Australia’s digital arrival form is no longer tied to one airline. From October 26, 2026, travellers landing at Western Sydney International Airport can complete the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) online, whichever airline they fly. It is the first time the system has stepped beyond the Qantas pilot that began in October 2024.
The ministers responsible for Home Affairs, Infrastructure, and Agriculture announced the move jointly on October 22, 2026. The ATD is designed to replace the paper Incoming Passenger Card over time, and the government plans to roll it out across the country over the next 12 to 18 months.
Quick Highlights : Australia Travel Declaration
- The Australia Travel Declaration web form goes live at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport on October 26, 2026
- It is open to arriving passengers on any airline, not only Qantas
- Travellers can submit the form up to 72 hours before arrival, free of charge
- A QR code called the ATD Pass is issued immediately after submission
- Paper Incoming Passenger Cards remain available, so the digital form is optional
- More than 477,000 travellers submitted a digital declaration between January 1 and September 30, 2026
- The government has committed more than A$56 million over four years to extend the web form to all international airports and seaports
What Was Announced
Western Sydney International Airport will be the first airport in Australia to offer the web-based Australia Travel Declaration. The airport opens to passenger flights on Sunday, October 25, with a Jetstar domestic service to the Gold Coast. On Monday, October 26, Air New Zealand begins international operations with a flight from Auckland, and the digital declaration becomes available at the same time.
Until now, the digital form was available only to eligible passengers on selected Qantas flights, who completed it in the Qantas app. The new web form means passengers do not need an airline app to lodge their declaration.
What the Australia Travel Declaration Replaces
The Australia Travel Declaration is a digital alternative to the traditional paper Incoming Passenger Card, the form arriving travellers fill out before entering Australia. It lets international travellers provide immigration details and customs and biosecurity declarations before they arrive.
The pilot with Qantas began in October 2024, delivered by the Australian Border Force, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Qantas. It covered selected flights to Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The Western Sydney launch is the first concrete step towards making the Australia Travel Declaration available to a wider range of passengers.
How to Complete the Australia Travel Declaration
Travellers arriving at Western Sydney can find the official form on the Australian Border Force website. It is free and takes about 5 to 20 minutes. The process has three steps:
- Getting started. Choose an individual or family declaration, then accept the terms and conditions and the privacy policy
- Arrival details. Enter the arrival date, flight number, and travel information, including the country of registration of the aircraft or vessel where asked
- Personal information and declarations. Provide passport details, contact information, accommodation address, and an emergency contact, then answer questions about goods, cash, food, plant and animal products, and other customs and biosecurity matters
Once the declaration is submitted, a QR code known as the ATD Pass is generated immediately. Travellers can save it as an image or PDF and receive a copy by email. It must be shown to Australian authorities on arrival and may be scanned in the baggage claim area or when leaving the airport.
Which Flights Can Use It
The web form is limited, for now, to flights arriving at Western Sydney International Airport. When VisasNews checked the system on October 23, only Air New Zealand flight NZ165 between Auckland and Western Sydney appeared among the available flights. The list is expected to grow as more international services begin.
Families can complete a combined declaration, including for children under 18 travelling with their parents. If any information needs to be corrected or updated, a new declaration must be submitted.
The Paper Card Is Not Going Away
The new web form does not end the paper card. The government has confirmed that the Incoming Passenger Card will remain available for travellers who do not have a digital device or web access, who run into technical problems, or who prefer the manual process. Using the Australia Travel Declaration is optional.
Passengers arriving at other Australian airports will generally still complete the paper card, unless they qualify for the digital system already available on selected Qantas flights. Western Sydney is a separate airport from Sydney Kingsford Smith, the city’s existing international gateway, and the new process applies only to Western Sydney arrivals for now.
The Wider Rollout Plan
The government has committed more than A$56 million over four years to roll out the web-form version of the declaration to all international airports and seaports, as part of a broader traveller modernisation project. The expansion will be phased over 12 to 18 months, though a detailed schedule for individual ports has not been published.
Initial availability will be through the web form while the government works with airlines and industry partners on other options, including future in-app integrations. Reports say all capital city airports are set to offer the Australia Travel Declaration before the end of 2026.
What the Numbers Show
According to government figures, more than 477,000 travellers submitted an Australia Travel Declaration between January 1 and September 30, 2026, across more than 8,400 eligible flights. Of these, more than 118,000 travellers made a biosecurity declaration.
Those figures show the system is already handling large volumes in its pilot form. The Western Sydney launch will test whether the same approach works across different airlines and for travellers who are not already using an airline app.
Why Australia Is Doing This
The aim is to let customs and biosecurity officers review certain passenger information before arrival, while streamlining processing at airports. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins linked the system to biosecurity, saying strong biosecurity starts at the border and the declaration helps keep pests and diseases out of Australia.
For travellers, the benefit is a single QR code that supports a quicker exit from the airport. For border agencies, earlier information can help target checks on the people and goods that carry the most risk.
Tips for Travellers
- Use only the official Australian Border Force website to complete the declaration, since it is free and unofficial sites may charge fees
- Complete the form within 72 hours of arrival, and have your passport, flight details, and accommodation address ready
- Answer the biosecurity and customs questions carefully, as false or incomplete declarations can lead to penalties
- Save the ATD Pass as an image or PDF, and keep the emailed copy, in case your phone battery or signal fails
- Carry a paper card as a backup if you are unsure about connectivity
- Submit a new declaration if anything changes, such as flight details or items you are carrying
Travellers should treat any site that asks for payment to lodge the declaration with caution.
What to Expect Next
The first days at Western Sydney will show how smoothly the web form works with real traffic. Once more international flights are added to the airport’s schedule, more passengers will be able to use it, and other airports are expected to follow in stages.
Authorities have not yet said when the digital declaration might become mandatory, and for now the paper card remains in place alongside it.
Key Takeaways On Australia Travel Declaration
The Australia Travel Declaration opens to all passengers at Western Sydney International Airport on October 26, 2026, ending its restriction to the Qantas app. Travellers can lodge the free form up to 72 hours before arrival and receive an ATD Pass QR code, while paper cards remain available. With A$56 million committed and a 12 to 18 month rollout planned, the declaration is expected to reach other airports and seaports in stages.
FAQs : Australia Travel Declaration
When does the Australia Travel Declaration open at Western Sydney Airport?
It goes live on October 26, 2026, with the airport’s first international arrival, an Air New Zealand flight from Auckland, and is open to passengers on any airline.
Is the Australia Travel Declaration compulsory?
No. It is optional, and the paper Incoming Passenger Card remains available.
How far ahead can I complete it?
Up to 72 hours before arrival. The form is free and takes roughly 5 to 20 minutes.
What is the ATD Pass?
A QR code issued immediately after you submit the declaration. It is shown to authorities on arrival and may be scanned in baggage claim or when leaving the airport.
Will it be used at other airports?
Yes. The government plans to roll it out to all international airports and seaports over 12 to 18 months.
Source : Visas News
Read About : Australia Visa Character Rules October 31, 2026: Tougher Checks on Violence, Hate Crimes and Public Safety
