Australia agrees to introduce Electronic Visa for PNG Travelers

Australia and Papua New Guinea will seek to further strengthen their close relationship with the
introduction of a special electronic visa arrangement the Australian Minister for Immigration and
Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and Papua New Guinea's Minister for . Foreign Affairs and
Immigration, Rimbink Pato, announced today.

"Improving the ease of travel between Papua New Guinea and Australia, particularly for frequent
travelers, is an important economic and cultural goal," Mr Bowen said.
"While Australia maintains a universal visa regime through which we manage the entry and stay
of all visitors from around the world, I believe there is an important opportunity to consider
practical and meaningful ways to further enhance the visa and travel arrangements for visitors
from Papua New Guinea within this universal regime.
"This announcement follows my recent meeting with Prime Minister O'Neill and ongoing
discussions with Minister Pato."
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Mr Pato stated: "The announcement
by Minister Bowen of the introduction of an electronic visa arrangement for PNG travelers is
timely and addresses PNG's long standing request for more facilitative travel arrangements
including visa on arrival."
Both Ministers agreed to the establishment of a joint traveler facilitation taskforce comprising
officials from the Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and the Papua
New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority.
The joint traveler facilitation taskforce is expected to identify legal and administrative
requirements that would lead to the introduction of an electronic visa arrangement in the first
half of 2013.
"With about 80 per cent of all visa applications from Papua New Guinea falling into the tourism
and business activity categories, it is sensible to focus our attention on these travelers," Mr
Bowen said.
"This will not only cater for the largest proportion of travelers from Papua New Guinea, but will
seek to enhance the significant cultural benefits and business opportunities that these travelers
offer to both countries,"
"This degree of priority reflects the significance of the unique and special relationship which
Australia and Papua New Guinea share," Mr Bowen added.
Minister Pato said PNG travelers will welcome this announcement because they will have the
privilege of applying for visas using the internet from their work places, homes or through
selected travel agents instead of the long queues experienced in the past. PNG' travelers
requiring to travel at short notice will also benefit from shorter processing times that are offered
by the electronic visa arrangement.