New digital passport announced to reopen overseas travel for fully vaccinated

In the first major move to reopening international travel, a new digital pass has been announced for vaccinated Aussies.

Australians will be handed a new pass for overseas travel, after it was announced the Federal Government had selected an IT firm to develop the technology for a new ‘digital border’ document.

In a joint statement with Minister Stuart Robert and Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews, the new Digital Passport Declaration (DPD) – developed by IT firm Accenture – would replace the physical incoming passenger card and the Covid-19 Australian Travel Declaration web form.

The new digital passport will essentially capture a passenger’s vaccination status up to 72 hours prior to boarding, with the information obtained within the pass – such as travel, health and vaccine status – able to be shared with the Federal Government, state and territory public health authorities.

The new border pass will be required for overseas travel when it resumes. Picture: William West/AFP

​​“The DPD will support the safe reopening of Australia’s international borders, by providing digitally verified Covid-19 vaccination details,” Ms Andrews said in a statement.

​​“This will help us to welcome home increasing numbers of Australians, and welcome the tourists, travellers, international students, skilled workers, and overseas friends and family we’ve all been missing during the pandemic.”

The tender awarded to IT firm Accenture is estimated to be worth around $75 million, with users of the DPD able to complete the digital document on their mobile device or computer.

The announcement is the first major step made by the Morrison Government, who have outlined international travel will resume once the country – or an individual state or territory – reaches the 80 per cent vaccination milestone for the over-16 population.

Based on current vaccination rates, Covid Live forecasts Australia will hit that target by mid-November.

International travel is set to make a comeback this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Last week, Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said that “when we hit that 70 per cent or 80 per cent vaccination mark, Australians will be able to travel overseas again and also Australians will be able to return home in greater numbers.

“We’ll also be able to start welcoming international students, those who want to come here to work, ultimately tourists again,” he said.

It is understood on an international scale, the Federal Government is working to develop a QR code with the International Civil Aviation Organisation so Australian vaccine certificates would be internationally recognised.

It is understood the new digital system will link in with the QR code vaccination certificate that will be introduced this month as a way of giving permission to vaccinated travellers to enter the country. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the DPD will move into a testing phase before being deployed throughout major Australian airports and will initially only be applied to incoming passengers.