A digital alternative to passenger cards filled out by all incoming passengers and Australian citizens will soon be introduced.
More than 450,000 passengers on selected Qantas flights into Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne have been trialing a digital Australia travel declaration system since October 2004.
Now, the federal government has announced it will provide $56.1m over four years to implement the change at all airports across Australia. It says the change will streamline processes, increase data quality for risk assessments and allow for rapid updates and management of global risks and events.
The current paper card asks travellers to record their personal details, destination and declare any food, plant, animal products or restricted goods. The new digital version will include the same questions, but in an online form passengers can fill out with their own devices, smoothing the path from embarking to exiting the airport.
Following the initial trial scheme, the digital travel declaration will be extended to include other capital cities including Perth and Adelaide before the end of this year. It will then be will then be rolled out to all international airports and seaports in Australia over the next 12 to 18-months.
The government says the declaration will initially be accessible via a webform option, but it aimed to work with the industry to make the form accessible through airline apps.
Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell says the process will making arrivals simpler and quicker, meaning “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.”
Similar digital travel declarations for incoming passengers are already in use in many countries around the world including New Zealand, which offers an app or web-based declaration, first introduced in 2023.
Julie Collins, Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, says Australia will never compromise on biosecurity.
“The Australia travel declaration will strengthen Australia’s biosecurity by providing better quality information earlier, helping us identify and respond to potential biosecurity risks before they reach our shores,” Collins says.
