Holiday, sightseeing and family visits

Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa | Temporary Visit Requirements

The Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa is designed for genuine temporary visitors travelling for a holiday, sightseeing, social or recreational reasons, or to visit relatives and friends. Your passport, purpose of travel and the visa class you qualify for determine the correct application route.

Check Visitor Visa eligibility Start an application
  • Temporary visitor travel only
  • Single-entry stay of about 60 days in most circumstances
  • Passport should be valid for at least six months from entry
  • Paid work is not permitted

About the visa

Who the Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa is for

Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority describes the Visitor Visa as a temporary entry route for individuals and groups travelling for holidays, sightseeing, social or recreational purposes, or to visit relatives and friends.

The key immigration test is not simply whether you want to enter Papua New Guinea. You must be a genuine visitor and intend to leave the country at the end of the authorised stay.

Your actual travel activity matters. If you plan to accept paid employment, perform technical work, undertake professional filming, work as a journalist or carry out another specialised activity, a Visitor Visa may not be the correct class.

Visitor Visa principle

Choose the visa that matches what you will actually do in Papua New Guinea, not simply the route that appears easiest to apply for.

Visa conditions

Visitor Visa validity, entry and permitted stay

Papua New Guinea Visitor Visas are issued according to the individual circumstances of the traveller. The following reflects the general ICA position rather than a guarantee that every applicant will receive identical conditions.

Typical entry Single entry
Typical stay Up to 60 days from arrival
Purpose Temporary visitor activities
Paid work Not permitted
Use after issue Enter PNG within six months of visa issue
Final conditions Check the visa actually granted
Important: The approval notice you receive controls your actual entry entitlement. Always check the visa class, passport details, validity, permitted stay and conditions shown on the issued visa before travelling.

Eligibility

What ICA expects from a genuine visitor

To qualify for a Visitor Visa, you should be able to demonstrate that your reason for travel is consistent with a temporary visit and that you intend to leave Papua New Guinea at the end of the authorised stay.

ICA may ask for evidence depending on your circumstances. This means applicants should prepare a coherent travel file rather than assume that a passport scan alone will always be enough.

Your application should make sense as one complete trip

The dates, accommodation, travel plans, financial arrangements and stated purpose should be consistent with each other. A short holiday application should not contain information suggesting long-term employment or an open-ended stay.

Check your likely visitor route

Application preparation

Documents you should prepare for a PNG Visitor Visa

Document requirements can vary according to the visa class and the applicant's circumstances. Prepare the core identity and travel evidence first, then check the exact requirements shown for your selected immigration class.

Passport

  • Valid passport
  • Passport bio-data page
  • Passport valid for at least six months from intended entry
  • Personal details matching the application
Passport requirements

Travel plan

  • Intended arrival and departure dates
  • Accommodation information where requested
  • Travel itinerary where required
  • Return or onward travel evidence where requested
Accommodation guidance

Supporting evidence

  • Evidence supporting the purpose of the visit
  • Host or invitation information where relevant
  • Evidence of sufficient funds where requested
  • Any additional documents requested during assessment
Supporting documents
Return ticket evidence is not described by ICA as universally required in every case. ICA's current FAQ says applicants may be asked to provide evidence of return travel in some circumstances. Keep onward or return travel evidence available and consistent with your planned stay.

Passport requirement

Your passport should be valid for at least six months from entry

Papua New Guinea ICA states that travellers should hold a passport valid for at least six months from the date they intend to enter the country.

Check the expiry date before applying. If your passport expires too soon, renewing it before the visa process can reduce the risk of having the visa linked to a passport that will not remain usable for the planned journey.

Read passport validity guidance

How to apply

Online Visitor Visa and other authorised application routes

Papua New Guinea offers online visa services, but the exact application route depends on the visa class and the passport you hold.

Online eVisa

Eligible applicants can use an online visitor or Easy Visitor Permit route where their passport and travel purpose qualify.

Official PNG eVisa portal: https://evisa.ica.gov.pg/evisa/

PNG diplomatic mission

Where the online route is not appropriate or another application method applies, travellers may need to follow instructions from a Papua New Guinea mission or another authorised ICA channel.

Diplomatic mission guidance

Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is available only to specified passports and passport types. Do not assume that online visitor eligibility automatically means you can obtain your visa at the airport.

Visa on Arrival guide

Online visitor classes

The Easy Visitor Permit is not one universal visa

Papua New Guinea's eVisa system contains separate visitor classes, including 30-day and 60-day Easy Visitor Permit routes. Nationality eligibility can differ between the classes.

Easy Visitor Permit

30-day route

The 30-day Easy Visitor Permit has its own eligible-passport list and conditions. It should not be treated as identical to the 60-day route.

Easy Visitor Permit guide
Easy Visitor Permit

60-day route

ICA describes the 60-day Easy Visitor Permit as a single-entry visitor route for eligible passport holders travelling for holidays, sightseeing, recreation or visits to relatives and friends.

Check eVisa eligibility
Do not choose a visitor class only from the length of stay. Your passport must also qualify for the selected class, and the travel purpose must remain consistent with visitor activity.

Arrival processing

Visa on Arrival uses a separate eligibility list

Papua New Guinea has a Visa on Arrival framework for specified countries and territories, but eligibility is narrower than the broader online visitor system and can depend on passport type.

Examples on ICA's current Visa on Arrival list include Canada, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Solomon Islands, the United Kingdom, Vanuatu and several Pacific countries and territories.

ICA specifically notes that mainland New Zealand, mainland France and the mainland United States are not eligible for Visa on Arrival even though related online visitor arrangements may exist.

Check Visa on Arrival rules

Stay management

Do not assume every Visitor Visa can be extended

Papua New Guinea ICA states that extensions depend on the Entry Permit category and the traveller's circumstances.

Where an extension is permitted, the application must be lodged while the traveller is physically in Papua New Guinea and well before the current visa expires. ICA states that there is no grace period for extensions.

Do not remain in the country beyond the period authorised on your visa simply because an extension request is being considered.

Visitor visa extension guidance

Mandatory arrival requirement

Complete the PNG Digital Arrival Card before travel

The Papua New Guinea Digital Arrival Card, known as PNGDAC, is separate from your visa. It is an arrival declaration and does not replace the need to hold the correct visa or entry permission.

ICA introduced the digital arrival card from 1 October 2025 and, in a public notice dated 6 August 2026, made it a mandatory pre-arrival requirement for Papua New Guinea citizens, permanent residents and all foreign nationals.

The card can be completed online up to 72 hours before arrival. ICA's current direction also states that travellers should complete it before their boarding pass is issued.

Official PNG Digital Arrival Card:

https://pngdac.ica.gov.pg/

Read the PNGDAC guide

Health entry requirements

Yellow fever certification can depend on your recent travel route

Papua New Guinea does not require every visitor to hold a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

A certificate is required for travellers aged one year or older arriving from countries with a recognised risk of yellow fever transmission, including travellers who have transited through an airport in a yellow-fever-risk country where the applicable rule is triggered.

Health entry requirements can change, so check the current rule for every country in your itinerary, including transit stops.

PNG health entry requirements

Application process

How to prepare a Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa application

Step 1

Check the correct visa class

Start with your passport nationality and actual reason for travel. Confirm whether the Visitor Visa, 30-day Easy Visitor Permit, 60-day Easy Visitor Permit or another class applies.

Use the PNG visa checker
Step 2

Prepare your passport and trip details

Check passport validity and make sure your intended arrival, departure, accommodation and travel purpose are consistent.

Review requirements
Step 3

Complete the appropriate application

Use the application channel available for the visa class and passport you are using. Upload or supply the required evidence and review every entry before submitting.

Application guide
Step 4

Check the approval before travelling

Review your name, passport number, visa class, entry validity and authorised stay, and complete the PNG Digital Arrival Card before departure.

Prepare for entry

After approval

Check the visa you actually receive

General Visitor Visa guidance is useful for planning, but your issued visa controls the conditions of your journey.

Passport details

Make sure the name and passport number on the approval correspond with the travel document you will use.

Entry and stay

Check whether the visa is single or multiple entry, the date by which it must be used and the maximum permitted stay.

Purpose restrictions

Remain within the activities allowed by your Visitor Visa. Do not begin paid work or another restricted activity because circumstances changed after arrival.

Visa use

Enter Papua New Guinea within the permitted visa-use period

Papua New Guinea's entry and re-entry rules state that an Entry Permit holder must enter the country within six months of the permit being issued.

If the visa is not used to enter Papua New Guinea within that period, the Entry Permit can become invalid and a new application may be required.

Common mistakes

Avoid these Visitor Visa assumptions

Incorrect assumption Better approach
Every tourist automatically gets the same 60-day eVisa. Check the exact Visitor or Easy Visitor Permit class and confirm that your passport is eligible.
Any passport eligible for eVisa can get Visa on Arrival. Visa on Arrival uses a separate list and can depend on passport type.
The PNG Digital Arrival Card must be completed exactly three days before travel. The card may be completed up to 72 hours before arrival and is required before boarding-pass issuance.
Every application always requires the same bank statement, hotel booking and flight ticket. ICA can request supporting evidence according to the applicant's circumstances. Follow the requirements for the exact class.
A Visitor Visa can be used to take paid employment. Use the appropriate employment or specialist route for work activity.
The general 60-day Visitor Visa stay means the visa is only valid for 60 days after issue. The permitted stay after arrival and the period in which the visa must first be used are separate concepts.

Frequently asked questions

Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa FAQs

What is the Papua New Guinea Visitor Visa for?

It is intended for genuine temporary visitors travelling for holidays, sightseeing, social or recreational reasons or to visit relatives and friends.

How long can I stay on a PNG Visitor Visa?

ICA states that in most circumstances a Visitor Visa is issued for a single-entry stay of 60 days from the date of arrival. Your issued visa should always be checked because individual conditions can differ.

How long must my passport be valid?

Papua New Guinea ICA states that your passport should be valid for at least six months from the date you intend to enter the country.

Can I work on a Visitor Visa?

No. Visitor status is not intended for paid employment. Travellers planning to work should identify the appropriate employment or specialist visa route before travelling.

Do I always need a return ticket?

ICA states that applicants may be asked to provide evidence of return travel in some circumstances. Keep appropriate onward or return travel evidence available and consistent with your application.

Can I get a Visitor Visa on arrival?

Visa on Arrival is available only to specified eligible nationalities and, for some countries, specified passport types. Do not rely on arrival processing unless your current eligibility has been confirmed.

Is the PNG Digital Arrival Card part of the visa application?

No. The PNGDAC is a separate mandatory pre-arrival declaration. It does not replace a visa and holding a visa does not remove the requirement to complete the arrival card.

When should I complete the PNG Digital Arrival Card?

ICA says the digital arrival card can be completed online up to 72 hours before arrival. The current mandatory-arrival-card notice requires travellers to complete it before their boarding pass is issued.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate?

Not every traveller does. A certificate can be required if you are arriving from or have transited through a country with a recognised yellow fever transmission risk. Check the current health rule against your complete itinerary.

Can I extend a PNG Visitor Visa?

Extension eligibility depends on the exact Entry Permit class and individual circumstances. Where an extension is allowed, ICA says it must be requested while the traveller is in PNG and before the current permit expires.

Planning a temporary visit?

Check your passport before choosing a Visitor Visa

Visitor eligibility varies by visa class and nationality. Confirm the route first, prepare the supporting evidence and review the issued visa before travelling.

Check Visitor Visa eligibility Start application

Information sources

Visitor Visa guidance should follow current PNG immigration rules

VisaPNG is an independent visa-information and application-support service. It is not the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority.

Immigration rules, eligible passport lists, Visa on Arrival arrangements, fees and document requirements can change. Check time-sensitive requirements before making non-refundable travel arrangements.

PNG ICA Visitor Visa: https://ica.gov.pg/visa/visit/visitor PNG ICA eVisa: https://evisa.ica.gov.pg/evisa/ PNG ICA Visa on Arrival: https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-on-arrival PNG ICA FAQ: https://ica.gov.pg/faq PNG Digital Arrival Card: https://pngdac.ica.gov.pg/