Complete PNGDAC
The PNG Digital Arrival Card is mandatory for all persons travelling to PNG. An ICSA notice dated 6 August 2026 tells airlines and check-in staff that it must be completed before a boarding pass is issued.
PNGDAC · yellow fever · malaria · vaccines · medicines
Papua New Guinea Health Entry Requirements | Pre-Travel Checks
Papua New Guinea does not impose one universal medical certificate on every visitor, but several health-related and border requirements can affect your journey. The most important are the mandatory PNG Digital Arrival Card, route-dependent yellow-fever certification, malaria prevention for lower-elevation areas, current routine vaccinations and sensible planning for limited medical care outside major centres.
PNGDACBefore boarding pass
Yellow feverRoute-dependent
MalariaRisk below 2,000 m
Medical evacuationInsurance strongly advised
Pre-travel health checklist
Separate mandatory entry controls from medical recommendations
Check yellow-fever route
A yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required only for travellers whose itinerary meets PNG's risk-country rule. It is not a blanket requirement for every visitor.
Review routine vaccination
CDC advises travellers to be up to date with routine vaccines. Current PNG guidance also highlights measles, rubella and poliovirus concerns.
Discuss malaria prevention
CDC lists malaria transmission throughout PNG below 2,000 metres. The correct medicine depends on health history, destination and other individual factors.
Prepare prescription medicines
Keep important medicine in original labelled containers and carry a prescription or clinician letter for restricted, narcotic or otherwise sensitive medication.
Check evacuation cover
Medical facilities are limited. Official travel advice says serious illness or injury can require evacuation to Australia, so insurance should cover overseas treatment and evacuation.
PNGDAC
A border requirement, not a medical certificate
Who must complete it?
PNG citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals travelling to Papua New Guinea.
When?
The August 2026 directive requires completion before issuance of the boarding pass. ICA's homepage also says the card can be submitted online up to 72 hours before arrival.
What it does not do
PNGDAC does not replace your passport, visa, yellow-fever certificate or other travel documentation.
Do not describe PNGDAC as a “health clearance barcode.” It is part of PNG's e-Border and arrival-processing system. Health information may form part of border processing, but the legal requirement is broader than health screening.
Yellow fever
Certificate requirements depend on your travel route
CDC currently states that yellow-fever vaccination is not recommended solely because you are visiting Papua New Guinea.
However, PNG requires proof of vaccination for travellers aged one year or older arriving from countries with a risk of yellow-fever transmission.
The rule also includes airport transits or layovers longer than 12 hours in a yellow-fever-risk country.
A normal connection through a non-risk hub such as Singapore, Manila or Brisbane does not by itself trigger the yellow-fever requirement.
Vaccination planning
Routine and recommended vaccines matter more than a long “mandatory” list
Check your standard schedule
CDC recommends that travellers be up to date with routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, influenza and polio as appropriate.
Recent poliovirus activity
CDC currently notes that poliovirus has been identified in PNG in the past year and advises travellers to review polio vaccination status before travel.
Common travel-medicine recommendations
CDC recommends hepatitis A for most unvaccinated travellers, hepatitis B for unvaccinated travellers of all ages, and typhoid for most travellers—especially those visiting smaller cities or rural areas.
Malaria
Risk is widespread below 2,000 metres
Where risk exists
CDC currently lists malaria transmission throughout Papua New Guinea in areas below 2,000 metres elevation.
Prescription options
CDC lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine among possible prophylaxis options, depending on the traveller.
Do not self-prescribe
The best choice depends on age, pregnancy status, health conditions, interactions, itinerary and how long you will be in the risk area.
“Malaria is prevalent across all provinces” is too broad without elevation context. A more accurate planning rule is: risk exists throughout the country below 2,000 metres.
Mosquito-borne disease
Use bite prevention even when taking malaria tablets
Smartraveller currently lists malaria, Zika, dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis among insect-borne disease risks in PNG.
CDC recommends covering exposed skin, using an appropriate insect repellent and sleeping in screened, air-conditioned or mosquito-net-protected accommodation where possible.
Suitable repellent options include products containing DEET or picaridin. Follow the product instructions rather than using a fixed percentage as though one concentration is required by law.
Prescription medicine
Prepare medication so Customs can identify it quickly
Keep labels attached
PNG Customs advises travellers carrying medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics to keep the medication in its original container.
Carry clinician documentation
Customs advises carrying a physician's prescription confirming that the medication is being used under medical direction and is necessary for your health.
Do not assume every medicine is unrestricted
PNG Customs specifically recommends declaring prescription drugs and requires reporting of medicines containing narcotics or tranquillisers in applicable border contexts.
Medical care
Plan around limited local capacity
Port Moresby and Lae
Smartraveller notes that a small number of private hospitals and clinics operate in Port Moresby and Lae, but care can be expensive and payment or insurance may be required before treatment.
Rural areas
Health facilities outside major centres are basic, and ambulance services outside Port Moresby are limited.
Serious illness or injury
Official Australian travel advice states that serious cases may require medical evacuation to Australia.
Medical evacuation insurance
Buy adequate cover, not an arbitrary headline number
It is sensible to carry comprehensive travel insurance that covers overseas medical treatment and emergency evacuation. Smartraveller explicitly recommends this because PNG's medical facilities are poor and medical evacuation can be very expensive.
The exact amount of cover should reflect your insurer, destination, activities and risk profile. A fixed “$100,000 minimum” is not a universal PNG border requirement and should not be presented as one.
If you are diving, trekking, travelling to the Sepik, visiting remote islands or working far from Port Moresby, confirm that the policy covers those activities and the associated evacuation chain.
Remote and adventure travel
Health planning changes with the itinerary
Fitness, malaria and evacuation delays
Smartraveller warns that the Kokoda Track is physically demanding and that risks include dehydration, dysentery, poor local services and delayed medical evacuation.
Know the hyperbaric limitations
Smartraveller currently notes that PNG's only hyperbaric chamber is in Port Moresby. Divers should confirm medical and evacuation cover for the depth and location of their trip.
Carry enough regular medication
CDC advises travellers to bring the medicines they expect to need, including extra supply in case of delays, because equivalent medication may be difficult to obtain locally.
Water and food health
Prevent illness that can derail a remote itinerary
Drinking water
Smartraveller advises boiling water or using bottled water where safe supply is uncertain.
Freshwater exposure
CDC advises avoiding potentially contaminated freshwater and floodwater because of infectious-disease risks.
Food hygiene
Choose well-cooked food, safe drinking water and clean food-handling environments, particularly outside major hotels.
Health entry FAQ
Common questions before travel
Is PNGDAC a medical clearance?
No. It is a mandatory digital arrival and border-processing requirement. The August 2026 ICSA directive requires completion before boarding-pass issuance.
Do I need a yellow-fever vaccine just because I am visiting PNG?
No. CDC does not recommend yellow-fever vaccination solely for PNG. The certificate requirement is triggered by travel from or qualifying transit through a yellow-fever-risk country.
Who needs a yellow-fever certificate?
Travellers aged one year or older arriving from a risk country, including those with airport transits or layovers longer than 12 hours in a risk country.
Where is malaria a risk?
CDC currently lists transmission throughout PNG below 2,000 metres elevation.
Which malaria tablet should I take?
That requires individual medical advice. CDC lists several possible medicines, but suitability depends on your age, health, pregnancy status, interactions and itinerary.
Do I have to keep medicine in original packaging?
For medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics, PNG Customs specifically advises original containers and a doctor's prescription. This is also sensible for other prescription medicines.
Is $100,000 of evacuation cover mandatory?
No universal PNG entry rule sets that amount. What matters is having adequate medical and evacuation cover for your itinerary, activities and potential treatment destination.
Are medical facilities good outside Port Moresby?
Official travel advice describes rural facilities as basic and ambulance services outside Port Moresby as limited. Serious cases may require evacuation.
Related VisaPNG guides
Complete the rest of your pre-travel preparation
Entry RequirementsBorder, Customs and arrival rules.
Travelling With ChildrenFamily entry and health preparation.
Travel InsuranceMedical and evacuation planning.
Packing GuideMedical kit and remote-travel gear.
Before You TravelFinal departure checks.
Visa & Entry NewsFollow changing border requirements.
Pre-travel health planning
Check your route, elevation and activities—not just your destination country
Complete PNGDAC before check-in, review your yellow-fever transit history, speak with a travel-health clinician about malaria and vaccines, and choose insurance that covers the places and activities on your actual itinerary.
Official and health sources
Primary references for current health preparation
ICSA — Mandatory PNG Digital Arrival Card: https://ica.gov.pg/public-notices/2026/mandatory-completion-of-png-digital-arrival-card
ICSA — Official immigration portal: https://ica.gov.pg/
CDC — Papua New Guinea Traveler Health: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/Papua-New-Guinea
Smartraveller — Papua New Guinea Health & Safety: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/pacific/papua-new-guinea
PNG Customs — Drugs & Prescription Medicines: https://customs.gov.pg/border/drugs
PNG Customs — Medicine Documentation Guidance: https://customs.gov.pg/border/departures
VisaPNG is an independent visa and travel-support website. It is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority, PNG Customs Service, a health authority or a medical provider. Health advice should be individualized by a qualified clinician.