Azerbaijan plans to expand visa-free access to more countries over the coming years. Its new tourism development program aims to bring 34 target markets under a visa-free regime. Baku also intends to develop a multiple-entry e-Visa, expand access to electronic visas and visas on arrival, and eventually introduce a visa for digital nomads.
China allows nationals of 57 countries to stay visa-free for up to 10 days while transiting to a third destination. Eligible nationalities, requirements, 65 authorized ports of entry, permitted travel areas and how the stay is calculated: VisasNews explains how China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy works.
Foreign travelers arriving in or departing from Bangladesh by air can now complete their arrival and departure cards online. Known as the E-Arrival Card and E-Departure Card, these new digital formalities allow passengers to submit in advance information that was previously provided during immigration procedures.
Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority is preparing an update to the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC). A redesigned interface, available in 19 languages and intended to further streamline arrival formalities, will be available for early access on the ICA website starting August 26, 2026.
Cuba’s official eVisaCuba platform is scheduled to go offline for several days for technical maintenance. Cuban consular authorities say the service will be unavailable from August 20 through August 24, 2026.
Numerous official websites operated by Ghanaian embassies and high commissions are currently unavailable due to technical issues. Missions in Paris, London, Washington, Brussels, Madrid, Ottawa and Tokyo are among those affected. Ghana’s national e-Visa portal, however, remains operational.
South Africa now charges a processing fee of 500 rand, or about $30, for its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). At the same time, the portal is beginning to open beyond the four nationalities included in the pilot program.
Leaders of the Southern African Development Community, meeting in Durban on August 17, 2026, approved the agreement establishing the SADC Tourism UNIVISA. The future common visa is designed to make travel easier across several countries in the region, with an initial rollout planned in five states.
Thailand is moving ahead with its proposed tourist fee for foreign visitors, with authorities now considering a flat rate of 450 baht per person. The scheme, which could potentially use the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) as part of the collection process, must still go through public consultation and several approval stages before it can take effect.
The Australian government has confirmed that Working Holiday visa applications are still being processed, but at a slower pace than before. Eligible travelers can still apply for a Working Holiday visa, while first Work and Holiday visa applications are currently paused for nationals of 24 countries.
Starting August 15, 2026, Albanian citizens will be able to travel to Morocco for short stays without obtaining a visa. The move fulfills a commitment made by the two countries in March 2025.
Since August 1, 2026, European Union travelers have been subject to new conditions when applying for a visa to Guinea. In addition to raising the entry visa fee to $100, Conakry has set the processing time at 45 days and suspended the issuance of multiple-entry visas, among other measures, under the principle of reciprocity with the EU.
Barely days after being made permanent for nationals of 50 countries, the US visa bond program could potentially be expanded to additional nationalities.
President Cyril Ramaphosa officially launched South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) on August 12, 2026. Following a pilot phase limited to four nationalities, the system is now set to gradually expand to additional countries. The government also revealed that more than 216,000 applications have already been processed.
Following the announcement of new entry points in India for e-Visa holders, the official portal now lists 85 locations where travelers can enter the country with an electronic visa. The list includes 36 airports, 38 seaports and 11 land border crossings.
