{ "name": "VisaGlance 2026 Visa Policy Change Log", "description": "Official-source timeline of visa, ETA, EES, ETIAS, and entry-policy changes, structured by announcement date, effective date, affected passports, affected destinations, status, and source.", "compiled": "June 29, 2026", "lastChecked": "2026-07-01", "sourceNote": "Each row links to the official government or intergovernmental source used for the change log. Pending and high-risk rows are withheld from the public dataset until editorial review.", "homepage": "https://visaglance.com/visa-changes", "csv": "https://visaglance.com/data/visa-changes-2026.csv", "count": 4, "verifiedCount": 4, "noindexPolicy": "New change-log pages and pending/high-risk entries are staged noindex until editorial review.", "changes": [ { "slug": "etias-launch-q4-2026", "title": "ETIAS launch window set for Q4 2026", "status": "confirmed", "published": "2026-06-29", "effective": "Q4 2026 (rolling launch window)", "effectiveSortDate": "2026-10-01", "before": "Visa-exempt travelers to Schengen countries did not need a separate ETIAS travel authorisation before short stays.", "after": "Visa-exempt travelers in scope will need to apply online for ETIAS before travel once the system starts, with a transition period before refusal for lack of ETIAS.", "actionRequired": "Watch the official ETIAS start notice, budget the official fee when applicable, and check whether the passport is in a visa-exempt group.", "summary": "The EU ETIAS program introduces a pre-travel authorisation layer for visa-exempt visitors to many European destinations.", "affectedDestinations": [ "FR", "DE", "IT", "ES", "PT", "NL", "BE", "CH", "AT", "CZ", "HU", "GR", "HR", "IS" ], "affectedPassports": [ "US", "GB", "CA", "AU", "NZ", "JP", "KR", "SG", "MX", "BR", "AE", "IL", "HK", "TW", "MY" ], "affectedTravelerSummary": "Visa-exempt non-EU travelers planning short stays in ETIAS countries.", "tags": [ "etias", "schengen", "travel-authorisation" ], "sourceLabel": "European Union Travel Europe", "source": "https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en", "secondarySources": [ { "label": "EU ETIAS - who should apply", "url": "https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/who-should-apply_en" } ], "lastChecked": "2026-07-01", "verified": true, "noindex": false, "confidenceNote": "Official EU ETIAS pages state the launch window; the exact calendar day remains a rolling official update." }, { "slug": "australia-2026-27-visa-fee-schedule-2026-07-01", "title": "Australia's 2026-27 visa fee schedule takes effect", "status": "confirmed", "published": "2026-07-01", "effective": "2026-07-01", "effectiveSortDate": "2026-07-01", "before": "Visa application charges followed Australia's 2025-26 programme-year schedule.", "after": "Official pricing now shows 2026-27 programme-year base application charges: Visitor (subclass 600) from AUD 250, Student (subclass 500) from AUD 2,500, and Partner (subclasses 820/801) from AUD 11,710.", "actionRequired": "Re-check the official price for your subclass before lodging, and budget against the current pricing table rather than older quotes or third-party fee lists.", "summary": "Australia adjusts visa application charges at the start of its financial year on 1 July. Department of Home Affairs pricing pages now show the 2026-27 charges; the headline rates listed here were verified directly on the official visa listing pages on 1 July 2026.", "affectedDestinations": [ "AU" ], "affectedPassports": [ "CN", "IN", "US", "GB", "CA", "NZ", "JP", "KR", "SG", "MY", "PH", "TH", "VN", "ID", "BR", "MX" ], "affectedTravelerSummary": "Anyone lodging an Australian visitor, student, or partner visa application on or after 1 July 2026.", "tags": [ "fees", "australia", "financial-year" ], "sourceLabel": "Department of Home Affairs", "source": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing", "secondarySources": [ { "label": "Visitor visa (subclass 600) pricing", "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600" }, { "label": "Student visa (subclass 500) pricing", "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500" }, { "label": "Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) pricing", "url": "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-onshore" } ], "lastChecked": "2026-07-01", "verified": true, "noindex": false, "confidenceNote": "Current charges read directly from the official Department of Home Affairs visa listing pages on 1 July 2026; prior-year amounts and percentage changes are deliberately omitted because no official archive was cited." }, { "slug": "eu-ees-full-operation-2026-04-10", "title": "EU Entry/Exit System progressive rollout reaches full operation", "status": "confirmed", "published": "2025-10-12", "effective": "2026-04-10", "effectiveSortDate": "2026-04-10", "before": "Non-EU short-stay travelers crossed Schengen external borders under manual stamp-based entry and exit checks.", "after": "The EES rollout moves toward full operation for non-EU travelers at Schengen external borders, replacing passport stamps with electronic entry and exit records.", "actionRequired": "Allow extra time at first Schengen external-border entry, follow the border kiosk or officer process, and keep trip dates consistent with the 90/180-day rule.", "summary": "The EU Entry/Exit System changes the border-control workflow for short-stay non-EU travelers entering or leaving the Schengen area.", "affectedDestinations": [ "FR", "DE", "IT", "ES", "PT", "NL", "BE", "CH", "AT", "CZ", "HU", "GR", "HR", "IS" ], "affectedPassports": [ "US", "GB", "CA", "AU", "NZ", "JP", "KR", "SG", "MX", "BR", "AE", "IL", "HK", "TW", "MY" ], "affectedTravelerSummary": "Short-stay non-EU travelers crossing Schengen external borders.", "tags": [ "ees", "schengen", "border-control" ], "sourceLabel": "European Union Travel Europe", "source": "https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en", "secondarySources": [ { "label": "European Commission - Entry/Exit System", "url": "https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/smart-borders/entry-exit-system_en" } ], "lastChecked": "2026-07-01", "verified": true, "noindex": false, "confidenceNote": "Official EU EES pages describe the progressive launch and full-operation target date." }, { "slug": "uk-eta-enforcement-2026-02-25", "title": "UK ETA enforcement begins for visa-free visitors", "status": "confirmed", "published": "2026-02-25", "effective": "2026-02-25", "effectiveSortDate": "2026-02-25", "before": "Many visa-free travelers could still reach the airline or border workflow without a live UK electronic travel authorisation check.", "after": "Visa-free travelers in scope must hold a valid ETA before travel to the United Kingdom, and carriers must verify ETA permission before boarding.", "actionRequired": "Check whether the passport is ETA-eligible, apply through GOV.UK before departure, and keep the same passport tied to the ETA.", "summary": "GOV.UK announced that the ETA scheme moved from soft launch into enforcement, making pre-travel permission a boarding risk for affected visa-free travelers.", "affectedDestinations": [ "GB" ], "affectedPassports": [ "US", "CA", "AU", "NZ", "JP", "KR", "SG", "MY", "MX", "BR", "HK", "TW", "IL", "AE" ], "affectedTravelerSummary": "Visa-free visitors and transit scenarios that GOV.UK places inside the ETA route.", "tags": [ "eta", "boarding", "united-kingdom" ], "sourceLabel": "GOV.UK", "source": "https://www.gov.uk/government/news/no-permission-no-travel-uk-set-to-enforce-eta-scheme", "secondarySources": [ { "label": "GOV.UK ETA guidance", "url": "https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta" } ], "lastChecked": "2026-07-01", "verified": true, "noindex": false, "confidenceNote": "Official GOV.UK source states the ETA enforcement date and pre-travel permission check." } ] }