In short:
Australia is gradually replacing paper incoming passenger cards with a new digital travel declaration system for international arrivals. The online process has already been trialled by more than 450,000 travellers and will expand nationwide over the next 12 to 18 months.
Entering Australia is Modernising
International travellers arriving in Australia will soon be able to complete their arrival declaration online, with the Federal Government beginning the phased rollout of a new digital system to replace traditional paper incoming passenger cards.
The new Australia Travel Declaration has been trialled since October 2024 on selected inbound Qantas flights arriving in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. More than 450,000 passengers have used the digital declaration during the pilot.
The online declaration has been developed in partnership between the Australian Border Force, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Qantas.
Travellers complete the declaration electronically before arriving in Australia, replacing the paper form that has been handed out on international flights for decades.
The digital declaration collects the same information currently required on the paper arrival card, including passenger identity, travel details and customs and biosecurity declarations.
Authorities say the system is expected to improve the quality of information collected, allow updates to declaration requirements more quickly during events such as biosecurity outbreaks, and reduce the need for manual processing at airports.
The pilot is expected to expand to Perth and Adelaide before the end of 2026.
Following that, the Australia Travel Declaration will be introduced across all international airports and seaports over the next 12 to 18 months. Initially, travellers will access the declaration through a web-based form, with app-based features expected to be developed later.
The Federal Government has allocated $56.1 million over four years towards the broader traveller modernisation program, which also includes work on improving airport departure processing and cruise passenger clearance.
As the rollout progresses, paper incoming passenger cards are expected to be gradually phased out, making digital declarations the standard process for international arrivals into Australia.
