Filming in Papua New Guinea: visas, permits & requirements

Which visa for your crew?

Film crews are not eligible for Visa on Arrival or tourist visas. Every crew member applies for a visa issued by the PNG Immigration & Citizenship Authority (ICA). The visa depends on the nature of your project.

Visa	Clearances needed first	Fee	Processing
Journalist News & current affairs	Prime Minister’s Office – Media Unit	USD 350	10 working days
Film-maker (Commercial) Documentaries, TV series, advertising	National Film Institute (NFI), Dept of Foreign Affairs & International Trade, Provincial Administration, PM’s Media Unit	USD 500	2 to 3 months
Film-maker (Non-commercial) Not-for-profit films for public release	National Film Institute (NFI), PM’s Media Unit	USD 500	2 to 3 months

Fees and processing times as published by ICA (Visa information booklet 2025). Processing starts once all clearances are in hand.

Required documents

• Valid passport (bio page copy)
• Completed Application for Entry Permit form (paper or ICA eVisa portal)
• Sponsor undertaking letter (Film-maker visas)
• The clearance letters listed above
• Itinerary with return or onward ticket
• Proof of payment of the visa fee

Media clearance

There is no press card for visiting crews in Papua New Guinea. Your “accreditation” is a clearance letter from the Prime Minister’s Office – Media Unit. ICA will not process a Journalist or Film-maker visa without it, so it is one of the first things to request.

What to prepare

• An official letter from the broadcaster or production company presenting the project
• A short synopsis, the intended broadcast and the filming schedule
• The crew list with names, roles, nationalities and passport numbers
• The regions and communities you plan to film

Filming approvals

Before any visa can be lodged, your project needs official approval. For documentary and TV work, the PNG National Film Institute (NFI) in Goroka reviews the project and coordinates the other clearances: it negotiates provincial approvals on the filmmakers’ behalf and informs the Department of Foreign Affairs.

How the process works

1. Project application to the National Film Institute
2. Provincial approvals for every province outside the National Capital District
3. Clearances from Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Media Unit
4. Visa application to ICA once all letters are in hand

Good to know

• Allow at least two to three months for provincial approvals
• Budget around USD 1,500 for the NFI, plus visa fees for each crew member and administration fees. There are no provincial fees
• On arrival, introduce yourself to the NFI; before leaving, send them a short written report
• A copy of the finished film is deposited with the NFI Film & Television Archive
• Exporting cultural artefacts or biological specimens requires separate permits

Landowners & locations

Around 97% of land in Papua New Guinea is held under customary ownership by clans and families. A national permit does not give you the right to film on their land: access is negotiated locally, with landowners, village leaders and the people in front of the camera. This is the part that actually decides whether a shoot happens.

What we arrange

• Meetings with landowners and community leaders before the crew arrives, in Tok Pisin or the local language
• Clear agreements on what will be filmed, when, and on any fees or compensation
• Consent from contributors, explained in terms everyone understands
• Separate approvals for prisons, hospitals, schools, mine sites and government buildings
• Recce trips to check access, travel times, accommodation and characters

Flying a drone

Drones are governed by CASA PNG Civil Aviation Rule Part 101. Most camera drones weigh well under 10 kg and can fly in the “open category” as long as the standard conditions are respected.

Standard conditions

• Maximum height 120 m (400 ft) above ground level
• Daylight only, with the drone kept in visual line of sight
• Consent of the owner or occupier before flying over their property
• At least 30 m from people who have not given consent (15 m with consent)
• Near an aerodrome, extra conditions apply — and PNG has hundreds of airstrips
• The drone must be registered with CASA PNG

When you need an authorisation

Night flights, flights above 120 m, over populated areas or in controlled airspace, and aircraft over 25 kg require a Part 102 operator certificate or specific approval from CASA PNG. Plan these well in advance.

Bringing in your equipment

Professional kit enters Papua New Guinea under the PNG Customs temporary import procedure. Duties are not paid, but an undertaking guarantees the equipment will leave the country again.

How it works

• A licensed customs broker lodges a temporary import declaration (IM5) when you arrive
• You sign an undertaking (Form 58, 58A or 58B) instead of paying duties
• A bank guarantee is only required from non-compliant or high-risk importers
• The equipment must be re-exported within the agreed period (three to twelve months)
• A re-export declaration (EX3) is lodged when the kit leaves

Prepare before you fly

• A detailed equipment list with serial numbers, quantities and values
• Copies of the list for customs, domestic flights and insurance
• ATA Carnets are not used in Papua New Guinea: your kit comes in under the local temporary import procedure
• Lithium batteries in hand luggage, within airline limits

Safety & health

Safety is a fundamental question in Papua New Guinea, and our first mission is the safety of the crew. Crime levels are high in Port Moresby and some Highlands towns, and a road or a whole region can become unsafe from one day to the next. Respecting basic rules and local customs avoids most problems.

How we keep crews safe

• No road travel at night
• Local escorts in the Highlands and, on some routes, police escorts
• A representative of the region or community travels with the crew
• Security conditions checked daily, with plans adapted if needed
• Satellite communication in remote areas

Health

• Malaria is present in most of the country; dengue also occurs: see a travel clinic well before departure
• Medical facilities are limited outside Port Moresby
• Insurance covering medical evacuation is essential
• Drink treated or bottled water only

Before travelling, read your government’s latest travel advice (for example Smartraveller or SafeTravel).

Budget & incentives

Papua New Guinea is an expensive place to film. The country imports most of what it uses, services are limited, and prices are often higher than in Europe. At the time of writing, there is no national film tax rebate or production incentive.

What weighs in a PNG budget

• The NFI fee (around USD 1,500), visa fees for each crew member and administration fees
• Domestic and charter flights — and heavy excess baggage for equipment
• 4×4 hire, boats, drivers and fuel
• Hotels in town; generators, food and bedding in remote areas
• Security, guides, porters and community fees