Benin’s Ministry of Health has confirmed that vaccination certificates, including those for yellow fever, are not checked at the country’s entry points. The policy covers arrivals by air, sea, and land. Health authorities continue to recommend vaccination, however.
The Australian government announced several changes to temporary visas on September 17, 2026. Second and third Working Holiday Maker visas are expected to move to a ballot system, while a “No Further Stay” condition is set to be expanded across Visitor visas. The measures will be rolled out gradually, and some still require legislative changes.
Lao authorities are temporarily granting a 180-day validity period for e-Visa approval letters, up from the usual 60 days. Approval notifications sent to travelers now explicitly mention the measure, which does not change the permitted length of stay in Laos, still limited to 30 days.
Receiving an e-Visa by email does not necessarily mean an airline can easily verify its authenticity at check-in or boarding. As electronic visas and travel authorizations become more widespread, IATA is urging governments to adopt common mechanisms that would allow carriers to check these digital documents more easily and reliably.
Hong Kong has launched “Go Hong Kong,” a new mobile app that allows certain frequent visitors, including US, UK, Canadian and Australian travelers, to register for the automated e-Channel service before they even arrive.
Since September 15, 2026, US, UK, Canadian and Australian travelers, along with nationals of 56 other countries and territories, are now limited to 30 days of visa-free entry for tourism in Thailand. Several official Thai sources now confirm that this period can be extended by up to another 30 days through immigration, potentially allowing travelers to stay for as long as 60 days without a visa.
The European Commission is preparing an overhaul of the rules governing short-stay Schengen visas. Options under consideration include additional harmonized fees, streamlined procedures for certain business travelers, and new mechanisms allowing the European Union to restrict visa issuance in specific circumstances. A legislative proposal is expected in the first quarter of 2027.
Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001 attacks, their legacy can still be seen in the travel requirements imposed on visitors to the United States. Tighter visa screening, biometrics, electronic passports and eventually ESTA: within just a few years, Washington fundamentally changed the way foreign travelers are screened before entering the country. And that process is still evolving today.
Starting tomorrow, September 15, 2026, Thailand will end its 60-day visa exemption scheme. For US, UK, Australian and Canadian citizens, visa-free stays will be reduced to 30 days and limited to tourism. The reform also changes the list of visa-exempt nationalities, sharply reduces eligibility for Visa on Arrival, and will require nationals of 21 countries to obtain a visa before traveling.
The European Union is moving toward a new security agreement with the United States aimed at allowing its member states to remain part of the US Visa Waiver Program. At the center of the talks are expanded information-sharing requirements involving certain travelers, including biometric data, alongside European safeguards governing how that information can be used.
After traditional immigration counters and biometric eGates, a new generation of border controls may be taking shape. SITA has unveiled “Border Flow Lane,” a system designed to allow pre-cleared travelers to pass through immigration without stopping to present their passport.
India is gradually automating biometric registration for travelers arriving with an electronic visa. Four new kiosks have just gone into service at Kolkata Airport, while similar equipment is already operating in Delhi, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. The kiosks allow travelers to scan their passport and register their photo and fingerprints before proceeding to an immigration counter.
Indonesia has introduced emergency measures for foreign nationals unable to leave the country because of air travel disruptions caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau. Eligible travelers may be granted an emergency stay permit for up to 30 days, while overstay fees resulting from the force majeure situation have been set at zero.
Dubai’s General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) has launched “Click and Travel,” a new system that allows immigration officers to process entry and departure formalities directly with passengers using connected mobile devices and biometric verification. Checks can be completed in about 12 to 15 seconds.
Nepal now allows travelers to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before departure, pay the required fees online, including by international bank card, and obtain their authorization electronically. After a relatively low-key rollout, VisasNews tested the entire process to see how it works in practice.
