Documents, passport eligibility, fees and travel preparation
Papua New Guinea's eVisa requirements depend on the visa class, passport and purpose of travel. For a straightforward 30-day Easy Visitor Permit, ICA's current online class specifically requires a passport biodata-page copy and the online lodgement fee. Other documents—such as return travel evidence, financial evidence, accommodation details, police clearances or medical records—can apply depending on the visa class or the applicant's individual circumstances.
Eligibility first
ICA's live portal has separate passport lists and requirements for each visa class. A traveller can be eligible for an online Easy Visitor Permit without necessarily being eligible for Visa on Arrival.
ICA currently lists passports including Australia, India, the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and many others in this class.
The visa is single entry and valid for 30 days from arrival.
ICA maintains a broader 60-day visitor class for eligible passports, including the United States, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and many others.
Visa on Arrival eligibility is published separately by ICA. Do not assume that appearing in a 60-day eVisa list automatically means you can obtain a visa at the airport.
Core documents
ICA's FAQ states that a passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you intend to enter Papua New Guinea.
ICA's current Easy Visitor Permit 30-day instructions explicitly require a copy of the passport biodata page.
ICA says evidence of return travel may be requested in some circumstances during the visa application process. It is therefore sensible to keep your confirmed onward itinerary ready.
Keep accurate hotel or host details available. However, ICA's current public Visitor Visa page does not impose a universal rule requiring every visitor applicant to upload a hotel voucher.
Some visa classes require applicants to show sufficient funds, and ICA can ask for supporting evidence. The current public Visitor Visa guidance does not publish a fixed universal tourist balance.
ICA states that Visitor Visa applicants must be genuine visitors who intend to leave PNG, and that supporting evidence can be requested depending on individual circumstances.
Not universal requirements
Not published as a universal Easy Visitor requirement on the current ICA visitor pages.
No universal tourist threshold is published in the current official visitor guidance used here.
Do not require one for every applicant unless the selected class specifically asks for a request or support letter.
Accommodation evidence may be useful or requested, but ICA does not publish this as a blanket Visitor Visa rule.
Upload a photo only where the live application field or selected class requests one.
Follow the technical requirements shown by the live upload field instead of treating one historical limit as permanent.
Requirements by travel purpose
| Visa purpose | Typical evidence ICA may require | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Visitor / Tourist | Passport biodata page, plus additional evidence if requested. | Must be a genuine temporary visitor and intend to leave PNG. |
| Business | Valid invitation letter from a PNG-based sponsor, sufficient funds, good health and character; police clearance may be requested. | Host company must be registered with PNG's Investment Promotion Authority. |
| Working Resident | Employment sponsorship, work-related documents, health and character evidence according to class. | Employment routes are not substitutes for visitor eVisas. |
| Special Exemption | Sponsorship or institutional support relevant to the specific exemption class. | Requirements differ significantly by subclass. |
| Restricted Employment | Employer or sponsor documentation and specialist work evidence. | Short technical work uses a restricted employment route rather than a visitor permit. |
Health and character
ICA states that all applicants must be of good health and good character. In some cases, medical documents and a police clearance are required, depending on the purpose and duration of the visit.
When formal medical documentation is required, ICA lists a medical examination report and, for applicants over 16, HIV testing and a chest X-ray.
ICA also states that applicants aged 16 or older intending to travel to PNG for six months or more must obtain a police certificate.
Yellow fever
CDC's current Papua New Guinea guidance says yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for PNG itself. However, a vaccination certificate is required for travellers aged one year or older arriving from a country with yellow-fever transmission risk.
CDC also includes airport transits or layovers of more than 12 hours in yellow-fever-risk countries.
Fees
ICA's live Easy Visitor Permit 30-day and 60-day classes state that there is no Migration Service Fee for the Visitor Permit, but applications lodged through the eVisa portal attract a US$50 online lodgement fee.
ICA currently states no MSF is payable for the Easy Visitor Permit.
US$50 for Easy Visitor applications lodged through the eVisa portal.
ICA states fees are levied in US dollars and converted into PNG kina before registration is finalised.
Business, work and specialist classes can have different fees.
ICA states the total payable amount is shown before payment details are entered.
Do not assume every new or refused application will cost the same US$50; check the relevant class.
Application workflow
Choose the live ICA class matching your passport and reason for travel.
Copy names, passport number, nationality and dates carefully from the passport biodata page.
Use the selected visa class and live upload fields as the checklist.
Check the application one final time and pay the fee calculated by the ICA system.
File quality
Use clear scans that show the full document. Check that the passport number, name, nationality and travel dates in your uploads agree with the online form.
Simple filenames and standard file formats can reduce technical problems, but claims such as “spaces or dashes always crash the portal” should not be presented as official ICA requirements without a live portal instruction supporting them.
Visitor-class conditions
ICA expressly prohibits paid work under the Easy Visitor Permit.
Use a business visa where the activity falls outside ordinary visitor purposes.
ICA's 2025 visa booklet says foreign nationals entering formal employment need work visa approval before travel.
Tourism includes holidays, sightseeing, social and recreational visits, and visiting relatives or friends.
ICA requires applicants to show they genuinely intend a temporary visit and will leave at the end of the stay.
Using the wrong class can lead to refusal or problems at entry.
PNGDAC
ICA's 6 August 2026 notice applies to PNG citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals.
ICA instructs airlines and check-in personnel to ensure travellers complete the PNG Digital Arrival Card before boarding passes are issued.
PNGDAC is a border-arrival requirement and does not replace the visa or Entry Permit.
Entry validity
ICA states that the holder of an Entry Permit must enter PNG within six months of the permit being issued.
If the permit is not used within that period, it becomes invalid and a new application is required.
Children and dependants
ICA states that dependent family members—including a spouse, unmarried children under 18 and ageing parents—must make a separate application for an Entry Permit.
The exact requirements depend on the relevant entry category, so families should not assume one adult application automatically covers accompanying children.
Ports of entry
Port Moresby's main international air gateway.
ICA lists Daru as a designated international port of entry.
Designated land-border entry point near Indonesia.
Mount Hagen airport is also listed as a designated international port.
ICA states visitors and businesspersons entering through other ports must already hold a valid Entry Permit.
Check the intended entry point before relying on a particular arrival pathway.
Requirements misinformation to avoid
| Weak or outdated claim | Better current wording |
|---|---|
| Almost every traveller must obtain an eVisa before flying. | All foreign visitors need a visa, but eligible travellers may qualify for Visa on Arrival depending on passport and purpose. |
| US, Australia, India and EU passports all follow the same 30-day route. | ICA publishes separate passport eligibility lists for 30-day and 60-day visitor eVisas. |
| Every tourist needs three months of bank statements. | ICA may request supporting evidence depending on circumstances; no universal visitor bank-statement rule is published on the current visitor page. |
| Every tourist must show US$1,500–2,000. | No universal tourist balance threshold is published in the current ICA visitor guidance. |
| Every tourist needs a CMO cover letter. | Only provide a request or support letter where the selected visa class requires it. |
| Every tourist must upload hotel bookings for every night. | Accommodation evidence can be requested or useful, but ICA does not publish it as a blanket visitor requirement. |
| Every application file must be under 10 MB. | Follow the technical limit displayed by the current upload field. |
| Every tourist application takes 48–72 hours. | ICA does not publish one universal guaranteed visitor-processing time on the current public pages reviewed here. |
| A printed eVisa is universally the only acceptable proof. | Keep the approval accessible electronically and as a practical printed backup. |
| One day of overstay automatically creates a permanent blacklist. | Overstaying is an immigration breach, but penalties depend on the case and should not be exaggerated beyond official ICA rules. |
PNG eVisa requirements FAQ
ICA's current eVisa class instructions explicitly require a copy of the passport biodata page.
ICA says evidence of return travel may be requested in some circumstances. Keep confirmed onward travel evidence ready, but do not describe it as a universal upload requirement for every visitor class.
No universal requirement is published on ICA's current Visitor Visa page. Supporting financial evidence can still be requested depending on the class or circumstances.
ICA currently states that no Migration Service Fee is payable, but eVisa portal applications attract a US$50 online lodgement fee.
No. PNGDAC is a separate mandatory pre-arrival requirement for all persons travelling to PNG.
ICA states that it must be valid for at least six months from the date you intend to enter Papua New Guinea.
Related eVisa guides
Build the application from the live class
Use the passport and purpose to select the correct class first. Then prepare exactly the evidence required for that class instead of uploading a generic bundle copied from an outdated checklist.
Official-reference policy
VisaPNG is an independent information and visa-support website and is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Authority. Visa classes, evidence requirements and fees can change.