Brisbane Airport in Australia has launched a digital departure card for international passengers to replace the traditional hand written paper version required for immigration purposes.
The digital departure card was created by the airport in partnership with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and has been incorporated into the airport’s official app. The new process means that passengers can fill in and save their information ahead of visiting the airport. The app can also store profiles, including that of other family members, so travelers do not have to fill out their details every time they depart from the airport.
The app is available in several different languages eliminating the anxiety that some non-English speaking passengers experience when undertaking the process. Once the form is completed, the app generates a QR code that is used to print out the form at bespoke kiosks located in the international terminal.
Julieanne Alroe, CEO and managing director for Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), the airport operator, said, “We are fortunate to have a long association with QUT. It was a team of interactive and visual design students who came up with the initial idea of digitalizing the departure card process as part of a practical assessment.
“We are also very grateful for the enthusiastic support given by the Australian customs service and Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which both recognized the huge potential of this initiative. We saw great potential in the idea and with approval from the department to proceed, BAC provided the capital and resources to develop the program and necessary infrastructure, and ensured all boxes were ticked from a practical, logistical and legislative perspective.
“The result is an Australian if not a world first digital solution that will save time, streamline processing and help reduce anxiety associated with departure formalities, especially for non-English speaking travelers.”