Australia Incoming Passenger Card

The Australia Incoming Passenger Card (commonly called the IPC or arrival card) is the official passenger declaration required by the Australian Border Force under the Migration Act. The IPC records identification, travel itinerary, health and quarantine declarations and serves as an arrival record for people entering Australia. Paper IPCs are traditionally distributed on board flights and at ports, while recent digital pilots let eligible passengers submit the same information through airline apps before they travel.

You can complete the card on board your flight, at the arrival terminal, or submit a pre-departure digital declaration when your airline participates in the pilot (for example, Qantas’ Australia Travel Declaration trial). If you use an airline or authorised digital channel you typically receive a confirmation or QR code to present to airline staff and border officers. The Australian Border Force and Department of Agriculture use the IPC information to coordinate immigration checks, biosecurity screening and customs inspections.

The Australia Incoming Passenger Card is not a visa — it is a mandatory arrival declaration required in addition to any visa or travel authority. It collects health, contact and recent travel history and flags goods that must be declared to biosecurity officers. Recent operational changes include a move toward digital pre-departure submissions in pilots with selected carriers (check your airline), but the paper IPC remains the legal document until broader roll-out.

For more details see Australia visa information and the official Australian Border Force page at abf.gov.au — Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). When you're ready, Apply now to start preparing your information and ensure a smooth arrival.