Australia to finally axe paper incoming passenger cards

Initially available through a web form, the ATD will be expanded to in-app functionality as the government works with industry on the design.

“When people arrive in Australia, I want them out of the airport and experiencing the best place in the world as fast as possible,” said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

“Traveller modernisation is essential to Australia’s prosperity and national security. Visitors and Australian travellers alike will be able to take advantage of a seamless border process, which integrates into everyday digital life.

“The Albanese Labor government is investing in Australia’s border to make digital declarations a permanent part of our border.”

The move will also bolster biosecurity, according to Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, who says the government has delivered “over $2 billion in additional biosecurity resourcing” since 2022.

“Australia’s strong biosecurity system protects our farmers, environment, food security and economy, and modernising our border is an important part of maintaining that protection,” she said.

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“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.

“This investment ensures Australia’s border keeps pace with growing traveller numbers and emerging global biosecurity threats, helping protect our world-leading biosecurity system while delivering a better experience for international travellers.”

Industry has welcomed the news, with the Australian Airports Association (AAA), a long-time advocate for border modernisation, noting that Australia’s airports expect international passenger movements to increase from 45 million in 2025 to more than 86 million by 2040.

According to AAA CEO Simon Westaway, the border process for incoming travellers has “remained largely unchanged for decades”.

“Many of us have experienced the outdated method of filling in a paper card when arriving in Australia, often tired after a long-haul flight and caught out searching for a pen,” he said.

“Once fully rolled out, eligible travellers will simply fill in their declaration online, saving time and hassle for themselves as well as border officials.

“International travel has been the primary driver of aviation growth in the past few years, so it’s vital that we make the border processes as smooth as possible.

“Seamless travel upgrades like this help ensure that Australia keeps pace with leading international border systems and add to the positive experience for both tourists and residents.”

The tourism sector is also celebrating, with Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) CEO Margy Osmond saying searching for a pen to fill out the paper cards “simply doesn’t make sense in 2026”.

“This announcement brings Australia’s border into the digital age. As digital passenger cards are rolled out at international airports across Australia over the next 18 months, we’ll see less paperwork, fewer queues and a safer, more secure arrival experience for millions of travellers,” she said.

“Australia is competing with destinations around the world that have already embraced digital borders. First impressions matter and the arrival experience shapes how international visitors feel about Australia before they’ve even left the airport. The easier we make that journey, the stronger our reputation as a world-class destination.

“We’ve worked incredibly constructively with the Australian Government over the past 12 to 18 months to help shape this reform, and today’s announcement sends exactly the signal the industry has been hoping for.

“Airports across Australia are making long-term investment decisions today. Having a clear roadmap for border technology means they can invest with confidence and design terminals around the passenger experience of the future, not the past.”

More than 450,000 passengers have trialled the digital ATD on eligible inbound Qantas flights into Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne since the pilot began in 2024.