The Papua New Guinea Digital Arrival Card (PNGDAC) is part of the government's e-Border system. It records passenger and arrival information for border processing. It is not a visa. Completing it does not replace a visa or entry permit required for your passport, travel purpose or length of stay.
Who is required to complete PNGDAC?
The current Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority notice identifies three broad categories. The rule therefore applies regardless of whether a traveller is returning home, holds resident status or is visiting on a foreign passport.
PNG citizens
Citizens returning to Papua New Guinea from international travel are included. A PNG passport does not exempt its holder from the arrival-card requirement.
Permanent residents
Permanent residents travelling back into PNG are specifically covered by the mandatory pre-arrival directive.
Foreign nationals
Tourists, business visitors, workers and other foreign passport holders travelling into PNG are included.
Visa status and PNGDAC are separate
A visa deals with permission to enter Papua New Guinea for a particular purpose. PNGDAC is an arrival declaration used in the border-processing system. A traveller may therefore need both.
| Traveller | PNGDAC | Other entry authority |
|---|---|---|
| PNG citizen returning home | Required | Travel with a valid PNG travel document |
| Permanent resident | Required | Carry documents supporting resident/re-entry status |
| Tourist with an eVisa | Required | The eVisa remains separately required |
| Visa-on-arrival eligible visitor | Required | VOA eligibility and entry conditions remain separate |
| Business or employment traveller | Required | Correct business/work authority is still required |
Children, infants and family travel
The latest ICA notice uses the broad wording “all persons travelling to Papua New Guinea.” Families should prepare the information needed for every traveller, including children, instead of assuming that a parent's declaration automatically exempts a child.
ICA's PNGDAC guidance provides both individual and group submission routes. Group submission is a method for lodging traveller information together; it should not be interpreted as an exemption for individual members of the travelling party.
Do transit passengers need PNGDAC?
The current mandatory notice covers persons travelling to Papua New Guinea, while published PNGDAC guidance describes the card for travellers entering the country. The official material reviewed for this page does not set out a detailed airside-transit exemption test.
If your connection requires you to clear immigration, collect baggage, re-check bags, leave the international transit area or otherwise enter PNG, prepare the PNGDAC. For a through-ticket connection where you remain entirely airside, confirm the current requirement with your operating airline or PNG Immigration before departure.
When should the PNGDAC be submitted?
Official ICA traveller guidance says PNGDAC information can be submitted up to 72 hours before entering Papua New Guinea.
Wait for the submission window
Have your passport, flight and arrival information ready once you are within 72 hours of arrival.
Complete the declaration
Enter the personal, travel and declaration details requested by the official system and check them before submission.
Keep the confirmation accessible
Retain your confirmation with your travel documents. The August 2026 ICA directive requires completion before boarding-pass issuance.
Is the PNG Digital Arrival Card free?
Yes. ICA's official PNGDAC guidance says use of the system is free of charge. A third-party website may charge for assistance, but that is not a government PNGDAC fee.
What PNGDAC does not replace
- A visa or entry permit when your journey requires one.
- Your passport or other valid travel document.
- Immigration assessment at the border.
- The conditions attached to your visa, including purpose and permitted stay.
- Visa-on-arrival eligibility rules.
Why some older instructions mention airport kiosks
Earlier ICA rollout material said travellers who had not submitted online could use self-registration kiosks at Jacksons International Airport. A later public notice issued on 6 August 2026 states that PNGDAC is a mandatory pre-arrival requirement and instructs airlines and check-in personnel that travellers must complete it before boarding passes are issued. For travel now, follow the newer instruction and any current direction from ICA or your airline.
Common questions
Do PNG citizens need PNGDAC?
Yes. PNG citizens are specifically listed in the current mandatory-completion notice.
Do permanent residents need it?
Yes. Permanent residents are also specifically listed.
Does an approved eVisa remove the PNGDAC requirement?
No. PNGDAC and the visa perform different functions, and foreign nationals remain covered by the PNGDAC directive.
Is PNGDAC only for tourists?
No. The rule covers PNG citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals travelling into PNG.
Is PNGDAC free?
Yes. ICA states that use of PNGDAC is free of charge.
How early can I submit?
Official guidance says the card can be submitted up to 72 hours before entering Papua New Guinea.
Information standard
This page is based on current Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority Digital Arrival Card guidance. VisaPNG is an independent visa and travel information service and is not the PNG Government or ICA.