An arrival card, also known as an incoming passenger card, landing card or disembarkation card, is a

legal document Legal instrument is a legal term of art that is used for any formally executed written document that can be formally attributed to its author, records and formally expresses a legally enforceable act, process, or contractual duty, obligation, o ...

used by immigration authorities of many countries to obtain information about an 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.Passenger Cards
''Department of Immigration and Citizenship''. Australian Government. The card may also provide information on health and character requirements for non-citizens entering the country. 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

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

, attach a

departure card A departure card, also known as an outgoing passenger card or embarkation card, is a legal document used by immigration authorities to provide passenger identification and an effective record of a person’s departure from certain countries. It al ...

to the arrival card, which is retained in the alien's passport until their eventual departure. This arrival card can also be combined with a customs declaration, which some countries require incoming passengers to fill out separately. The procedure of compiling information from physical immigration cards is no longer required by the authorities of

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

(which switched to electronic cards) and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

following the introduction of the biometric recording system by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the

United States Customs and Border Protection United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border guard, border ...

respectively. There is minimal cross-border formality between a number of countries, most notably those in the passport-free travel area of Europe's

Schengen Area The Schengen Area ( , ) encompasses European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their common borders. As an element within the wider area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) policy of the European Union (EU), it ...

. The requirement to produce an arrival card is usually in addition to a requirement to produce a

passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid ...

or other

travel document A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international entity pursuant to international agreements to enable individuals to clear border control measures. Travel documents usually assure other governments that the beare ...

, to obtain a visa, and sometimes complete a

customs declaration A customs declaration is a Form (document), form that lists the details of goods that are being imported or exported when a citizen or visitor enters a customs territory (country's borders). Most countries require travellers to complete a customs d ...

Information on the card itself

The information requested varies by country. Typically, the type of 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 Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

and

quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...

authorities Travellers are generally required to sign, date, and declare the information is true, correct, and complete.

Electronic arrival cards

Some countries which have retired physical arrival cards, switched to requiring passengers to submit their arrival cards electronically, for example Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.

United Kingdom

Non- EEA citizens were formerly required to complete a landing card on entry to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The traveller was required to present the completed form at the

Border Force Border Force (BF) is a British law enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in the United Kingdom. The force was part of the now defunct UK Border Agency from i ...

desk at the point of entry. The form was usually supplied by the airline, train or ferry company. In the UK, the landing card system was governed by the

Immigration Act 1971 The Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning immigration and nearly entirely remaking the field of British immigration law. The Act, as with the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, and that of ...

, schedule 2 paragraph 5, which states; In August 2017, the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

announced that landing cards would be completely scrapped as part of digital border transformation and modernisation. It was expected this change would come into effect by the autumn. Landing cards were abolished for all passengers effective 20 May 2019. Notably absent from the landing card was information on the purpose of the trip, destination, or any items brought into the country. Additional information requested from travellers was their occupation and the port of their last departure.

References

{{Commercial air travel Civil aviation Identity documents

Information on the card itself

Electronic arrival cards

United Kingdom

See also

References