In 2024, 10 countries introduced new electronic entry documents. In 2025, 31 did. In 2026, at least 35 more have already been announced, including 30 European countries through ETIAS, the EU's upcoming travel authorization system. For travelers, this means more documents to obtain before departure. For airlines, more to verify before boarding.

Electronic entry documents are pre-travel forms completed online, including eTAs (permits like the US ESTA), eVisas (visas applied for online), and arrival cards (digital travel declarations).

Here's a look at the biggest electronic entry changes in 2025, how we helped travelers and partners stay informed, and what's coming in 2026.

What Happened in 2025

Most significant changes:

1. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: eTA became mandatory for non-European nationals (January 8th), then European nationals (April 2nd). Starting February 25, 2026, visa-exempt travelers without an approved eTA will not be permitted to travel.
2. 🇪🇺 European Union: The Entry/Exit System (EES) began its progressive rollout on October 12th and is expected to be fully operational by April 2026. The system replaces passport stamps with biometric registration (fingerprints, facial image) for non-European travelers at Schengen borders. ETIAS (detailed below) is expected to follow in Q4 2026.
3. 🇺🇸 United States: ESTA fee increased from USD 21 to USD 40 (September 30th), and a new headshot requirement was added (May 28th).
4. 🇧🇷 Brazil: eVisa requirement reinstated for US, Canada, and Australia nationals (April 10th). Travelers from these countries must obtain an eVisa before departure.
5. 🇮🇳 India: Digital Arrival Card launched, replacing paper forms. The form must be completed online before arrival, in addition to the eVisa.
6. 🇮🇩 Indonesia: "All Indonesia" unified customs, health, and travel declaration became mandatory from October 1st. The online form consolidates what previously required multiple submissions.
7. 🇹🇭 Thailand: Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) became mandatory for all travelers from May 1st, eliminating the paper form previously completed on flights.
8. 🇰🇷 South Korea: Digital Arrival Card launched February 24th, offering an alternative to the paper form.
9. 🇮🇱 Israel: eTA became mandatory January 1st for visa-exempt nationals.
10. 🇿🇦 South Africa: eTA launched for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico. Expansion to all visa-required nationals is expected in 2026.

New electronic entry documents launched (31 countries/territories):

• eVisas: Belarus, Cuba, Namibia, Nigeria, Serbia, Somalia, Ukraine, and Yemen
• eTAs: Latvia, Mozambique, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and South Africa
• Arrival cards: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, China, Dominica, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sint Maarten, South Korea, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Thailand

How We Helped

In 2025, we kept our data up to date with 300+ policy changes globally and helped travelers understand travel and visa requirements through 480 million searches. We also launched 3 new programs covering 340 passport-destination combinations and added support for 13 nationalities across 5 existing programs.

New programs launched:

• 🇨🇺 Cuba eVisa: A new program replacing the traditional Tourist Card system, available for 197 nationalities.
• 🇰🇪 Kenya eTA: Expedited processing available for 110 nationalities (approved in as little as 12 hours), plus a 5-year multiple entry option for US nationals.
• 🇳🇦 Namibia eVisa: Available for 33 nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and EU member states.

Programs expanded:

• 🇨🇦 Canada eTA: Qatar
• 🇪🇬 Egypt Multiple Entry eVisa: Canada
• 🇮🇳 India eVisa: Qatar, Kuwait
• 🇦🇪 UAE eVisa: Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Vietnam
• 🇺🇸 USA ESTA: Qatar, Hungary

What's Coming in 2026

Q1 2026:

• 🇬🇧 UK eTA enforcement begins February 25th. Airlines will be required to verify eTA status before boarding.

Q2 2026:

• 🇪🇺 European EES becomes fully operational at all Schengen borders in April. Non-European travelers will have their biometrics collected at entry.
• 🇲🇽 Mexico eVisa launches for Brazilian nationals first, with other visa-required nationalities expected to follow later in the year.
• 🇺🇸 US FIFA PASS offers priority visa appointments for World Cup 2026 ticket holders, reducing wait times from hundreds of days to approximately 60 days.
• 🇮🇳 India group eVisa for cruise ship passengers is expected to be introduced in mid-2026, allowing cruise operators to process visas for passengers in bulk.

Q4 2026 and beyond:

• 🇪🇺 ETIAS expected to launch. Travelers from visa-exempt countries (the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and others) will need to apply online and pay a EUR 20 fee before visiting any of the 30 Schengen countries.
• 🇿🇦 South Africa eTA expansion to all visa-required nationals, building on the 2025 pilot for China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico.
• 🇨🇦 Canada is considering adding biometric requirements (face scan, passport copy) to its eTA program.
• 🇲🇺 Mauritius, 🇸🇳 Senegal, and 🇬🇭 Ghana have all announced plans to launch electronic entry systems, though timelines have not been confirmed.

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