Policy changes in May
- 🇺🇸 The United States added a new headshot requirement for ESTA applications on May 28th. Applicants must now upload both a headshot and their passport's biographic data page.
- 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts & Nevis introduced a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system on May 26th, which is required for all travelers.
- 🇲🇿 Mozambique introduced a mandatory ETA system on May 9th for nationals of 29 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US. The requirement was suspended on May 19th due to technical issues, with reinstatement pending.
- 🇵🇭 The Philippines announced a visa exemption for Indian nationals who hold valid visas or permanent residency from Australia, Canada, Japan, Schengen states, Singapore, the UK, or the US.
United Kingdom ETA data spotlight
- 🇬🇧 The UK published ETA statistics covering October 2023 to March 2025: 5.4 million applications were processed in this period, with the United States representing the highest volume at 1.7M travelers, followed by Germany (371K), Saudi Arabia (331K), Canada (259K), and France (249K).
Coming in June 2025
- June 1st: 🇨🇳 China begins visa-free entry for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, and also begins mutual visa-free travel with 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan.
- June 9th: 🇨🇳 China begins visa-free entry for Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
- June 30th: 🇷🇺 Russia requires pre-arrival registration via the Gosuslugi RuID app for all visa-exempt nationals (except Belarusians and children under 6).
- Mid-June: 🇪🇬 Egypt pilots an emergency Electronic visa on arrival system at Cairo International Airport, allowing urgent visas through an online platform, kiosks, or a mobile app.
