Electronic visa and border system updates

• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom announced its intention to raise the ETA cost from £16 to £20. No specific date has been provided.
• 🇺🇸 United States launched FIFA PASS, a priority visa appointment system for visa-required 2026 World Cup ticket holders.
• 🇺🇸 United States launches TSA ConfirmID February 1, 2026, allowing travelers on domestic flights without an acceptable REAL ID to pay a $45 fee for identity verification.
• 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan launched QazETA for visa-exempt travelers via mobile app (iOS/Android). The system is currently in pilot mode and will become mandatory after the pilot period. This includes nationals of Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, and United States.
• 🇯🇴 Jordan increased eVisa duration of stay from 30 to 90 days.
• 🇪🇨 Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) now requires travelers to complete an online biosecurity declaration before departure, effective January 31.
• 🇲🇪 Montenegro announced it will launch an eVisa system, expected to be operational by January 2027.

Visa-free policy updates

Pending confirmation

• 🇨🇳 China may provide visa-free access for nationals of Canada and the United Kingdom. No start dates have been confirmed yet.
• 🇧🇷 Brazil announced visa-free travel for nationals of China. Further details have not yet been published.
• 🇩🇪 Germany announced visa-free transit for Indian passport holders, though the Federal Ministry of Interior confirmed implementation is expected in the coming months.

Took effect in January

• 🇵🇭 Philippines now allows visa-free entry for 14 days for Chinese nationals. Travelers visiting for more than 14 days can apply for an eVisa.
• 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka increased visa-free length of stay for Maldives nationals from 30 to 90 days.
• 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan granted visa-free access to Hong Kong and Macau SAR passport holders from February 2, 2026 to February 2, 2027.
• 🇧🇾🇱🇦 Belarus and Laos mutual visa waiver entered into force effective January 15.
• 🇷🇺🇲🇲 Russia and Myanmar mutual visa waiver entered into force effective January 27.

Visa suspensions, restrictions, and document advisories

• 🇺🇸 United States expanded visa issuance suspensions to 75 nationalities, effective January 21. Newly added countries (e.g., Brazil, Russia, Egypt, Colombia, Pakistan, Thailand) are affected for immigrant visas only; others (e.g., Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, Somalia) remain under full suspension.
• 🇨🇻 Cape Verde removed eVisa and visa on arrival eligibility for 94 nationalities, including India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Mexico.
• 🇲🇼 Malawi imposed visa requirements on most previously visa-exempt nationalities effective January 2, including Australia, Canada, and the UK.
• 🇮🇪 Ireland recalled 13,000 passports issued December 23, 2025 to January 6, 2026 after a software update omitted the country code "IRL" from the machine-readable zone. Irish authorities have notified border agencies worldwide and are offering free replacements.