New offerings from sherpa since May 2026

Mandatory 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, so travelers can focus on packing, not paperwork:

• 🇹🇭 Thailand Arrival Card: TDAC, required for travelers within 3 days of arrival.
• 🇲🇾 Malaysia Arrival Card: MDAC, required for travelers within 3 days of arrival.
• 🇦🇼 Aruba Immigration Form: ED Card, required for travelers within 7 days of arrival.

Electronic visa and border system updates

• 🇨🇦 Canada expanded eTA eligibility to nationals of Indonesia and Malaysia traveling by air, provided they hold either a Canadian visitor visa issued in the last 10 years or a valid US non-immigrant visa.
• 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka removed government fees from its eTA program for nationals of 40 countries on May 25, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, India, China, and the UAE. The eTA remains mandatory.
• 🇻🇳 Vietnam expanded its digital arrival card requirement, already in place at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City, to Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) effective June 1. Further roll-out across the country is expected.
• 🇧🇸 The Bahamas began a soft launch of its digital arrival card on May 5, combining the immigration card and customs declaration into a single online form. The system is piloted on selected flights with no broader rollout date confirmed.
• 🇬🇭 Ghana launched its eVisa portal on May 25.

Mutual visa waivers and exemptions

• 🇹🇭 Thailand approved a reduction of its 60-day visa exemption on May 19, affecting 93 countries and territories. Nationals of China, Japan, South Korea, the US, the UK, Australia, Germany, and France are expected to be reduced to stays of 30 days. Indian nationals are expected to require a Visa on arrival. The new rules will take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.
• 🇧🇷 🇨🇳 Brazil and China mutual visa waiver entered into force on May 11, granting stays of up to 30 days. Valid through December 31, 2026.
• 🇨🇳 🇷🇺 China extended its visa waiver with Russia through December 31, 2027.
• 🇸🇦 🇷🇺 Saudi Arabia and Russia mutual visa waiver entered into force on May 11, allowing visa-free stays of up to 90 days for tourism, business, and family visits.
• 🇹🇬 Togo introduced visa-free entry for all African passport holders on May 18, allowing stays of up to 30 days.

Ebola outbreak entry restrictions

In response to an Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, the following countries introduced entry restrictions or health screening measures for affected travelers. Click each for up-to-date requirements: Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Rwanda, South Korea, Tanzania, Thailand, and the United States.

Looking ahead

• 🇪🇬 Egypt announced plans to launch a digital visa on arrival at Cairo International Airport (CAI) in August 2026, replacing the paper sticker with a QR code issued via kiosk, website, or mobile app.
• 🇹🇭 Thailand began piloting THIM, a mobile app for completing its digital arrival card, with planned future capabilities including visa extensions and automated border clearance. The official launch is scheduled for October 1, 2026.
• 🌍 The Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced on May 20 that significant steps towards adoption have been made for a common tourist visa. Regional leaders are expected to consider the proposal in August 2026.