Business travellers should be prepared for numerous changes to electronic entry permits (ETA, ESTA, ETIAS & Co.) in the coming months. More and more countries around the world are relying on digital pre-registration, even for visa-free travel. Anyone travelling internationally on business should keep an eye on these developments at an early stage to avoid delays or problems when entering the country.
We provide an overview of the most important changes for 2026 that are relevant for business travellers.
Even though the German passport allows visa-free travel to 188 countries, this is increasingly linked to digital registration before travelling. Electronic authorisations are intended to simplify security processes, but at the same time lead to more administrative work for travellers and companies.
The UK has announced that it will significantly tighten controls on ETA certificates from 25 February 2026. The cost of the British ETA has already been increased to £16. Business travellers should ensure that the permit is applied for and valid in good time - especially when travelling at short notice.
The EU is planning to introduce the ETIAS digital entry authorisation for non-EU nationals in the last quarter of 2026. At the same time, the fee has been increased from the original €7 to €20. Even if German citizens are not affected by this, ETIAS plays an important role for internationally active companies and global teams.
The USA has already significantly increased the fee for the ESTA entry permit in autumn 2025 - from USD 21 to USD 40. These additional costs should be factored in for business trips to the USA in future.
Entry regulations in Asia are developing unevenly:
Electronic entry authorisations have long been an integral part of international business trips. Different deadlines, fees and systems increase the complexity - especially for short-term or multilateral trips. Structured travel preparations and clear internal processes are therefore becoming increasingly important.
Entry regulations can change at short notice - for example due to political decisions, security situations or new technical requirements. Despite careful research, we strongly recommend that business travellers also check the current entry and security regulations with the Federal Foreign Office before every trip. This will ensure that you are always travelling with the latest and binding information.
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