Australia launches web-based travel declaration at Western Sydney Airport

Western Sydney becomes the first Australian airport to offer the digital arrival declaration to passengers on any airline, ending the Qantas-only pilot phase

Australia’s ministers responsible for Home Affairs, Infrastructure, and Agriculture announced on October 22, 2026, that Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will become the first airport in Australia to offer a web-based version of the Australia Travel Declaration (ATD). The form will go live on October 26, 2026, coinciding with the airport’s first international arrival, an Air New Zealand service from Auckland, according to a joint ministerial announcement.

Before October 26, the digital declaration was available only through a pilot program launched in October 2024 in partnership with Qantas. Under that pilot, only eligible passengers traveling on selected Qantas flights to Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne could complete the ATD through the airline’s mobile app. The new web-based system removes the airline restriction, making the declaration accessible to passengers arriving at Western Sydney on any carrier.

The airport itself opens to passenger flights on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with Jetstar operating its first domestic service to the Gold Coast. International operations begin the following day with the Air New Zealand Auckland service. Western Sydney International is separate from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), the city’s existing international gateway.

What is the Australia Travel Declaration?

The Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) is a digital alternative to the paper Incoming Passenger Card (IPC), the traditional orange form distributed on flights and completed by all international passengers before entering Australia. The ATD consolidates immigration details, customs declarations, and biosecurity declarations into a single online submission.

The Australian government announced in July 2026 that it would invest more than AUD 56.1 million (approximately USD 39 million) over four years to modernize border processing and roll out the ATD nationwide. Between January 1 and September 30, 2026, more than 477,000 travelers submitted an Australia Travel Declaration across more than 8,400 eligible Qantas flights, including over 118,000 travelers who made a biosecurity declaration through the digital system.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) now outlines two ways to complete the ATD: through the Qantas app for passengers on eligible Qantas flights, or via the new web form for all international arrivals at Western Sydney.

How can travelers complete the ATD at Western Sydney?

Travelers arriving at Western Sydney International Airport can access the ATD through the Australian Border Force website. The form can be submitted up to 72 hours before arrival and is completely free of charge. The process takes approximately 5 to 20 minutes and is completed in three steps.

Step one asks travelers whether they are completing an individual or family declaration, then presents terms and conditions. Step two collects arrival details, including date, flight number, and travel information. Step three requests passport details, contact information, accommodation address, emergency contact, and answers to questions about goods being brought into Australia, cash, food, plant and animal products, and other customs and biosecurity requirements.

After submission, the system immediately generates a QR code, known as the ATD Pass. Travelers can save it as an image or PDF and will also receive a copy by email. The QR code must be presented to Australian authorities on arrival and may be scanned in the baggage claim area or when exiting the airport.

Families can complete a combined declaration, including for children under 18 traveling with their parents. The Australian Border Force advises that a new declaration must be submitted if any information needs to be corrected after the original submission. Each traveler or family group receives a single QR code for a streamlined exit.

Can travelers still use a paper arrival card?

The introduction of the web-based ATD does not make digital submission mandatory. The Australian government has confirmed that the paper Incoming Passenger Card will remain available, particularly for travelers who do not have access to a digital device, experience technical difficulties, or prefer to complete the form on paper.

Using the ATD is therefore optional at this stage. Travelers arriving at Western Sydney can choose between the digital declaration and the traditional paper form. Passengers arriving at other Australian airports will generally still need to complete the paper card unless they qualify for the existing Qantas-app pilot on a selected Qantas flight.

When will the ATD be available at other Australian airports?

The Australian government has stated that the web-based ATD will be introduced at all capital city international airports before the end of 2026, then expanded to all remaining international airports and seaports over the following 12 to 18 months. A detailed rollout schedule identifying specific airports and dates has not yet been published.

The acting CEO of the Australian Airports Association, Natalie Heazlewood, described the Western Sydney launch as “great progress in the rollout of the Australia Travel Declaration,” noting that the web-based platform will eventually reach all international airports.

The ATD is intended to allow customs and biosecurity officers to review certain passenger information before arrival, helping streamline processing at Australian airports. The nationwide expansion will gradually extend the same digital option to the millions of international passengers who arrive each year through airports such as Sydney Kingsford Smith, Melbourne Tullamarine, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.