Sydney Trials Digital Passenger Card for Travellers From New Zealand

The government hopes it will make travel quicker and easier, and help businesses too.

Christine Rolin passes her iphone over a scanner as she uses the new mobile app for expedited passport and customer screening being unveiled for international travellers arriving at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida on March 4, 2015. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Australian Border Force is extending its trial of the digital incoming passenger card for travellers arriving in Sydney from New Zealand.

The digital version replaces the traditional paper card that travellers fill out on the plane before handing it to officials when they arrive in Australia.

The incoming passenger card collects personal details, including passport, date of birth, origin, and length of stay, along with declarations on items like medicine, food, plants, and cash over $10,000.

The trial builds on a successful pilot already running at Brisbane International Airport since October 2024.

More than 70,000 passengers have used the digital version, officially called the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD), since its launch.

Travellers flying into Sydney on Qantas flights QF144 from Auckland and QF122 from Queenstown can now complete their declaration digitally and receive a QR code via the Qantas app or email.

This code is presented to the Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry staff upon arrival.

Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke said he wanted passengers out of the airport and experiencing the city as quickly as possible when they arrive in Sydney.

“Extending the trial to Australia’s busiest airport means every day, hundreds more passengers will have a more seamless travel experience,” he said.

Sydney Airport Chief Touts Economic Benefit

Sydney Airport chief executive officer Scott Charlton said the airport was proud to support the digital incoming passenger card trial together with the Australian Border Force and Qantas.

“Every international service brings in $130 million in annual economic benefit and supports 1,200 full-time jobs, so making our border processes more efficient is an important investment in boosting national productivity,” he said.

Plan to Broaden the Trial

Authorities plan to expand the trial to additional Qantas flights in the coming months.

Qantas, the first airline to trial the digital card, said it had received strong feedback from customers.

“This is a significant step forward in simplifying the arrival process into Australia, and the overwhelmingly positive response from our customers in Brisbane has demonstrated just how much demand there is for this innovation,” said Qantas International and Freight CEO Cam Wallace.

Former NSW minister Victor Dominello recently described the passenger declaration card as “a paper cockroach—very difficult to get rid of.”

Meanwhile, Qantas has just launched new “trackable luggage“ with technology support via Apple’s Find My network or Google’s Find Hub.

“By seamlessly connecting the July baggage to Apple and Google networks, our customers will have enhanced visibility of their baggage from departure to arrival,” said Qantas chief customer and digital officer Catriona Larritt.