Electronic visa and border system updates
- 🇮🇳 India launched an electronic travel declaration (indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival). Travelers must complete the form within 72 hours before arrival.
- 🇺🇸 The United States increased the ESTA fee from USD 21 to USD 40 on September 30.
- 🇺🇸 The United States restored Hungary's full ESTA privileges, lifting 2023 restrictions that limited validity to one year and single entry.
- 🇿🇦 South Africa announced its eTA system will begin accepting applications from mid-October for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico at OR Tambo (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT) airports, expanding to all visa-required nationals once stable.
- 🇲🇽🇧🇷 Mexico confirmed Brazil will be eligible for its new eVisa launching February 5, 2026, with Brazil pledging reciprocal eVisa access once Mexico's system launches.
- 🇳🇦 Namibia expanded electronic visa on arrival eligibility to 37 additional countries including Sweden, Cyprus, Georgia, and Panama.
- 🇱🇦 Laos launched an electronic travel declaration (immigration.gov.la). Travelers must complete the form within 72 hours before arrival.
New visa exemptions and policy changes
- 🇨🇳 China exempted Russian nationals for stays up to 30 days from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026.
- 🇰🇷 South Korea extended the K-ETA exemption for 67 countries through December 2026, allowing visa-free entry without advance electronic authorization for US, UK, EU, and other nationals.
- 🇿🇦 South Africa exempted Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Romanian, Latvian, and Estonian nationals for stays up to 90 days.
- 🇨🇱 Chile exempted Australian nationals for stays up to 90 days.
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia exempted Myanmar nationals for stays up to 14 days.
