Eligibility, requirements, fees and application workflow

Papua New Guinea eVisa Guide

Papua New Guinea's Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) operates an online eVisa system covering multiple visitor, business and specialist classes. The correct route depends on your passport, purpose of travel and the visa class shown in the live ICA portal. Do not assume that eVisa eligibility and Visa on Arrival eligibility are the same—they are separate parts of PNG's entry system.

Check the entry routes See how to apply
30 & 60 daysEasy Visitor Permit classes exist online.
US$50 online feeCurrent EVP eVisa lodgement fee.
Single entryEasy Visitor Permit 30/60-day routes.
PNGDAC requiredSeparate mandatory pre-arrival step.

What the PNG eVisa is

An online application channel for approved visa classes

ICA's current eVisa system publishes six broad online visa types: Visitor, Business, Entertainer, Restricted, Special Exemption and Working Resident. Within those groups are individual visa classes with their own eligibility, stay limits, fees and evidence requirements.

For ordinary tourism, the most important online classes are the Easy Visitor Permit (30 days) and Easy Visitor Permit (60 days). Both are designed for holidays, sightseeing, social or recreational visits, and visiting relatives or friends.

Important: select the visa class from the live ICA portal based on your passport and purpose rather than copying a nationality table from an old travel website.

Eligibility

PNG eVisa and Visa on Arrival are not the same eligibility list

Current ICA pages create a more nuanced picture than the common “advance eVisa vs 28-country VoA” summary. The eVisa portal publishes its own eligible-passport lists for the 30-day and 60-day Easy Visitor Permits, while ICA separately publishes the current Visa on Arrival list.

Easy Visitor Permit — 30 days

Online 30-day route

ICA's live eVisa portal currently includes passports such as Australia, India, the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Fiji and the United Kingdom, alongside many others, in the 30-day EVP eligibility table.

The permit is single entry and runs for 30 days from arrival.

Easy Visitor Permit — 60 days

Online 60-day route

ICA's live portal currently lists a broad range of eligible passports for the 60-day EVP, including the United States, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia-associated regional passport groups and many European countries.

The permit is single entry and runs for 60 days from arrival.

Visa on Arrival

Separate border route

ICA's current Visa on Arrival page lists selected countries and territories, including Canada, Fiji, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and several Pacific states and territories.

It explicitly states that mainland United States, France and New Zealand are not eligible for Visa on Arrival.

Why this matters: a passport can appear in an online Easy Visitor Permit list while not being eligible for the current Visa on Arrival route. Always check both the live eVisa class and ICA's current VoA page before travel.

Ports of entry

Entry location can affect whether you need a permit in advance

ICA currently lists Jacksons International Airport, Daru, Wutung (Vanimo) and Kagamuga Airport in Mount Hagen as designated international ports of entry. Visitors seeking entry through other ports must already hold a valid Entry Permit.

Jacksons International Airport

Main international air gateway in Port Moresby.

Daru

Designated international port of entry in Western Province.

Wutung / Vanimo

International land-border entry point near Indonesia.

Kagamuga Airport

Mount Hagen's airport is listed by ICA as a designated international port.

Other ports

ICA says travellers entering elsewhere must already hold a valid Entry Permit.

Check before routing

Do not assume every seaport, airstrip or land crossing can process the same arrival route.

Visitor eVisa documents

Start with what ICA actually requires for your visa class

Passport biodata page

For the Easy Visitor Permit 30-day route, ICA's live eVisa instructions explicitly require a copy of the passport biodata page.

Valid passport

ICA's immigration guidance states that travellers must hold an appropriately valid passport. Check the current validity rule before departure and ensure the passport used for travel matches the application.

Supporting evidence if requested

ICA's Visitor Visa page says applicants must be genuine visitors intending to leave PNG and may be asked for evidence depending on their individual circumstances.

Onward travel

Keep a confirmed onward or return itinerary available. It can help demonstrate the temporary nature of the visit and may be requested depending on the visa class or circumstances.

Accommodation details

Keep accurate hotel or host information ready. However, ICA's public Visitor Visa guidance does not establish one blanket rule requiring every EVP applicant to upload a hotel voucher for every night.

Funds evidence

Some visa classes explicitly require sufficient funds, and ICA may request evidence. Do not invent a fixed tourist minimum such as US$1,500–2,000 unless the selected visa class publishes one.

Do not automatically require: three months of bank statements, a Chief Migration Officer cover letter, a white-background portrait or a hotel voucher unless the live class you are applying under actually requests those items.

File preparation

Upload readable documents without inventing unsupported portal limits

Every upload should be complete, legible and consistent with the information entered into the application. Passport numbers, names and dates should be copied from the passport carefully.

The supplied draft assumes universal rules such as “all documents under 10 MB,” “passport photo under a fixed size,” and “filenames cannot contain spaces or hyphens.” Those claims should only be used where the live portal itself displays them for the selected upload field.

Best practice: use simple file names, normal PDF/JPEG formats where accepted, and open each file before submission to confirm it is readable.

How to apply

PNG eVisa application workflow

1

Choose the correct visa class

Use ICA's live visa-class list and select the class matching your passport and purpose of travel.

2

Complete the online application

Enter personal, passport and travel information carefully. Use the passport biodata page as your reference.

3

Provide the required evidence

Upload the passport page and any other documents specifically requested for the selected visa class.

4

Pay the displayed fee

ICA's system calculates applicable Migration Service Fees and online lodgement fees before payment.

Easy Visitor Permit online fee

ICA currently states that there is no Migration Service Fee for the Easy Visitor Permit, but an application lodged through the eVisa portal attracts a US$50 online lodgement fee.

ICA says fees are levied in US dollars and converted into PNG kina using its published conversion rate before registration is finalised.

Processing and approval

Do not promise a universal 48–72 hour processing time

ICA's 2025 Visa Information Booklet says an eVisa can be issued almost instantaneously when all entry requirements are met. That does not mean every application is instant, nor does ICA's current public material support a guaranteed 48–72 hour timeframe for all visitor applications.

Straightforward applications

Some can be processed quickly when the class, passport and evidence meet the online rules.

Manual review

Applications requiring additional evidence or checks can take longer.

Do not book too tightly

Submit with enough time to deal with a request for more information.

Check your email

Monitor the account used for the application and review spam or junk folders.

Approval details

Check the approved name, passport details, visa class and validity carefully.

Keep a backup

Store the approval document offline and carry a printed copy as a practical backup.

Validity and stay conditions

Understand the visa class before you travel

30-day EVP

ICA's eVisa portal states that the Easy Visitor Permit (30 days) is single entry and allows 30 days from arrival. The portal also says extension of stay is not permitted for this class.

60-day EVP

ICA maintains a separate Easy Visitor Permit 60-day class for eligible passports. Check the live class conditions before application because eligibility is passport-specific.

Paid work prohibited

ICA expressly states that Easy Visitor Permits prohibit paid work. Employment requires the appropriate work/employment route.

Entry window

Use an Entry Permit within six months of issue

ICA's Entry and Re-entry Requirements state that an Entry Permit holder must enter Papua New Guinea within six months of the permit being issued. If the traveller does not enter during that period, the Entry Permit becomes invalid and a new application is required.

This six-month execution window is different from the 30-day or 60-day stay period, which is calculated from arrival for the relevant visitor class.

Do not confuse: “enter within six months of issue” with “stay for six months.”

PNGDAC

Your eVisa does not replace the Digital Arrival Card

On 6 August 2026, ICA made the PNG Digital Arrival Card a mandatory pre-arrival requirement for PNG citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals. ICA directs airlines and check-in personnel to ensure travellers complete it before a boarding pass is issued.

Separate from the visa

The PNGDAC is a border-arrival requirement, not an Entry Permit.

All travellers

The requirement applies to foreign nationals as well as PNG citizens and permanent residents.

Before boarding pass

ICA's current notice directly links completion to boarding-pass issuance.

Keep confirmation

Save the completed-card confirmation on your phone and offline where possible.

Free official process

Use ICA's official arrival-card service rather than fee-charging lookalike sites.

Travel details

Complete the card using accurate flight, identity and arrival information.

Health and entry preparation

Health rules depend on itinerary and visa class

Yellow fever

Papua New Guinea is not a yellow-fever transmission destination, but vaccination-certificate requirements can apply to travellers arriving from, or spending qualifying transit time in, a country with yellow-fever transmission risk.

Malaria

Malaria prevention is an important travel-health issue in PNG. Seek medical advice appropriate to the regions you will visit rather than treating one antimalarial drug as suitable for everyone.

Long-term visa classes

Working, residency and some specialist classes can have formal medical and character requirements that do not apply in the same way to ordinary short-term visitors.

Travelling with an approved eVisa

Carry evidence that makes your journey easy to verify

Keep your passport, approval document, PNGDAC confirmation and onward itinerary accessible. A printed approval copy is a useful backup even when you also store the document electronically.

Border admission remains subject to immigration checks. An eVisa allows you to travel under the approved class; it does not remove the obligation to satisfy the conditions of that permit.

Use the same passport: travel with the passport used in the application. If that passport is lost, renewed or replaced before travel, contact ICA about the correct next step.

Visitor-class limits

Do not use a tourist eVisa for activities belonging to another visa class

Paid employment

Expressly prohibited under the Easy Visitor Permit.

Business activity

Use an appropriate business visa for activities that fall outside ordinary visitor purposes.

Professional filming

ICA has separate filmmaker and entertainer visa classes for relevant activity.

Employment

Formal work routes may require sponsorship and work-authorisation steps.

Long-term stay

Do not rely on a short visitor permit to establish residence.

Changed circumstances

ICA says applicants and visa holders should notify it if circumstances change and affect visa eligibility.

Common PNG eVisa misinformation

Claims this page deliberately avoids

Weak or outdated claim Better current wording
US, Australia, India and all EU passports can only use a 30-day advance eVisa. The live ICA portal publishes passport-specific 30-day and 60-day EVP lists. Check the selected class directly.
Exactly 28 countries can use Visa on Arrival. Use ICA's current VoA page because the active list and passport-type restrictions can change.
US travellers are not eligible for the 60-day online visitor route. The current ICA 60-day Easy Visitor Permit table includes the United States, even though mainland US passports are excluded from current VoA.
Every visitor needs three months of bank statements and US$1,500–2,000. ICA may request evidence depending on the class and circumstances; no universal tourist cash threshold is published in the visitor guidance used here.
Every applicant must upload a CMO cover letter and hotel voucher. Upload the evidence required by the live visa class. ICA's public visitor guidance does not impose those items universally.
Every file must be under 10 MB and spaces in filenames crash the portal. Follow the technical limits displayed by the live upload field; do not turn anecdotal troubleshooting into official policy.
Processing is always 48–72 hours. ICA says some eVisas can issue very quickly when requirements are met, but processing time can vary.
A printed eVisa is universally the only document airlines will accept. Carry the approval electronically and as a printed backup. Follow the airline and ICA instructions applying to your journey.
Any yellow-fever-country airport transit automatically requires a certificate. Apply the current health authority rule based on origin, transit duration and risk-country status.
One day of overstay automatically creates a permanent blacklist. Overstaying is an immigration breach and can have serious consequences, but do not invent a universal automatic permanent-ban rule without an ICA source.

PNG eVisa FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does the PNG Easy Visitor Permit cost online?

ICA currently states that there is no Migration Service Fee for the Easy Visitor Permit, but applications lodged through the eVisa portal attract a US$50 online lodgement fee.

Can I work in Papua New Guinea on an Easy Visitor Permit?

No. ICA expressly prohibits paid work under the Easy Visitor Permit. Use the appropriate business, employment or specialist visa if your activities fall outside ordinary visitor purposes.

Do I still need PNGDAC after my eVisa is approved?

Yes. PNGDAC is a separate mandatory pre-arrival requirement. ICA's August 2026 notice says all travellers must complete it before boarding-pass issuance.

Is Visa on Arrival the same as being eVisa eligible?

No. The live eVisa portal and the current Visa on Arrival page contain different eligibility structures. Check both before deciding how you will enter.

How long is an approved Entry Permit available before first use?

ICA states that an Entry Permit must be used to enter Papua New Guinea within six months of issue or it becomes invalid.

Is the 30-day Easy Visitor Permit extendable?

ICA's current eVisa class description states that an extension of stay is not permitted for the Easy Visitor Permit 30-day class.

Continue planning

CVisa CheckerCheck the likely route for your passport and purpose. EEasy Visitor Permit30-day and 60-day visitor routes. AHow to ApplyStep-by-step application workflow. RVisa RequirementsPassport and supporting-evidence planning. VVisa on ArrivalCurrent border route and eligible passports. TBefore You TravelPNGDAC, health, money and final checks.

Choose the class before preparing documents

Your passport and purpose determine the correct PNG visa route

Start with the live visa class, then prepare only the evidence that class requires. This reduces contradictory documents, unnecessary uploads and reliance on outdated nationality tables.

Check visa route Application guide

Official-reference policy

Recheck the ICA portal immediately before applying

PNG visa classes, country eligibility, fees and border procedures can change. VisaPNG is an independent information and visa-support website and is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Authority.

PNG ICA — Visitor Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/visit/visitor PNG ICA — Live eVisa Classes: https://evisa.ica.gov.pg/evisa/evisa/visaclass PNG ICA — Visa on Arrival: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-on-arrival PNG ICA — Entry & Re-entry Requirements: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/entry-and-re-entry-requirements PNG ICA — International Ports of Entry: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/designated-png-international-ports-of-entry PNG ICA — Mandatory PNGDAC Notice: https://ica.gov.pg/public-notices/2026/mandatory-completion-of-png-digital-arrival-card