Upon the release of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) interim report, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, delivered a stark assessment of two decades of irregularities in visa issuance. At the center of his response is the accelerated nationwide rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which is set to become the sole gateway for all visa applications.
An internal document circulated by the Egyptian Travel Agents Association (E.T.A.A.) refers to a forthcoming increase in the visa-on-arrival fee in Egypt. At this stage, however, the announcement still needs to be officially confirmed by the Egyptian authorities.
In her general policy speech delivered on February 20, 2026, at the opening of the 221st session of the National Diet, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed that her government will soon introduce a bill to establish the electronic travel authorization system “JESTA”.
The Government of Jersey states that the British Crown Dependencies plan to introduce the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirement for direct travel to the islands “from April 2026.”
While the ETA platform remains affected by a technical issue, Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration has issued further clarification. Although most tourist and business travelers may still travel to the country despite not receiving formal approval, no exemption from the required pre-departure application process has been granted.
While numerous reports in recent weeks have suggested an imminent reduction in the length of visa-free stays in Thailand, authorities have confirmed that the policy is indeed under review, but no final decision has yet been made.
As the UK government’s public consultation on the introduction of a tourist tax in England concludes this Wednesday, February 18, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a study estimating that a £10 daily levy could result in at least £14 billion in potential economic losses.
Sri Lankan authorities are currently dealing with a technical issue affecting the transmission of Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETA). Despite these delays, travelers who have already submitted their applications are permitted to travel to the country and will be assisted upon arrival in Sri Lanka.
Since February 16, 2026, the fee for Madagascar’s short-stay (15-day) electronic visa has increased. The official portal, evisamada-mg.com, now lists a new fee of €30, or US$35, for this category of visa issued online.
Nicaragua is undertaking a sweeping overhaul of its entry requirements. The elimination of visas on arrival for dozens of countries, along with the end of several visa exemptions, marks a significant turning point, against a backdrop of U.S. diplomatic pressure tied to migration flows toward the United States.
Starting February 17, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from Canada and the United Kingdom will be able to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa. This decision, now officially confirmed by the Chinese government, will remain in effect through December 31, 2026.
From January 1 to July 1, 2026, Armenia is implementing a temporary visa exemption for certain foreign nationals holding a residence permit issued by several major economic and regional jurisdictions.
The prospect of the 2026 World Cup is driving a sharp increase in ESTA applications for visa-free travel to the United States. U.S. authorities report that, between October and December 2025, they approved more than one million authorizations for nationals of countries qualified for the competition.
While several recent reports incorrectly announced that new ESTA application requirements had taken effect as of February 9, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in France has issued an official clarification. The proposed changes, including the possible requirement to provide social media identifiers, remain under review and could, at the earliest, be implemented starting in mid-2026, according to a projected timeline.
Mozambique has launched a new version of its e-Visa and Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) application portal, now operated with the support of VFS Global. Unveiled in Maputo during the first National Conference on Digital Transformation, the platform is part of the government’s broader strategy to modernize public administration and aims to simplify, secure, and expedite entry procedures for international travelers.
