Australia to replace paper arrival cards: New digital entry system explained

International travellers flying to Australia will soon no longer need to fill out the familiar orange paper arrival card before landing. The Australian government has begun rolling out the Australia Travel Declaration, a digital system that will replace paper incoming passenger cards at airports and seaports over the next 12 to 18 months.

The move is part of a A$56.1 million border modernisation programme aimed at speeding up passenger processing, improving security checks and reducing paperwork at Australia's international entry points.

What is changing?

The Australia Travel Declaration is a digital replacement for the paper incoming passenger card that international travellers currently complete before arriving in Australia.


Instead of filling out a paper form on the aircraft, eligible travellers will eventually be able to submit their arrival declaration online before reaching Australia.

Initially, the declaration will be available through a web-based form, with plans to integrate it into travel apps in the future.

When will it be introduced?

The nationwide rollout has begun after a successful trial involving more than 450,000 passengers travelling on Qantas international flights.

Also Read| Australia raises salary requirement for skilled work visas

The digital declaration will be expanded across all international airports and seaports over the next 12 to 18 months.

The pilot programme has already been used by eligible passengers arriving in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Perth and Adelaide expected to join before the end of the year.

Why is Australia replacing paper arrival cards?

According to the Australian government, the new system will:

• Allow travellers to complete declarations before arriving
• Reduce manual paperwork at airports
• Help border officials receive passenger information earlier
• Improve the detection of security and biosecurity risks
• Speed up arrival processing as international travel continues to grow

The funding will also support improvements to airport departure procedures and cruise passenger clearance ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Why does it matter for travellers?

For passengers, the biggest change will be convenience. Travellers will no longer need to search for a pen or complete paper forms during their flight once the system is fully implemented.

The Australian Airports Association has also backed the move, saying digitising arrival declarations would reduce delays, lower administrative costs and improve the overall travel experience.

Also Read| Studying in Australia gets costlier for International students as government raises visa fee

Have similar attempts been made before?

Yes. Australia has tried to replace paper arrival cards several times.

The Digital Passenger Declaration app launched in 2022 was later abandoned, while the Seamless Traveller programme announced in 2016 also did not progress.

The latest Australia Travel Declaration is the government's newest attempt to digitise border processing after those earlier efforts failed.

What has the government said?

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the changes would help passengers clear immigration more quickly while strengthening border security.

Tourism Minister Don Farrell said faster and simpler arrivals would allow visitors to spend less time completing paperwork and more time exploring Australia.