Each and every passenger who has flown into Australia from another country knows the perils of hopefully searching for a pen in the bottom of their carry-on to fill in the orange incoming passenger card before the plane touches down. You see, without submitting a filled-out piece of card to border security at the airport travellers or returning citizens are unable to enter the country. 

But that’s all about to change thanks to a new pilot program that will digitise the incoming passenger card system. Tourism & Transport Forum chief executive Margy Osmond said replacing the antiquated paper cards with a digital Australia Travel Declaration was a first step towards more efficient travel between Australia and New Zealand. 

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‘Finally, passengers landing in Australia won’t have to fill out a paper arrival card with a pen. The paper cards are a relic of the past and we can do much better in the digital age,’ Ms Osmond said. ‘These reforms will improve the airport experience for travellers when they arrive, whilst prioritising border security, through a more modern, efficient process, which we’ve long been advocating for.’

Initially the program will be available to Qantas passengers arriving from New Zealand, beginning later this year. Ms Osmond hopes that the new system will expand to other airlines. The pilot is the initiative of the Trans-Tasman Seamless Travel Group, which was established last year to deliver on the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers’ commitment to explore ways to move closer to seamless travel between the two countries.

How will the new digital incoming passenger card work?

Instead of filling out a physical card on the plane, passengers will be able to complete the required documentation up to 72 hours before their arrival into Australia. The declaration will be made available through the Qantas app, with travellers given a digital pass, which includes a QR code, once the form is completed. 

The digital pass will also be sent to a nominated email address. Passengers will then show the pass to Australian Border Force officials on arrival in Australia. An ABF statement on Friday said the pilot “will allow us to gain valuable feedback from passengers that will help refine the product and inform future expansion”. 

The ABF further noted that “engaging passengers before they travel will provide them with the opportunity to leave goods that are a risk offshore, potentially improving their experience on arrival”.

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