Papua New Guinea customs rules & duty-free allowances
Papua New Guinea's biggest customs risk is biosecurity: fresh food, plant material, and soil are confiscated on arrival, sniffer dogs work the baggage hall at Jacksons International Airport, and undeclared items can draw an on-the-spot fine. Customs is also strict on firearms, drugs, and counterfeit goods, and duty rates on excess goods are unusually steep.
Duty-free allowances
Prohibited — banned from import
- Narcotics and illegal drugs (including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine) — penalties include life imprisonment.
- Firearms, ammunition, and explosives without a valid permit from the PNG Firearms Registry.
- Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, honey, and other animal or plant products that could carry pests or diseases.
- Counterfeit goods, including fake branded clothing, handbags, and electronics.
- Pornographic materials, including magazines, DVDs, and digital media.
- Weapons such as flick knives, butterfly knives, and knuckle dusters.
Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration
- Prescription medicines — allowed for personal use with a prescription or doctor's letter; controlled drugs need prior approval from the PNG Department of Health.
- Live animals and pets — require an import permit and veterinary health certificate from the PNG National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA).
- Plants, seeds, and soil — require an import permit from NAQIA.
- Drones — require a permit from the PNG Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and must be declared on arrival.
- Satellite phones — require a licence from the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA).
Arriving: red vs green channel
All arriving international passengers must complete a Papua New Guinea Customs Declaration Form (PNG CDF) — these are handed out on the plane or available in the arrival hall at Jacksons International Airport. After immigration, you proceed to customs. There is no formal red/green channel system; instead, you hand your completed declaration to a customs officer. If you have nothing to declare, you still need to submit the form. If you have goods to declare, tell the officer and they will direct you to the duty assessment area.
Bringing medication
You can bring personal prescription medication for your own use if you have a valid prescription or doctor's letter. Keep it in original packaging. Narcotics, psychotropic substances, and certain common medications (including some strong painkillers and ADHD drugs) are controlled and require prior approval from the Papua New Guinea Department of Health. Without approval, they can be seized and you could face arrest. Check with the PNG Embassy before you travel if you carry anything on the controlled list.
Food, plants & animal products
Papua New Guinea has strict biosecurity rules. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, honey, seeds, plants, soil, and wooden items are prohibited or require an import permit. All food and plant material must be declared. Sniffer dogs operate at Jacksons International Airport. If you fail to declare, you can be fined PGK 1,000 (about USD 270) on the spot and the goods will be destroyed.
Rules worth knowing
Biosecurity fines are on-the-spot
If you fail to declare food, plant material, or animal products, you can be fined PGK 1,000 (about USD 270) immediately at the airport. Sniffer dogs are used on all international arrivals at Jacksons International Airport. Declare everything, even if you think it's allowed.
Cash declaration is mandatory
You must declare if you carry PGK 40,000 (about USD 10,000) or more in cash or negotiable instruments. This includes traveller's cheques and money orders. There is no limit on the amount, but failure to declare can lead to seizure and penalties.
Duty rates are steep
If you exceed the duty-free allowance for alcohol, tobacco, or goods, duty is charged at 100% of the value of the excess items, plus 10% GST. This means a bottle of spirits worth PGK 200 could cost you an extra PGK 220 in duty and tax.
No red/green channel
Papua New Guinea does not use the red/green channel system. All passengers must complete a customs declaration form and hand it to an officer. If you have nothing to declare, you still need to submit the form. If you have goods to declare, tell the officer and they will assess duty.