Passenger Cards

Travellers arriving in and departing from Australia are required under Australian law to identify themselves and provide certain information through the completion of a passenger card.

Australian law concerning the completion of passenger cards is set out in the Migration Act 1958 (the Migration Act) and the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations).

What is a passenger card?

A passenger card is a document providing passenger identification and an effective record of a person’s entry in to and departure from Australia.

Passenger cards to be completed are:

• an Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) for travellers entering Australia
• an Outgoing Passenger Card (OPC) for passengers departing Australia.

Passenger cards also serve as:

• a declaration in relation to health and character requirements for non-Australian citizens
• an application form for Special Category Visa applicants and Norfolk Island Permanent Residents.

Who needs to complete a passenger card?

Most travellers are required to complete and present a passenger card when entering or departing Australia. However, particular people are exempt from completing a passenger card (as prescribed in regulation 3.06 and schedule 9 of the Migration Regulations.)

Refusing to complete a passenger card, where a person is required to do so, is considered an offence.

Completing an incoming passenger card

Travellers to Australia are required to accurately answer the following questions on the front of the IPC:

• family name, given name and passport number
• flight number or name of ship
• intended address in Australia
• if they intend to live in Australia for the next 12 months.

Travellers must also complete questions on the back of the IPC that relate to:

• the country in which they boarded the flight/vessel
• their date of birth and usual occupation
• nationality as shown on their passport.

Travellers who are non-Australian citizens are also required to correctly answer additional questions concerning their migration status, health status and any prior criminal convictions. Providing false information can affect their visa status.

Australian citizens who refuse to complete an IPC may be penalised. Non-Australian citizens may be penalised and refused immigration clearance.

Completing a passenger card in English

Passenger cards must be completed in English.

To assist non-English speaking travellers, passenger cards are available in languages other than English. Other languages include Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.

Travellers requiring assistance to complete the card in English are referred to an Immigration Officer. Translating services are available on request.

Completing a passenger card on behalf of another passenger

Passenger cards can be completed on behalf of another traveller where a person is in charge of that traveller. This includes parents/guardians of minors and carers of mentally or physically impaired travellers.

A non-Australian citizen is considered to have completed a passenger card where the card is completed on their behalf.

Further assistance with completing a passenger card

Travellers requiring assistance to complete the passenger card are referred to an Immigration Officer.

Completing an outgoing passenger card

Travellers departing Australia are required to accurately provide the following information on the OPC:

• their family name, given names and nationality
• passport number
• flight number or name of ship.

Travellers are also required to sign and date the OPC.

While migration legislation does not prevent a person departing Australia for refusing to complete the OPC, failure to do so may result in a penalty being imposed under the Migration Regulations.

Further information

See: Movement Records