Tourist visas and visa on arrival are not an option for film crews. Here is how the journalist and film-maker visas work, what they cost and how long to allow.
Every foreign crew member who films in Papua New Guinea needs a visa issued by the PNG Immigration & Citizenship Authority (ICA). Filming on a tourist visa or a visa on arrival is not allowed, and it is the most common mistake we see in first-time productions.
Three visas, three situations
Journalist visa — for news and current affairs. It needs a clearance from the Prime Minister’s Office – Media Unit. Fee: USD 350.
Film-maker visa (commercial) — for documentaries, TV series and advertising. It needs clearances from the National Film Institute (NFI), the Department of Foreign Affairs, the provincial administrations concerned and the Prime Minister’s Media Unit. Fee: USD 500.
Film-maker visa (non-commercial) — for not-for-profit films intended for public release. Clearances from the NFI and the Media Unit. Fee: USD 40.
ICA announces around ten working days of processing — but only once all the clearance letters are in hand.
The real timeline
The visa itself is quick. What takes time is everything before it: the NFI review, provincial approvals for every province outside the capital, and the letters from national offices. In practice, allow two to three months between the first application and the visas in your passports.
Documents to prepare
— Passport bio page for each crew member
— Completed Application for Entry Permit (paper or ICA eVisa portal)
— A short, factual synopsis and the filming schedule
— Company letter and crew CVs
— Equipment list
— A sponsor letter from a company in Papua New Guinea — we provide it
Our advice
Keep the synopsis short, precise and positive about the country, name every region you plan to visit, and send clean, clearly named PDF files. A clear file is processed faster. We prepare the whole application with you and follow each approval in Port Moresby and in the provinces.
Sources: PNG Immigration & Citizenship Authority, Visa information booklet 2025; PNG National Film Institute. Fees and procedures change: check with us before you apply. See also our full guide to filming permits.
Need visas for your crew?
Send us your dates and crew list — we map every clearance you need.