Calls for ‘antiquated’ physical incoming passenger arrival cards to be scrapped in Australia

The Australian government is facing pressure to make a change in traveller processes. Photo / 123rf

For some, it’s become a relic of simpler times. Now Australia may be getting closer to embracing something New Zealand has for a year.

There are many things part of the travelling experience that are dull, yet necessary. For a lot of passengers, high on such a list is having to fill out some type of arrival declaration form.

Fumbling to locate a pen, retrieving the passport you had just tucked away to find its number, making sure you haven’t accidentally said you have nothing to declare when you do. If you can relate to any of this, you’re not the only one.

The Australian government now faces mounting pressure to “do away with antiquated systems” and scrap the paper declaration form all together.

On Tuesday, the Australian Chamber for Commerce and Industry (ACCI) - a network of 160 business associations - released its Future Traveller Strategy in which it called for the Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) to be eradicated. The action was one recommendation out of several on ways to “modernise” passenger processing at Australian air and seaports.

The IPC is Australia’s version of the passenger arrival card where one answers questions about their trip and what they’re bringing into the country. While New Zealand introduced a digital version of this in June 2023 with the New Zealand Traveller Declaration, Australia has held onto the physical paper copy described as “tedious” by the chamber.

“The government needs to embrace technology and streamline systems such as abolishing the outdated Incoming Passenger Card, when the passenger information can be provided by travel providers and travel agents,” said executive chair for Australian Chamber – Tourism John Hart in the statement.

He added: “Australia’s system is plagued by long queues at airports and manually-completed refund paperwork”.

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Speaking to The Australian, Hart also called the IPC a “total embarrassment”.

“We nearly got rid of it during Covid when they had the digital passenger declaration but they stuffed that up so badly they walked away from it,” he told the news outlet.

The ACCI report also recommended adding multiple-entry visas for key markets like China, incorporating “passenger on the move” technology as another option to the SmartGate system and maintaining competitive air traffic levels that allow for cheaper airfares.