In Canada, applying for an eTA may soon involve more than simply filling out an online form by hand. Ottawa is now considering a digital passport data capture process that would pre-fill parts of the application, reduce errors, and strengthen checks from the moment a request is submitted.
As of April 8, 2026, the price of the Electronic Travel Authorization required for many visa-exempt visitors to the UK has risen from £16 to £20. The increase comes just one day before the system reaches a new stage in its rollout to Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.
Just over a year before the next Africa Cup of Nations, Uganda is beginning to clarify how it intends to welcome fans, delegations, and visitors. The country today confirmed a planned visa fee waiver around the tournament and reaffirmed its support for a common visa with Kenya and Tanzania.
The day after the announcement of Ghana’s upcoming electronic visa system, which will notably be free of charge for African travelers starting on May 25, 2026, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa provided several clarifications بشأن this forthcoming policy.
A subtle change was introduced this week on the official U.S. ESTA application portal. Though technical in appearance, it affects what has now become a central element of the system’s logic: traveler identification.
Ghana plans to launch its new electronic visa policy next month. As part of the initiative, African citizens will be able to obtain their e-Visa free of charge starting May 25, 2026, a date chosen to coincide with Africa Day.
Now that the groups for the 2026 World Cup are officially set, attention can already shift to another kind of match, an administrative one this time: entry requirements. U.S. ESTA, Canada’s eTA, visa exemptions, e-Visas, or specific electronic travel authorizations in Mexico: fans will have to navigate three very different systems.
Drawing on real-life accounts, the video game project H1B.Life offers a satirical, narrative take on the journey of some foreign workers navigating the U.S. H-1B visa system. Through gameplay that blends personal decisions, outside events, and an element of chance, the game aims to illustrate, in an original format, the uncertainty that can surround certain skilled immigration paths in the United States.
After Jersey, Guernsey has confirmed that ETA applications will open on April 9 for direct travel to the Crown Dependencies starting April 23. Applications will have to be submitted through the official UK government portal, while French nationals taking a day trip to the Channel Islands will remain exempt from the ETA requirement.
After several announcements and months of waiting, Sri Lanka’s plan to offer free visas is back in the spotlight. The Cabinet has approved the measure’s submission to Parliament, which is expected to allow travelers from around 40 countries to benefit from a six-month ETA fee waiver.
As the original April 1 deadline approached, the Philippines decided to extend by one additional month the exceptional visa relief measure granted to foreign nationals unable to leave the country because of air travel disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
As tourist arrivals slow significantly due to tensions in the Middle East, Sri Lanka is fast-tracking the implementation of a long-standing plan: free visas for 40 countries.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has launched a new generation of its Public Key Directory (PKD), a core system used to verify electronic passports and digital travel credentials. Backed by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), this development marks a key step toward faster, more secure, and increasingly digital border controls.
In a context of declining tourist arrivals linked to tensions in the Middle East, the Maldives is betting on a simplified online visa extension process, with processing times reduced to 48 hours.
In response to mobility challenges linked to the Middle East conflict, Saudi Arabia is introducing exceptional measures for travelers with expired visas, offering options for fee-free departure or regulated extensions.
