Papua New Guinea travel advice
A summary of the UK government’s (FCDO) travel advice for Papua New Guinea, last updated by the FCDO on 17 August 2026. The full advice on GOV.UK is the authoritative version.
FCDO status
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country
Latest FCDO update (17 August 2026): Updated information about interruptions to the supply of water and electricity (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
FCDO notice
Interruptions to water and electricity supply
Papua New Guinea can experience interruptions in the supply of water and electricity to urban centres. The water supplier to Port Moresby, Water PNG, completed some planned maintenance works in mid-August.
Consider personal preparedness and regularly check media updates from Water PNG for the latest information.
Warnings (from the FCDO, word for word)
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
- Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces due to the high risk of tribal fighting
- Enga Province in the Highlands, except Wabag District
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East
Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights.
Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. Before you travel:
- check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through
- check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator
- review your travel insurance policy for coverage
- monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts
Enga Province
Following wide-spread intercommunal violence in Wapenamanda area of Enga Province, the provincial government has declared all districts except Wabag District, which remains relatively safe, as ‘fighting zones’. The authorities report deaths, destruction of property, and the closure of public services. Checkpoints, random searches, and curfews have been introduced.
Passport validity
To enter Papua New Guinea, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
From FCDO: entry requirements. Written for British passport holders.
Recent FCDO updates
- 17 August 2026: Updated information about interruptions to the supply of water and electricity (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
- 10 August 2026: New information about interruptions to the supply of water and electricity (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
- 29 May 2026: Updated information about interruptions to the supply of water and electricity (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
Plan your trip
This page shows the FCDO’s headline status and quotes its text word for word; we don’t reword safety advice. It refreshes automatically, so it can lag GOV.UK by up to a day. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: FCDO foreign travel advice on GOV.UK. FCDO advice is written for British nationals; other nationalities should also check their own government’s advice.