Digital Passenger Declaration

[Beano]

Personally I would welcome the digital card but hopefully they don't make all entries mandatory. I don't usually enter phone and email details in the handwritten card. If pressed I give an International landline or an non-accessible international mobile number. If it is about tracing someone then good luck as they can chase me from the first, and only, address I give where I'm unlikely to be for more than 12 hours. The airlines already have my contact details so should be no problem to go that way to contact me where I have my email address and all my phone numbers.

 

[jgm]

Frankly, I'm surprised you give those greedy telcos any money for your home internet if that's how you feel about them.

I pay $60/mth for UNLIMITED high speed NBN. Try getting anywhere near that for a mobile connection.

 

[Daver6]

I pay $60/mth for UNLIMITED high speed NBN. Try getting anywhere near that for a mobile connection.

You're comparing apples and oranges. Not really sure what point you're trying to make here.

 

[julib]

A flat phone battery will be the deal breaker for many here!

 

[AIRwin]

A flat phone battery will be the deal breaker for many here!

Happy Birthday to you (on AFF) and me!

 

[Robert K]

We should just adopt the American system with the touch screens before immigration. Will give us something to do while the luggage makes it's way to the belt.

 

[milehighclub]

We should just adopt the American system with the touch screens before immigration. Will give us something to do while the luggage makes it's way to the belt.

I think in the current climate, people will want to avoid touching anything.

A flat phone battery will be the deal breaker for many here!

Welcome to AFF Julib.

I think almost every airline has in seat power these days, so no excuse not to arrive with a charged phone ready to go. But I am sure there will be some form of back up for those that have a flat phone, or don't use a smart phone at all.

 

[siri]

What happen when batteries dead on arrival?

 

[Beano]

Got to make sure you have the cable as well and not locked in the checked bags.

 

[Dave Mackenzie]

I suspect that there will still be a paper option for those who don’t have a smartphone/battery run flat/technologically challenged etc, but be prepared for a looooong wait in a queue for a real person to process you. It’s what’s called positive reinforcement to reward those who get on board with the new technology.
And I suspect there were many who resisted Smartgate when it was first introduced too, but most people use it fine these days.

Smart gate, maybe it should be called not so smartgate. I have not been able to access this ’new technology’ always had to use the manned gates. The Smartgate is unable to read/recognise my passport photo. Hope my next passport will fix the problem.

 

[Hvr]

What happen when batteries dead on arrival?

I guess asking Siri isn't going to give us an answer.

 

[Beano]

It would make for an interesting Border Security programme with no paper copy to point to when you failed to declare food. PS "Food" is not an option on the card.

 

[Steveinparadise]

It would make for an interesting Border Security programme with no paper copy to point to when you failed to declare food. PS "Food" is not an option on the card.

Food used to be an option on the card, but the generic term has now been replaced on the card by the actual foods of bio security risk, ie meat, fish, dairy etc. The Moro bar in your bag is not a bio security threat, but that slab of French cheese is.
You will still have to show the “signed” declaration on your smart device, and it will still be an offence to make a false statement. This is the same procedure that QLD Police used at QLD airports for the border declaration pass, which most people applied for electronically.

 

[Beano]

A colleague was entering Australia and had ticked 'parts of animals" and 'parts of plants'. When asked to show them he said my shoes and belt 'leather' and shirt 'cotton', both parts of plants or animals. I don't think customs was amused. On another matter I used to tick contact with animals. I live on a lifestyle block with chickens and sheep. When travelling I look like any other professional businessman. I was sent to the counters and was asked if there were any farm implements in my carry-on bag. I said 'no' and that I think I left my John Deere at home (living dangerously). I think he was amused and commented "huh, gentleman farmer" and let me through. Never again!

 

[AIRwin]

Refer AFF Article

Digital Passenger Declaration to Replace Incoming Passenger Card

Digital Passenger Declaration Replaces Australia Travel Declaration is an article written by AFF editorial staff: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/digital-passenger-declaration/ You can discuss this topic or leave a comment below.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[pn1]

I am somewhat confused about the new arrangements - with imminent travel plans.

My partner and I are due to leave Australia on 28 February.

The new app isn't available until 1 March. So we will need to download whilst overseas?

Then the travel plans will need to be entered seven days before departure for Australia?

Plus uploading the results of the COVID-19 test. We are returning to Australia - Rome/Frankfurt/Singapore/Melbourne. Does the 72 hour limit start from the time when the journey commences (i.e. in Rome) or when the actual flight to Australia commences (i.e. Singapore)? If it's Rome that would be OK but if it's Singapore then it will be rather tight?

The new arrangements mean it's almost essential to have a computer with you when travelling?

And, presumably, if everything isn't completely in order you'll be denied boarding?

I would have thought there would have been something of a transition or cooling off period? The last thing my partner and I want to be is to be stranded overseas indefinitely because an i hasn't been dotted or a t crossed.

 

[Robert K]

A colleague was entering Australia and had ticked 'parts of animals" and 'parts of plants'. When asked to show them he said my shoes and belt 'leather' and shirt 'cotton', both parts of plants or animals. I don't think customs was amused. On another matter I used to tick contact with animals. I live on a lifestyle block with chickens and sheep. When travelling I look like any other professional businessman. I was sent to the counters and was asked if there were any farm implements in my carry-on bag. I said 'no' and that I think I left my John Deere at home (living dangerously). I think he was amused and commented "huh, gentleman farmer" and let me through. Never again!

Sounds like a good waste of time.

 

[bellsux]

Spent ages at Delhi airport yesterday trying to get it filled in as they would not issue me my boarding pass without it. Major issues were linking all of the flights and system not recognising airline and flight numbers. Also you have to scan your chip page, iPhone 12 struggled to do this, I can’t see how anyone with older phones will cope. Self picture recognition is a joke, trying multiple times to get the app to accept. Then the final page needs some sort of confirmation as the check in desk were not happy that it only came up as a review page.
I can see lots of unhappy travellers stuck at airports around the world with a sub standard overly complicated app being the cause.
It took an hour for me to fill in and raised my stress levels to an all time high trying to get out of a first time visited country.

 

[Scr77]

Spent ages at Delhi airport yesterday trying to get it filled in as they would not issue me my boarding pass without it. Major issues were linking all of the flights and system not recognising airline and flight numbers. Also you have to scan your chip page, iPhone 12 struggled to do this, I can’t see how anyone with older phones will cope. Self picture recognition is a joke, trying multiple times to get the app to accept. Then the final page needs some sort of confirmation as the check in desk were not happy that it only came up as a review page.
I can see lots of unhappy travellers stuck at airports around the world with a sub standard overly complicated app being the cause.
It took an hour for me to fill in and raised my stress levels to an all time high trying to get out of a first time visited country.

Was this with the App? Did you try via the website? I thought you could enter passport details manually on the webpage.

 

[bellsux]

Was this with the App? Did you try via the website? I thought you could enter passport details manually on the webpage.

It was with the App. I will be travelling to the USA tommorow and will make sure that I have my DPD done well inadvance and give the website a shot to see if it makes it easier next week for my return. I still had to fill in the yellow arrivals card and insert passport into the machine on arrival.