation details checked for accuracy
- Health and goods declarations completed truthfully
- Onward or return travel evidence available if requested
Official sources
Arrival procedures can change, so check the current government and airline instructions again before departure.
- ICA — Mandatory Completion of PNG Digital Arrival Card
- ICA — PNG Digital Arrival Card
- Official PNGDAC FAQ
- Air Niugini — PNGDAC passenger information
VisaPNG is not the Papua New Guinea Government or the Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority. Government rules and airline procedures take priority over this guide.
PNGDAC at POM: frequently asked questions
Do I have to complete PNGDAC before flying to Port Moresby?
Yes. ICA's August 2026 notice makes PNGDAC a mandatory pre-arrival requirement and says travellers must complete it before boarding-pass issuance.
Do I need to print the confirmation?
No. The official FAQ says printing is not required. Download the confirmation to your device; a paper copy can be carried as a backup.
Can I use an airport kiosk instead?
Older official guidance describes kiosks at Jacksons, but the newer pre-boarding directive means you should complete PNGDAC before departure rather than plan to submit after landing.
Does a transit passenger need PNGDAC?
Not if the passenger remains in transit without entering Papua New Guinea. If the connection requires immigration clearance and entry into PNG, PNGDAC is required.
Is PNGDAC the same as a PNG visa?
No. PNGDAC is a passenger arrival declaration and does not replace any visa or entry permit required for your passport and purpose of travel.