Quick summary
Palau now requires all international arrivals — including US, Canadian, EU, Australian, and New Zealand passport holders — to complete a mandatory digital entry form at palautravel.pw before departure. The form must be submitted within 72 hours of arrival. You receive a QR code by email. No QR code at check-in means no boarding.
There are no nationality exemptions. The requirement is enforced by airlines at the gate, not just by immigration on arrival. Miss it and you don’t fly.
Palau’s paper forms are gone — here’s what replaced them
Palau eliminated its paper-based arrival process on June 1, 2023 and replaced it with a single pre-arrival digital submission. What used to be three separate forms — the entry form, a Ministry of Health declaration, and a customs/biosecurity declaration — now consolidates into one online submission. You get a QR code. You present it at check-in and again at immigration. That’s the entire process.
The enforcement point that catches travelers off guard: airlines are responsible for verifying the QR code at check-in. If you arrive at the airport without it, your carrier will deny boarding. This is not an immigration problem you can explain your way through on arrival. It ends your trip before you leave home.
Families travel on a single submission. One form covers the entire group, which simplifies the process for those traveling with children. Solo travelers complete one form for themselves. The form must be completed in English regardless of nationality.
After submitting, a unique QR code arrives by email. A copy is also retained in Palau’s system, but don’t rely on that — have your own copy ready in at least two formats.
Visit palautravel.pw to complete the official entry form before your departure window opens.
Why Palau built a more comprehensive system than most Pacific neighbors
Australia’s Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and Fiji’s pre-arrival registration handle immigration screening only. Palau’s system goes further — it combines health screening and biosecurity/customs declarations into the same QR code. Immigration officers scan once and access all three data sets simultaneously. For a nation with one international airport and limited processing infrastructure, this is a meaningful efficiency gain.
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What else you need to know before you go
The entry form is the most time-sensitive requirement, but it’s not the only one. A few other conditions apply that are worth confirming before you reach the airport.
Passport validity: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date in Palau, with at least one blank page available for an entry stamp. This is standard Pacific island policy and non-negotiable.
Environmental fee: Palau charges a mandatory $100 USD environmental fee per visitor. In most cases this is bundled into your airline ticket price — check your booking confirmation to verify it’s included rather than assuming.
Proof of funds: Palau’s Bureau of Immigration may ask you to demonstrate USD $200 in cash per person per week of your intended stay. Credit and debit cards are not accepted as proof. A three-week stay means you may need to show USD $600 in cash at the border. This requirement isn’t applied uniformly, but carrying the cash eliminates any risk of a problem.
Visa-free access: US and Canadian citizens can stay in Palau visa-free for up to one year. EU, Australian, and New Zealand passport holders also enter without a visa for standard tourist stays. The entry form is not a visa — it’s a pre-arrival registration that all nationalities must complete regardless of visa status.
Don’t submit at the deadline — submit now
The 72-hour window is a deadline, not a target. QR code emails can land in spam folders. Submission confirmations occasionally take time to process. If something goes wrong at hour 71, you have no time to fix it.
The practical approach: complete the form 5 to 7 days before departure. Check your spam folder immediately after submitting. Save the QR code in at least three places — screenshot on your phone, downloaded to your camera roll, and a printed backup. Present whichever format your airline requests at check-in.
If your QR code email doesn’t arrive within 24 hours of submission, contact Palau’s Bureau of Immigration directly at travelers@palauhealth.org with your submission confirmation details. Don’t wait and hope it appears.
What to do
- Complete the entry form at palautravel.pw 5–7 days before departure — not at the 72-hour deadline
- Check your spam folder immediately after submitting; save the QR code as a screenshot, downloaded file, and printed copy
- Confirm your $100 environmental fee is included in your airline ticket; if not, budget for it separately
- Carry USD $200 per person per week in cash in case immigration requests proof of funds at arrival
Questions? Answers.
What happens if I don’t receive the QR code email after submitting?
Check your spam and junk folders first — this is where the confirmation most commonly lands. If it’s not there within 24 hours, email travelers@palauhealth.org with your submission confirmation details. If you’re still within the 72-hour window, you can resubmit. Don’t leave this until the day before your flight.
Can I complete the form on my phone, or do I need a computer?
The form is mobile-friendly. The Palau Visitors Authority includes a quick-select date-of-birth tool specifically designed for mobile users. Completing it on a phone is fine — just make sure you save the QR code to your camera roll immediately after it arrives.
Are there any nationalities exempt from the entry form?
No. All travelers must complete the form, including diplomats. The only partial exemption relates to the environmental fee — diplomats and transit passengers may be eligible for a refund of that charge, but the entry form itself is mandatory for everyone.
Does each family member need a separate form?
No. One submission covers an entire family traveling together. Solo travelers complete one form for themselves. This applies regardless of group size — a family of five submits once and receives a single QR code covering the group.
What if I’m transiting through Palau rather than staying?
Contact Palau’s Bureau of Immigration at travelers@palauhealth.org before departure to confirm your specific requirements. Transit rules can differ from standard arrival procedures, and the environmental fee situation for transit passengers is handled separately.
