China
ICA currently limits VOA to Diplomatic, Official and Service passport holders.
Current route verification
Papua New Guinea Visa on Arrival
Papua New Guinea still provides Visa on Arrival to a limited list of countries and territories published by the Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority. Eligibility is not based on a simple historical country count: some entries apply to all passport types, some are limited to official passports, and several mainland countries are expressly excluded.
- ICA publishes the live VOA list
- Passport type matters for some countries
- Mainland US, France and New Zealand are excluded
- PNGDAC is mandatory before boarding
Current ICA eligibility
Visa on Arrival is available only to ICA's current listed countries and territories
Use the live official list rather than relying on an old “28-country” label.
| Country / territory | Current ICA note |
|---|---|
| Canada | Listed for VOA |
| China | Diplomatic, Official and Service passports only |
| United Arab Emirates | Diplomatic, Special, Mission and Ordinary passports |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Listed for VOA |
| Fiji | Listed for VOA |
| Indonesia | All passport types |
| Japan | All passport types |
| Kiribati | Listed for VOA |
| Marshall Islands | Listed for VOA |
| Nauru | Listed for VOA |
| New Caledonia | Listed for VOA |
| Palau | Listed for VOA |
| Samoa | Listed for VOA |
| Singapore | Listed for VOA |
| Solomon Islands | Listed for VOA |
| State of Israel | All passport types |
| Tonga | Listed for VOA |
| Tuvalu | Listed for VOA |
| United Kingdom | Listed for VOA |
| Vanuatu | Listed for VOA |
| French Polynesia (Tahiti) | Listed French territory |
| Wallis and Futuna | Listed French territory |
| Cook Islands | Listed New Zealand passport-holding country / territory |
| Niue | Listed New Zealand passport-holding country / territory |
| Tokelau | Listed New Zealand passport-holding country / territory |
| American Samoa | Listed US territory |
| Guam | Listed US territory |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Listed US territory |
Mainland New Zealand, mainland France and mainland United States are expressly not eligible for VOA under ICA's current list.
Passport-type restrictions
Nationality alone is not enough to confirm VOA eligibility
ICA attaches passport-type conditions to some countries. A traveller can therefore hold the nationality of a listed country and still be ineligible if their passport type does not match the listed category.
United Arab Emirates
ICA currently lists Diplomatic, Special, Mission and Ordinary passports.
Indonesia, Japan and Israel
ICA explicitly lists all passport types for these countries.
Mainland exclusions
Do not confuse eligible territories with the mainland country
The current ICA VOA page separately lists several territories connected with the United States, France and New Zealand. That does not extend VOA automatically to the corresponding mainland passport population.
ICA expressly notes that mainland New Zealand, mainland France and mainland United States are not eligible for Visa on Arrival.
Example:
American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are listed, while ordinary mainland United States passports are expressly excluded from VOA.
Advance online application
VOA-eligible travellers can use ICA's electronic visa route before travel
This can remove uncertainty before check-in and arrival.
VOA-eligible visitor passports
ICA's current Visitor Visa page says travellers holding passports from VOA-eligible countries may lodge an application through the electronic visa portal.
VOA-eligible business passports
ICA's current Business Visa page likewise says travellers from VOA-eligible countries may lodge the business application through the electronic visa portal.
Do not describe this as a separate universal “pre-lodged VOA class” unless the live ICA portal uses that wording.
It is safer to describe it as advance electronic lodgement of the relevant Visitor or Business visa class.
Visitor or business?
VOA eligibility does not make all activities permissible
Holiday and family travel
ICA's Visitor Visa covers holidays, sightseeing, social or recreational travel and visits to friends or relatives. In most circumstances, the current Visitor Visa is single entry for 60 days from arrival.
Short-term business activity
ICA's standard Business Visa is for short-term business purposes and, in most circumstances, is issued as a single-entry stay of 30 days from arrival.
Do not use VOA visitor status for paid work.
ICA's Visit framework expressly forbids work, and business activity must remain within the correct business or employment class.
Multiple-entry business
The Short-Term Multiple-Entry Business Visa is not available on arrival
ICA's current electronic visa class states that the Short-Term Multiple-Entry Business Visa must be obtained in advance and is not available on arrival.
Validity
12 months.
Stay per entry
Up to 60 days from arrival.
Where to apply
Online, PNG diplomatic mission/post, or eligible ICA e-lodgement route—not on arrival.
Fees
Do not rely on a fixed “online vs airport” fee table unless ICA publishes it for the exact class
ICA publishes Migration Service Fees separately and says fees are charged in US-dollar conversions. The eVisa system provides the total payable before payment details are entered.
The current official sources reviewed for this page do not support one universal rule that airport tourist VOA is always free, that business VOA always costs US$190, or that every advance VOA-eligible application costs exactly US$50.
Check the live class and fee schedule immediately before payment.
Visitor, business and online-lodgement charges can differ by class and current government schedule.
Border compliance
VOA eligibility does not remove normal entry checks
Airlines and border officers can still verify identity, travel purpose and supporting evidence.
Passport validity
ICA's published visa guidance uses a minimum passport-validity threshold of six months from the intended entry date for relevant classes.
Return / onward travel
ICA's Visitor and visa-information material commonly requires or refers to confirmed onward or return travel as part of the application and entry-planning evidence.
Purpose evidence
Business travellers may need sponsor or business evidence; visitors may be asked for supporting evidence depending on circumstances.
PNG Digital Arrival Card
PNGDAC is mandatory before boarding for every traveller
ICA's 6 August 2026 public notice makes the PNG Digital Arrival Card a mandatory pre-arrival requirement for PNG citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals.
Who must complete it?
Everyone travelling to PNG.
When?
ICA says it can be submitted online up to 72 hours before arrival.
Boarding rule
ICA's 2026 notice requires completion before boarding passes are issued.
PNGDAC is not a visa or VOA approval.
It is a separate border-facilitation requirement.
International ports of entry
Do not describe VOA as a Jacksons-only immigration framework
ICA currently lists four designated PNG international ports of entry. The exact ability to obtain a particular visa class on arrival should still be checked before travel, but PNG's designated entry network is broader than Jacksons International Airport alone.
Jackson's International Airport
Port Moresby.
Daru
Listed by ICA as a designated international port.
Wutung (Vanimo)
PNG–Indonesia land-border crossing.
Kagamuga Airport
Mt Hagen.
ICA says visitors or businesspersons entering through ports other than the designated ports must already hold a valid Entry Permit.
VOA decision path
Check eligibility before you rely on the airport route
Check nationality
Confirm the exact country or territory on ICA's current VOA list.
Check passport type
Verify whether ordinary, diplomatic, official or service passport restrictions apply.
Check purpose
Visitor and short-term business conditions are different.
Check advance option
VOA-eligible travellers can use ICA's eVisa route for eligible visitor or business classes.
Check passport validity
Make sure the passport meets ICA's current validity requirement.
Prepare travel evidence
Keep onward travel and class-specific documents available.
Complete PNGDAC
Submit the mandatory arrival card before boarding.
Re-check before departure
Use the live ICA list in case the policy has changed.
Common VOA mistakes
Avoid old country counts and unsupported fee assumptions
| Incorrect claim | Better current wording |
|---|---|
| Exactly 28 countries qualify for VOA. | Use ICA's current live list of countries, territories and passport-type conditions. |
| All Chinese passport holders qualify. | China is currently limited to Diplomatic, Official and Service passports. |
| All UAE passport types automatically use the same rule. | ICA currently lists Diplomatic, Special, Mission and Ordinary UAE passports. |
| Mainland US passports qualify because US territories are listed. | ICA expressly excludes mainland United States. |
| VOA is available only at Jacksons International Airport. | ICA lists four designated international ports, although class-specific on-arrival availability should still be checked. |
| Airport tourist VOA is always free. | Use the current ICA Migration Service Fee schedule for the exact class. |
| Business VOA always costs US$190. | No universal current ICA rule reviewed for this page supports that fixed amount. |
| Every advance VOA application costs US$50. | Fees depend on class and current ICA online-lodgement charges. |
| Multiple-entry business can be obtained on arrival. | ICA currently states that Short-Term Multiple-Entry Business is not available on arrival. |
| PNGDAC is the visa. | PNGDAC is a separate mandatory pre-arrival card. |
Related policy guides
Move from VOA eligibility to the correct entry route
Who Needs a Visa
Check passport and purpose together.
eVisa Eligible Countries
Check advance online application availability.
Visitor Visa
Holiday and family-visit entry conditions.
Business Visa
Short-term single-entry business travel.
Multiple-Entry Business
Advance-only recurring business route.
Entry Requirements
Passport, arrival and border planning.
Relying on Visa on Arrival?
Verify the live ICA list before you travel
Check your exact country or territory, passport type, travel purpose and current fee/class requirements before going to the airport.
Official references
Use current ICA sources before relying on VOA
Visa-on-arrival eligibility, passport-type conditions, fees and entry procedures can change. VisaPNG is an independent planning resource and is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority.
ICA Visa on Arrival: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-on-arrival
ICA Visitor Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/visit/visitor
ICA Business Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/conduct-business/business
ICA eVisa Classes: https://evisa.ica.gov.pg/evisa/evisa/visaclass
ICA Migration Service Fees: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/migration-service-fees
ICA Mandatory PNGDAC Notice: https://ica.gov.pg/public-notices/2026/mandatory-completion-of-png-digital-arrival-card
ICA Designated Ports of Entry: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/designated-png-international-ports-of-entry
VisaPNG Information Sources