Entry rules travellers keep missing in 2026: US visa bonds, EU biometrics, Chile pre-authorisation — verified

Cover image: Traveller passing through automated border-control eGates at Munich Airport — photo by Subhashish Panigrahi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Entry rules have shifted all year, and travel sellers report clients are still being caught out. As of 4 August 2026, the verified picture is this: the United States has made its B-1/B-2 visa bond programme permanent, at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, effective 3 August 2026, per the Federal Register. The ESTA fee now stands at $40.27. The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation is fully enforced and costs £20 since 8 April 2026, per gov.uk. The EU's biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational across Schengen since 10 April 2026, according to France's foreign ministry, while ETIAS — the bloc's €20 pre-travel authorisation — has still not launched, with Brussels targeting the last quarter of 2026. Chile now demands prior authorisation or a consular visa from nationals of 104 countries, Thailand requires every foreign arrival to file a Digital Arrival Card, and Egypt's much-reported tourist insurance mandate is not yet in force. Here is each rule, verified one by one.

Who needs Chile's new prior authorisation to enter?

Under Decree No. 359, effective 17 September 2025, Chile requires nationals of 104 countries to obtain prior authorisation or a consular visa before entering under the Temporary Stay Permit category, according to a KPMG GMS Flash Alert, under migration Law No. 21.325. China, India and Venezuela remain on the list, per Vialto Partners; Australia was removed on reciprocity grounds.

Applications run through Chilean consulates, overseen by the Foreign Ministry and migration service SERMIG. US, Canadian and most EU passport holders remain visa-free for tourism. Agents should screen passports early: this is consular processing, not an instant online portal.

Is travel health insurance mandatory in Egypt yet?

Not yet — and this is one of 2026's most misreported rules. Egypt's Senate approved a proposal from Senator Hayam Farouk to make health insurance compulsory for all inbound tourists, covering emergency medical cases and accidents, according to Egypt Independent. But the proposal has not been implemented as law: no start date, fee or enforcement mechanism has been published, and visitors are not asked for proof of cover on arrival.

Until an official decree lands, treat cover for Egypt as recommended, not required — and treat any site claiming otherwise with suspicion.

What changed for US visas and ESTA in 2026?

Three separate US changes are tripping up applicants. First, on 3 August 2026 the State Department made its B-1/B-2 visa bond programme permanent, raising the maximum bond from the pilot's $15,000 to $20,000 for visitor-visa applicants from 50 designated countries, most of them African, per the Federal Register and Fragomen. PBS News reports the pilot cut overstays to fewer than 50 in ten months, against nearly 45,500 from the same countries in 2024 — though B-visa issuances to listed countries fell 83%. Details are in our US visa bond programme explainer.

Second, since 6 September 2025 nonimmigrant visa applicants must schedule interviews in their country of nationality or residence; third-country applications face higher scrutiny, per Ogletree Deakins. Third, the ESTA fee jumped from $21 to $40 on 30 September 2025 under the HR-1 reconciliation act, then to $40.27 on 1 January 2026 with CPI indexation, per DHS's Federal Register fee notice. Eligibility rules are in our ESTA and Visa Waiver Program guide.

Do I need a UK ETA now, and how much does it cost?

Yes, unless you hold a British or Irish passport or existing UK immigration permission. The scheme has been fully enforced since 25 February 2026 — carriers can no longer board ETA-required passengers without one — and covers visa-exempt nationals of some 85 countries, including the US, Canada and EU states.

The fee rose from £16 to £20 for applications made on or after 8 April 2026, and gov.uk confirms every traveller needs one, "including babies and children", plus airside transit passengers. An ETA lasts two years or until the passport expires, allowing stays of up to six months. See our UK ETA explainer for how to apply.

What is the status of the EU's EES and ETIAS?

The Entry/Exit System became fully operational across Schengen on 10 April 2026, after a phased rollout from 12 October 2025, according to France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Non-EU visitors are registered with a facial image and fingerprints (under-12s exempt) at first crossing, replacing passport stamps, with entries and exits logged against the 90/180-day allowance.

ETIAS — the €20 authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, with under-18s and over-70s fee-exempt, per the European Commission — has not launched as of August 2026. The EU has pointed to the last quarter of 2026, a few months after EES, with a six-month transitional period to follow go-live, per Fragomen. Track the timeline in our ETIAS launch timeline update.

What are Thailand's TDAC and Japan's JESTA?

Since 1 May 2025, all foreign visitors arriving in Thailand by air, land or sea must complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online, submittable from three days before arrival and replacing the paper TM6 form, per the Tourism Authority of Thailand's TAT Newsroom. Only transit passengers and Border Pass holders are exempt. It is a registration, not a visa.

Japan has confirmed JESTA, an ESTA-style pre-travel authorisation. The Ministry of Justice has moved the launch forward to 2028 from a planned 2030 rollout, per Newland Chase; detailed criteria, cost and validity are not yet set.

2026 entry rules at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Do EU citizens really need a UK ETA in 2026?

Yes — except Irish citizens. Since full enforcement on 25 February 2026, EU nationals need a £20 ETA to enter or transit the UK unless they hold UK immigration status.

Is the US visa bond refundable?

Yes. Fragomen confirms a full refund if the traveller complies with visa terms and departs on time, or properly files an extension or change of status. The bond applies only to B-1/B-2 applicants from the designated country list, not to ESTA travellers.

Has ETIAS started yet?

No. As of August 2026 ETIAS has not launched. The EU points to the last quarter of 2026, a few months after EES, with a six-month transitional period before enforcement.

Sources

• Federal Register — Visas: Visa Bond Program
• PBS News — Visa bond program made permanent
• Fragomen — B-1/B-2 visa bond program made permanent
• KPMG — Chile prior authorization, 104 countries
• Vialto Partners — Chile updated country list
• Egypt Independent — Tourist health insurance proposal
• GOV.UK — Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
• France Diplomatie — EES fully operational from 10 April 2026
• European Commission — ETIAS will cost EUR 20
• TAT Newsroom — TDAC launches 1 May 2025
• Newland Chase — Japan JESTA to launch in 2028