New offerings from Sherpa since August 2026
Digital Arrival Cards for the following destinations are now available through Sherpa. Travelers can complete the form at any time, and Sherpa will ensure it is submitted within the required window where applicable, so travelers can focus on packing, not paperwork:
Thailand cuts its visa exemption to 30 days
🇹🇭 Thailand will reduce its visa exemption from 60 days to 30 days, effective September 15:
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Duration: the visa-free stay drops from 60 days to 30 days for around 60 nationalities, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Purpose: the exemption now covers tourism only. Travelers visiting for other purposes may require an eVisa before travel.
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Nationalities losing visa-free access: around 20 nationalities lose visa-free access entirely and will need an eVisa, including Colombia, Mexico, and Sri Lanka.
Thailand has also proposed a tourist entry fee of THB 450 (around USD 13.50 per person) for all arrivals. The proposal is in public consultation and targeted for early 2027, beginning with air arrivals.
Electronic visa and border system updates
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🇿🇦 South Africa updated its eTA program in several ways:A USD 30 fee now applies, effective August 17.
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Travelers from visa-exempt countries (such as Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States) can now apply for an eTA voluntarily for faster border clearance, subject to the same fee, while keeping the option to enter visa-free at no cost.
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South Africa also announced plans to expand eTA eligibility to additional visa-required nationalities (currently open to China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico).
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The QazETA platform has been running in a pilot phase, during which the eTA remains voluntary.
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The eTA is expected to become mandatory at international airports on November 1, 2026.
Mutual visa waivers and exemptions
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🇨🇳 China added Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to its 240-hour visa-free transit policy and to the 30-day visa-free entry policy for Hainan Province.
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🇶🇦 Qatar introduced a free Visa on arrival for Macao SAR passport holders traveling for tourism, valid for stays up to 30 days.
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🇺🇿 Uzbekistan announced a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens. Sherpa is reviewing the change, which is not yet reflected in Uzbekistan's official visa regulations.
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🇬🇫 French Guiana introducedvisa-free entry for Brazilian nationals for stays up to 30 days.
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🇧🇼 Botswana introduced visa-free entry for Omani nationals for stays up to 90 days.
