Arrival card
An arrival card, also known as an incoming passenger card, landing card or disembarkation card, is a legal document used by immigration authorities of many countries to obtain information about incoming passenger not provided by the passenger's passport (such as health, criminal record, where they will be staying, purpose of the visit, etc.) and to provide a record of a person’s entry into the country.[1][2][3][4][1] The card may also provide information on health and character requirements for non-citizens entering the country.[5] Some countries require an arrival card for each incoming passenger, while others require one card per family unit, and some only require an arrival card for non-citizens only.
Some countries, such as Singapore and Thailand, attach a departure card to the arrival card, which is retained in the alien's passport until their eventual departure. The arrival card can also be combined with a customs declaration, which some countries require incoming passengers to fill out separately.
Some countries, such as Malaysia,[6] do not require an arrival or departure card. The procedure of compiling information from immigration cards is no longer required by United States authorities following the introduction of the biometric recording system by the United States Customs and Border Protection.[3][7] There is minimal cross-border formality between a number of countries, most notably those in the passport-free travel area of Europe's Schengen Zone.[8]
The requirement to produce an arrival card is usually in addition to provision of a passport or other travel document, and sometimes a customs declaration.
Information on the card itself
The information requested varies by country. Typically the information requested on the arrival card includes:
- Full name
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Passport number, place of issuance and expiration date
- Flight number or name of aircraft, ship or vehicle
- Purpose of trip: vacation, education/study, visiting relatives/families, business, diplomatic
- Duration of stay
- Destination (next stop of disembarkation)
- Address in country
- Information on items being bought into the country which may be of interest to customs and quarantine authorities
Travelers are generally required to sign, date, and declare the information is true, correct, and complete.
See also
References
- ^ a b Passenger Cards. Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Australian Government.
- ^ cbp.gov, What to Declare Archived 2016-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b U.S. Customs and Border Protection Declaration Form 6059B, CBP Issues New Customs Declarations Form, Features Expanded Definition of Family Members
- ^ NZIS431 - New Zealand Passenger Departure Card Archived 2008-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. Statistics New Zealand.
- ^ NZIS431 - New Zealand Passenger Departure Card. Statistics New Zealand.
- ^ Malaysia no longer require immigration cards
- ^ cbp.gov, US Citizens
- ^ per Article 21 of the Schengen Borders Code (OJ L 105, 13 April 2006, p. 1).