Form FA 81 at a glance
What it is: Form FA 81 is the Independent State of Papua New Guinea Application for a Travel Document under the Passport Act of 1982.
Where and when to file: Applications should be completed at least 3 weeks before the applicant intends leaving Papua New Guinea.
Common mistake: A separate application must be completed by each person.
What to bring and attach to Form FA 81
The fee must be paid at your nearest cash office and a receipt thereof must be attached to your application.
Your birth certificate or citizenship certificate, and in the case of married women your marriage certificate, should be submitted.
You should submit two recent photographs, head and shoulders only, taken 'Full Face' without hat or tinted glasses and with a light coloured background, all within the dimensions of 35mm x 45mm.
A filled-in Form FA 81 example: an adult applies for her first passport
How to fill out Form FA 81, box by box
Type of Travel Document
Mark the type of travel document: Standard Passport, Official Passport, Certificate of Identity, Diplomatic Passport or Emergency Travel Document.
Applicant's Name and Sex
Enter the Family name/Surname and Given names, and mark Male or Female for Sex.
Has Applicant ever changed his/her name?
If you have changed your name, please provide details of all previous names used.
Mark Yes or No to say if the applicant has ever changed his or her name; if Yes, state previous names here.
Birth Place and Date
Enter the Village, Town, Province and Country of birth and the Date of Birth.
Personal Particulars
Enter the Height in cm, Colour of hair, Colour of eyes, Visual Distinguishing marks and Occupation.
Marital Status
Mark Married or Single, whichever applies; if Married, enter the Name of husband/wife.
Address and Telephone
Enter the Residential address and Telephone, and the Correspondence address and Telephone.
Proposed Departure Details
Enter the Vessel or Airline, Port or Airport, Countries proposed to visit and the Date.
Previous Travel Document
You must attach your previous travel document unless it has been lost, stolen or destroyed. There are additional fees where a previous passport has been lost or stolen.
Mark Yes or No to say if the applicant has previously been issued with a Papua New Guinea Travel Document. If Yes, enter the Travel Document number, Issue Date, Expiry Date and the Bearer's name at time of issue.
Mark if this previous Travel Document is attached, has been lost, has been stolen, has been destroyed or has been damaged, and explain the circumstances of loss/theft/other.
Mark Yes or No to say if the loss has been reported to the police. If Yes, enter to which police officer or police station the report was made and the Date of report (13).
Certificate Regarding Applicant
The certificate on page 3 in respect of every application must be completed.
The following persons are authorised to furnish this certificate: Lawyers, Medical Practitioners, Magistrates, Ministers of Religion, Commissioner of Oaths, Commissioned Officers of the Defence Force and Police Force.
The person completing the certificates must have known the applicant for at least three years.
Under Certificate Regarding Applicant, the person who signs enters his or her Name, Occupation, Address and Telephone and the Applicant's name, then enters Signature and Date.
The person who signs declares that he or she has known personally the applicant for a period of more than 3 years. The signature and photographs on or accompanying the application are those of the applicant, and to the best of his or her knowledge and belief the statements made by the applicant in this form are true.
On the same basis, he or she has endorsed the back of the applicant's photograph. No fee has been charged for this certificate.
It is essential that the person who signed the Certificate Regarding Applicant on page 3 should also endorse the back of one photograph with: 'I certify this to be a genuine photograph of (name in full)', and sign.
Declaration
The Declaration on page 3 must be signed by the applicant, or in the case of a child unable to sign, by the lodging parent or legal guardian.
Warning: It is a criminal offence to provide false or misleading information in this application.
Fill in the Declaration, I declare that the statements made in this application are true and correct in every particular, with Dated this day of (year) and your Signature or Mark.
Signature
Common mistake: The applicant must sign both of the small signature labels using a ball-point pen, and take care to stay within the borders marked.
Evidence of Citizenship
Your application should be accompanied by evidence of your citizenship, and Attachment A on page 4 should be completed in this respect.
In Attachment A, enter the full name and date of birth and the place of birth and citizenship of the mother and of the father, and the full names and places of birth of the mother's parents and of the father's parents.
Mark Yes or No to say if you have lived all your life in Papua New Guinea and, if No, enter where. Mark Yes or No to say if you are a citizen of Papua New Guinea and to say if you are a citizen of a foreign country.
More rules for Form FA 81
Your passport will be forwarded by registered post unless you elect to collect it personally, or if you designate an agent who must present the original custody receipt (the form prints 'reciept') for the application.
Other situations
The applicant is under 17 years of age
8, Consent of Parents: Applicants under 17 years of age must furnish the consent of their parents or legal guardians on page 2.
Consent of Lodging Parent or Legal Guardian and Consent of Other Parent or legal Guardian: each parent or legal guardian enters the First name and Family name, deletes whichever of father, mother or legal guardian is not applicable, and fills in Signed, Date, Signature of Witness and Date, which gives consent to the applicant being issued with a passport.
The applicant is unable to sign
If the applicant is unable to sign, put a line through both of the small signature labels.
Applicants who cannot read or write English
The declaration has been read/interpreted and explained by me in language to the applicant in the presence of a witness, and the applicant appeared to understand and approve of them.
If you read/interpreted and explained the declaration to the applicant, sign under Signature. The witness signs under Signature of Witness. Under Signature and under Signature of Witness, enter the Full name, Occupation, Address, Telephone number and Date.
Common questions about Form FA 81
Is there a deadline?
Applications should be completed at least 3 weeks before the applicant intends leaving Papua New Guinea.
Where do I file it?
Applications for PNG Travel Documents should be lodged with the Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority, PO Box 1790, Boroko, NCD Port Moresby or with the Collector of Customs at various ports.
Are there fees?
The fee for a passport is K100 (checked October 19, 2026). Details of fees are at www.immigration.gov.pg/passport.html
Is there a penalty?
Persons who, in support of an applicant for a passport, make any false statements either orally or in writing render themselves liable to a fine of K10,000.00 or imprisonment for six months (checked October 19, 2026).
Sources
[1] Form FA 81, Application for a Travel Document (Passport Act of 1982), Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority, Papua New Guinea (the Official source link on this page).