How to Update a PNG Digital Arrival Card

Quick answer: use the official Update PNGDAC function when the field is editable. The official FAQ says full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth cannot be changed through the update function. If one of those details is wrong, submit a new PNGDAC with the correct information; the system treats the most recent valid submission as the active declaration.

What can you update after submitting PNGDAC?

A submitted arrival card is not necessarily frozen. The PNGDAC guidance specifically allows corrections before you present to Immigration. That is useful when an airline changes your flight, your arrival date moves, your first-night accommodation changes, or you discover an error in an editable part of the declaration.

Update your PNGDAC in five practical steps

1. Return to the official PNGDAC website. Use pngdac.ica.gov.pg rather than a third-party form.
2. Choose “Update PNGDAC”. Follow the portal prompts to retrieve the declaration you already submitted.
3. Correct the travel information. Review the changed flight, arrival, accommodation or other editable declaration details carefully.
4. Check the four locked identity fields. If the error concerns your full name, passport number, nationality or date of birth, stop trying to edit that field and make a new correct submission instead.
5. Review and submit. Make sure the record is accurate before you present to Immigration on arrival.

Flight or hotel changed after submission?

You do not need to panic over an ordinary itinerary change. The official FAQ says the declaration must be accurate and complete before entry and allows a traveller to update the existing card or submit a new form when a flight or hotel changes. The key is that the record presented for your trip reflects the current information.

Do you need a new QR code or printed confirmation?

Keep the confirmation associated with your corrected or latest valid declaration accessible on your phone or another device. The official guidance says printing is not mandatory; downloading the confirmation is recommended, while a paper copy is simply a useful backup if you will not have a device available.

Do not rely on an old screenshot if you have subsequently replaced the declaration. Keep the newest confirmation with your travel documents so there is less ambiguity during check-in or arrival processing.

What if Update PNGDAC does not work?

First, confirm that the detail you are trying to change is actually editable. If the website produces a technical error, keep a screenshot of the error. PNGDAC guidance advises travellers experiencing website problems to retain evidence of the error and contact airport or immigration staff. If the information cannot be updated, the FAQ allows a new correct submission.

If you did not receive the confirmation email, the official FAQ directs passengers to contact the Immigration Officer at the entry checkpoint. PNGDAC also lists its support email in the official help material.

Timing: make corrections before immigration clearance

PNGDAC is intended for arrival information, so do not leave a known error unresolved. The official FAQ says the card can be updated before presenting to Immigration. It also states that the form may be submitted up to 72 hours before arrival in Papua New Guinea, including the date of arrival.

Common update scenarios

Before you finish

• Compare your declaration with the passport you will actually travel on.
• Check the operating flight number and arrival date after any airline schedule change.
• Use an address in Papua New Guinea that reflects your current accommodation plan.
• Review health, goods and prohibited-item declarations again if circumstances changed.
• Save the latest PNGDAC confirmation where you can reach it offline.