Australia replacing paper Incoming Passenger Cards with a new digital arrival system over the next 12 to 18 months, backed by A$56.1m million in funding.
The rollout follows a successful pilot of the Australia Travel Declaration, which has been trialled by more than 450,000 passengers on eligible Qantas flights into Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne since October 2024.
Minister for trade and tourism, senator Don Farrell, said: “Making arrivals simpler and quicker means visitors can spend less time filling out forms and more time enjoying everything Australia has to offer. This is a win for tourists and a win for our tourism operators, helping make Australia an even easier and more welcoming place to visit.”
Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) managing director Peter Shelley welcomed the move, saying it reflected the expectations of today’s international travellers and would help strengthen Australia’s competitiveness as a destination.
“While the arrival card is only one part of the journey, first impressions matter and a smooth and welcoming arrival experience helps reinforce Australia’s reputation as a world-class destination,” Shelley said, noting the tourism industry had long supported initiatives that remove unnecessary barriers to travel while maintaining Australia’s strong border security.
“As Australia continues rebuilding international visitation, every improvement that makes travelling here simpler and more visitor-friendly helps strengthen our competitiveness and we welcome this initiative,” he added.
And FCM Travel, Flight Centre Travel Group’s large-market multinational specialist, also welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that digital arrival cards will be rolled out to all international airports and seaports.
The programme will extend to Perth and Adelaide before the end of 2026, ahead of a phased national rollout across all international airports and seaports.
Felicity Burke, APAC Director of FCM Travel’s Consulting business, said the change will be a practical win for travellers of all kinds:
“No more fumbling for a pen mid-flight or balancing a customs card on a tray table mid-turbulence. It is a small piece of paperwork, but it has been one of the last bits of friction left in an otherwise fast, digital travel experience.
“We have seen this shift before, from e-passports to mobile boarding passes. This is just the next step, and it brings Australia in line with places like Singapore and the UK, which have used digital arrival systems for some time.”
