Entering Australia in 2022: Digital Passenger Declaration to Replace Incoming Passenger Card
On 25 January 2022, the Australian government released a new regulation about entering Australia with a Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD). The utilisation of the Digital Passenger Declaration has been in the works since the middle of 2021 as the Australian government planned to replace the previous paper-based incoming passenger card Australia.
However, you might still be required to provide the paper-based incoming passenger card Australia in certain circumstances.
What are the certain circumstances?
Previous paper-based declaration: Incoming Passenger Card Australia
Before the issue of the Digital Passenger Declaration, all passengers arriving in Australia must provide certain information through a completed incoming passenger card Australia. The incoming passenger card includes identification of the passenger and is used as an effective record of a person’s entry to Australia. The incoming passenger card Australia also serves as:
- A health and character declaration for non-Australian citizens;
- A visa application form for Special Category Visa applicants; and
- A visa application form for Norfolk Island Permanent Residents.
The incoming passenger card Australia must be completed in English. If you refuse to complete the incoming passenger card, you may be penalised and refused immigration clearance which means you will be unable to enter Australia.
Read more: UPDATE: New Arrangements for Onshore and Offshore Visitor (Class FA) Visa Application
Digital Passenger Declaration to Enter Australia in 2022
The new regulation released on 25 January 2022 regulates a person travelling to Australia who has provided a digital passenger declaration to the departmental system that processes digital passenger declarations; they are exempt from completing or providing an incoming passenger card. Meaning if you are entering Australia in 2022, you will not need to provide an incoming passenger card, if:
- You have provided a Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD);
- Your DPD has not been withdrawn when you leave the port or prescribed place;
- The clearance officer has not required you to provide an incoming passenger card.
Read more: New Face For Australia International Border: DPD (Digital Passenger Declaration) Will Come In Effect
What if your DPD can’t be accessed?
You may still be required to provide an incoming passenger card if your Digital Passenger Declaration cannot be accessed. It applies if:
- Due to a departmental system outage, a clearance officer cannot access the person’s DPD;
- An authorised system cannot locate the person’s Digital Passenger Declaration when they present themselves to an authorised system for processing.
Furthermore, suppose a clearance officer has reasonable grounds to believe the information provided in the DPD is not complete or accurate, in that case, they may ask the traveller to present a completed passenger card. It applies if:
- The person’s DPD has inaccurate flight information, such as the fact that they will not be flying to Australia on the original trip they were booked to take;
- A person admits to a clearance officer that their DPD contains an error, inaccuracy, or omission;
- A clearance officer notices an inconsistency, such as when the passport number in the DPD does not match the passport provided by the individual, etc.
- The individual has to make a change to their DPD but cannot do so since they do not have access to a mobile device.
Read more: Entering Australia in 2022: Can you have a holiday in Australia?
What does it mean to you?
It means you do not need to provide a paper-based incoming passenger card when you enter Australia if you have already registered a Digital Passenger Declaration.
You must complete your Digital Passenger Declaration correctly as per instruction. If the officer finds conflicting information, you will need to complete an incoming passenger card, which might be a waste of time.
Are you planning to enter Australia in 2022?
Completing a Digital Passenger Declaration is not the only thing you need to enter Australia in 2022. You must also hold a valid Australian visa! Have you found the Australian visa that suits you the best?
We fully understand that applying for a visa to Australia is certainly very complicated. It is even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our visa specialists at ONEderland Consulting will help you assess your visa options. We have a 98% success rate and are one of Australia’s most highly recommended migration agents. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews.
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