Medical checks and health evidence

Papua New Guinea eVisa Health Requirements

Papua New Guinea requires visa applicants to be of good health and good character, but formal medical documents are not required in the same way for every traveller. ICA says the need for medical evidence depends on the purpose and duration of the visit, with employment and longer-stay cases attracting more detailed health and character checks.

When are medical checks required? See the medical bundle
  • All applicants must be of good health and good character
  • Medical evidence depends on purpose and duration
  • HIV test and chest X-ray apply when medical documentation is required for applicants over 16
  • Police clearance applies from age 16 for stays of 6 months or more

When medical evidence is required

ICA ties medical documentation to the purpose and duration of the visit

ICA's current Medical & Character Requirements page states that all applicants seeking to travel to Papua New Guinea must be of good health and good character. It also says that medical documentation and police clearance are required only in some cases, depending on the purpose and duration of the visit.

This means it is inaccurate to say that every tourist must complete a medical, or that every stay longer than 60 days automatically triggers the same clinical bundle. The relevant visa category and the individual applicant's circumstances remain important.

Use the visa class first. Check the health and character evidence attached to the class you are actually applying for rather than relying on a generic “tourist vs long-term” rule.

Health checks by route

Short visits, employment and long stays are handled differently

Do not use one clinical checklist for every applicant.

Route Current health/character position Planning note
Visitor / Easy Visitor Permit Supporting evidence may be requested depending on circumstances Do not assume a routine medical is universally required for short tourism
Business Evidence can be requested depending on circumstances Short business travel does not automatically use the employment medical bundle
Working Resident Employment Medical Examination Report and Police Clearance are on the current ICA checklist Employer-led Sponsor Portal process
Stay of 6 months or more Police clearance required from age 16, including dependants This is ICA's published long-stay character threshold
Specialist / other long-term routes Varies by class and circumstances Use the class-specific checklist and any ICA request
Re-entry after absence of 6 months or more New health and character checks may be required Applies to certain existing Entry Permit holders returning after prolonged absence

Medical documentation bundle

When ICA requires medical documents, the bundle has three main components

ICA's current medical-and-character guidance identifies the medical examination report, HIV pathology report and chest X-ray radiology report as the relevant medical documents.

Medical Examination Report

ICA requires the medical examination report to be obtained from an approved doctor or hospital when medical documentation applies.

HIV test

ICA says a pathology report for HIV testing is required for applicants over 16 years of age when medical documentation is required.

Chest X-ray

ICA requires a radiology report for a chest X-ray for applicants over 16 years of age when the medical bundle applies.

Age thresholds

The “over 16” rule applies to HIV testing and chest X-ray when medical documentation is required

ICA's current wording is specific: HIV tests and chest X-rays are required for applicants over 16 years of age when additional medical documentation is required.

Separately, ICA says police certificates must be obtained for applicants 16 years of age and over, including dependants, when they intend to stay in PNG for six months or more.

These are two different age rules. Do not collapse the medical and police thresholds into one sentence without preserving the wording.

Employment visa

Employment applications currently include formal medical and character evidence

ICA's Employment page lists both Police Clearance Certificate and Medical Examination Report in the required dossier.

Medical evidence

  • Medical Examination Report
  • Chest X-ray / radiology where applicable
  • HIV pathology report where applicable

Character evidence

  • Police Clearance Certificate
  • Criminal history must be disclosed
  • Additional checks may be requested

Employment context

  • Employer-led Sponsor Portal
  • Work Permit and Employment Visa together
  • Professional registration where applicable
Working Resident Visa Supporting documents

Long-stay character requirement

Police clearance is tied to the six-month stay threshold

ICA says a police certificate must be obtained from the applicant's local police authority for all applicants aged 16 and over—including dependants—who intend to travel to Papua New Guinea for a period of six months or more.

This is a character requirement, not a medical test, but it is published on the same ICA Medical & Character Requirements page and often forms part of the same long-stay application planning.

Do not describe police clearance as a routine requirement for every short visitor.

Character disclosure

Criminal history must be disclosed when ICA asks for it

ICA states that an applicant who has a criminal conviction, or is subject to criminal prosecution, must disclose that information at the time of application. Failure to disclose it may result in the Entry Permit being refused, cancelled or deemed void.

Answer truthfully

Do not hide a conviction or ongoing prosecution when the application asks about it.

Provide requested records

If ICA asks for police or court evidence, submit the relevant official documents rather than an informal explanation alone.

Case-by-case assessment

A disclosed history does not automatically mean the same outcome in every case; ICA assesses the application under its immigration rules.

Official medical forms

ICA publishes prescribed medical and radiology forms

ICA's Visa Forms page provides the Medical Examination Form and Radiological Report. The doctor carrying out the medical examination and the radiographer carrying out the chest X-ray are required to complete and sign the relevant forms.

The radiology form instructs applicants aged 16 or more who are required to complete radiology screening to submit a chest X-ray and have the original passport or identity card sighted by the radiographer.

ICA Visa Forms: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-forms ICA Medical & Character Requirements: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/medical-character-requirements

Approved doctors and clinics

Use the provider standard required for your nationality and application channel

ICA's general medical guidance says the medical examination report should be obtained from an approved doctor or hospital. Some nationalities can face additional embassy validation requirements.

For example, ICA issued a 2025 public notice for Filipino employment applicants requiring medical and radiology reports to be completed at clinics accredited with the PNG Embassy in Manila and validated before upload.

Short visitors

Short tourism does not automatically require a full visa medical

Visitor eligibility

ICA's current Visitor page focuses on being a genuine visitor who intends to leave PNG at the end of the stay.

Evidence can still be requested

ICA can ask for additional supporting evidence depending on the traveller's circumstances.

Travel health still matters

A traveller may not need an immigration medical but should still consider vaccination, malaria prevention and destination health advice.

Do not publish “all tourists under 60 days are formally exempt from medical checks” as an ICA rule. The current official wording is more flexible and circumstance-based.

Visa medicals vs entry-health requirements

Yellow fever, malaria and vaccinations are separate from the immigration medical bundle

Visa medical evidence concerns whether ICA requires a medical examination, HIV test, chest X-ray or related health documentation for the visa class. Travel-health and border-health rules are a separate question.

Yellow fever

Certificate requirements depend on recent travel through yellow-fever-risk countries and are not the same as a Working Resident medical.

Malaria

Malaria prevention is a travel-health recommendation and does not replace a visa medical examination.

Routine vaccines

Keeping routine vaccines up to date is health advice, not evidence that every eVisa applicant must upload to ICA.

Yellow Fever Requirement Health Entry Rules Travel Safety

Re-entry after long absence

Existing Entry Permit holders can need new health and character checks after a long absence

ICA's current Entry and Re-entry Requirements say that, as a matter of policy, existing Entry Permit holders other than Permanent Resident Entry Permit holders must not remain outside PNG for more than six months. Those absent for six months or more need to make a further Entry Permit application before returning.

ICA states that new health and character checks will be required in those cases.

Upload preparation

Do not hard-code one PDF, 10 MB, or 3–6 month validity rule across every medical workflow

Follow the live ICA or Sponsor Portal requirements for the class you are lodging.

Technical file rules

Use the current upload field

Current ICA sources reviewed for this page do not establish a universal rule that all medical, radiology and pathology documents must be merged into one PDF under 10 MB.

Document recency

Use current evidence

Current ICA medical-and-character guidance reviewed here does not publish one universal “medical must be completed within 3–6 months” rule for every class. Follow the class, mission or ICA instruction applicable to the case.

Medical file consistency

Keep the health documents tied to the correct applicant and visa case

1

Check the visa class

Confirm whether the class actually requires formal medical evidence.

2

Use the prescribed forms

When required, obtain the ICA medical and radiology forms and use the correct provider.

3

Match identity details

Name, passport number and date of birth should match the visa application.

4

Check age thresholds

Apply the HIV, radiology and police-clearance age rules correctly.

5

Use the right clinic

Check for any embassy-accreditation or nationality-specific validation requirement.

6

Keep reports signed

Medical and radiology forms should be completed by the relevant medical professional.

7

Follow the live upload rules

Use the file format and size limit shown by ICA or the Sponsor Portal.

8

Save the submitted set

Keep a copy of the exact health documents provided with the application.

Common health-requirement mistakes

Avoid turning class-specific medical rules into universal eVisa requirements

Incorrect claim Better current wording
All short-term tourists are formally exempt from medical checks. Medical evidence depends on purpose, duration and circumstances; short visitors do not normally use the full employment medical bundle.
All long-term business and student visas use the same medical package. Check the exact visa class and ICA instructions; current general guidance is purpose- and duration-based.
Every applicant over 16 must have an HIV test and chest X-ray. Those tests apply to applicants over 16 when medical documentation is required.
Every applicant over 16 needs a police clearance. ICA's published threshold is age 16+ and an intended stay of six months or more, subject to class-specific requirements.
All medical records must be one PDF under 10 MB. Use the current technical requirements shown by the applicable ICA workflow.
All medicals expire after 3–6 months. No universal ICA rule reviewed for this page sets that window across every class.
Any private clinic can complete employment medicals. Use an approved provider and check any mission-specific accreditation rule.
Routine vaccines are part of the visa medical upload. Travel-health vaccination advice is separate unless ICA specifically requests evidence.

Related health and document guides

Yellow Fever Certificate rules based on origin and transit history. Supporting Documents Build a coherent class-specific visa file. Working Resident Visa See the employment route where medical and police evidence is currently required. Health Entry Rules Border-health and arrival requirements. Visa Requirements Hub Return to the main document-planning hub.

Need to know whether a medical is required?

Start with visa class, stay length and applicant age

Those three factors determine whether you are dealing with a simple visitor case, an employment medical bundle, a long-stay police requirement or another class-specific health check.

Check visa class Supporting document guide

Official references

Use current ICA medical and character guidance

Medical and character requirements vary by visa class, duration, age and individual circumstances. VisaPNG is an independent planning resource and is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority.

ICA Medical & Character Requirements: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/medical-character-requirements ICA Visa Forms: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-forms ICA Employment Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/work/employment%C2%A0 ICA Visitor Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/visit/visitor ICA Entry & Re-entry Requirements: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/entry-and-re-entry-requirements ICA Filipino Employment Medical Notice: https://ica.gov.pg/public-notices/2025/mandatory-employment-visa-requirements-for-filipino-nationals VisaPNG Information Sources