Papua New Guinea requires a visa for most nationalities. Citizens of countries in the Pacific Islands Forum can enter without a visa for up to 30 days. Tourist visas on arrival are available at Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport and other international entry points for 60-day stays, costing 100 Kina. Travelers must hold a passport valid for at least six months beyond their intended departure date and possess proof of onward travel. The official visa policy and application portal is maintained at https://www.immigration.gov.pg. Business travelers and those planning stays exceeding 60 days must apply for visas in advance through Papua New Guinea diplomatic missions. Extensions are processed through the Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority in Port Moresby. Overstaying a visa results in fines of 1,000 Kina and potential detention.
The national currency is the Papua New Guinea Kina, abbreviated PGK, subdivided into 100 toea. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 Kina. Coins exist in 5, 10, 20, and 50 toea, plus 1 Kina. The Kina floats against major currencies, with approximate exchange rates in 2024 ranging from 0.25 to 0.27 US dollars per Kina. Bank of Papua New Guinea issues all currency and maintains exchange rate data at https://www.bankpng.gov.pg. Polymer banknotes introduced in 2008 replaced paper notes to reduce counterfeiting. The 50 Kina note features the PNG Parliament building. The 2 Kina note depicts traditional dancers. Security features include transparent windows and color-shifting ink.
ATMs operate in Port Moresby, Lae, Mount Hagen, Madang, and other provincial capitals, dispensing Kina in multiples of 20 or 50. Bank South Pacific operates the largest ATM network with approximately 50 machines nationwide as of 2023. Westpac PNG and ANZ PNG also maintain ATMs in major urban centers. Daily withdrawal limits typically range from 500 to 1,000 Kina depending on the bank and card type. International cards bearing Visa, Mastercard, or Cirrus symbols function at most machines. ATM availability drops to zero in rural areas and smaller islands. Many machines run out of cash during weekends or public holidays. Transaction fees for foreign cards range from 5 to 15 Kina per withdrawal plus percentage-based fees charged by the cardholder's home bank.
Credit cards see limited acceptance restricted almost entirely to Port Moresby and Lae. Hotels rated three stars or above, international airline offices, and some restaurants in the capital accept Visa and Mastercard. Bank South Pacific processes the majority of card transactions. Smaller establishments, guesthouses, and markets operate on cash only. American Express and Discover cards are rarely accepted. Card fraud concerns have limited merchant adoption of electronic payment systems. Contactless payment infrastructure does not exist outside Port Moresby's largest hotels. Travelers should assume cash is required for all transactions outside the capital.
Banks open Monday through Friday from 0900 to 1500 hours in Port Moresby, with some branches extending to 1600. Provincial branches may close by 1400. Bank South Pacific, the largest commercial bank, operates over 40 branches nationwide. ANZ PNG maintains branches in Port Moresby, Lae, Mount Hagen, Madang, Rabaul, and Kokopo. Westpac PNG has a smaller footprint concentrated in Port Moresby and Lae. Currency exchange services operate within these banks during business hours. Hotels in Port Moresby offer exchange at rates 5 to 10 percent less favorable than banks. No dedicated currency exchange bureaus exist at Jacksons International Airport, though Bank South Pacific maintains a branch in the terminal open during international flight arrivals. Exchanging Australian dollars yields better rates than US dollars due to trade relationships. Euros and British pounds can be exchanged but at wider spreads.
Tipping is not customary in Papua New Guinea. Service charges appear on bills at hotels and restaurants in Port Moresby, typically 10 percent, which replaces any expectation of additional gratuity. Taxi drivers do not expect tips. Tour guides working with international operators may receive tips from foreign clients, but this remains a borrowed practice rather than local custom. Hotel porters do not expect payment beyond their wages. Adding a tip may cause confusion rather than gratitude in establishments outside the international hotel sector.