Last updated: 9 July 2026
Quick alert: Across 2026, six major destinations changed their visa rules for Indian passport holders — some got cheaper and simpler, others got noticeably more expensive, and one (Thailand) dropped visa-free entry altogether. If a US, Europe, Australia, Japan, Vietnam or Thailand trip is on your 2026–27 plan, a few of these changes directly affect what you’ll pay and how early you need to apply. Here’s the plain-English roundup, with an old-versus-new fee table so you can see exactly what moved.
We’ve handled visas for Indian travellers for over 15 years, so this isn’t a copy-paste of the government notices — it’s what each change actually means when you’re sitting across from us planning a trip. If you’d rather skip the reading and just get your paperwork done right the first time, our visa assistance services cover document review, appointments and timelines for every country below.
| Country | What changed | Old | New | Effective | Impact for Indians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Mandatory "Visa Integrity Fee" added to most non-immigrant visas | ~$185 (B1/B2) | ~$472 total (₹39,000–40,000) | From 1 Jan 2026 | 🔴 Cost up ~2.5x + longer interview waits |
| United States | StatesNew fast-track / expedited appointment pilot | Not available | +$750 optional | June 2026 | 🟡 Faster slots, but at a premium |
| Schengen (Europe) | Short-stay visa application fee raised | €80 (~₹7,300) | €90 (~₹8,200) | 11 June 2026 | 🔴 Small cost rise per applicant |
| Japan | Visa fee for Indians standardised + transit merged | Varied by type | ₹500 (single/multiple) | 1 July 2026 | 🟢 Simpler and low-cost |
| Japan | eVisa now open to Indian tourists | Sticker visa via VFS | Online eVisa, up to 90 days | 2026 | 🟢 No VFS visit for tourism |
| Australia | Visa application fees raised across nearly all classes | 2025 rates | Higher 2026 rates | 1 July 2026 | 🔴 Costlier work/skilled/study visas |
| Australia | Work & Holiday (462) ballot charge for India | None | AUD 25 non-refundable | 1 July 2026 | 🔴 Extra non-refundable cost |
| Vietnam | Mandatory health declaration for all travellers | Not required | Required within 7 days of travel | 1 July 2026 | 🟡 Extra step, no fee |
| Thailand | Visa-free entry ended for Indians | Visa-free walk-in | Visa on Arrival + mandatory TDAC | Revision approved 19 May 2026 | 🔴 Visa now needed to enter |
Figures are as announced by each government; currency conversions are approximate. Always confirm the exact fee at the time you apply — visa fees can change without notice.
The US became significantly more expensive for Indian applicants in 2026. A new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” now applies to most non-immigrant visas at the point of issuance, added on top of the existing $185 application fee. In practice, a standard B1/B2 tourist or business visa that cost around $185 now runs to roughly $472 — about ₹39,000–₹40,000 per person, a 2.5x jump. For a family of four, consultants estimate close to ₹1 lakh more in combined charges than under the 2025 schedule.
Two things Indian travellers should know. First, the integrity fee cannot be waived or reduced, and it may rise each year with inflation. Second, from June 2026 the US added an optional fast-track pilot — an extra $750 buys an expedited appointment, useful because interview wait times for high-volume posts like Mumbai and Delhi are expected to lengthen while officers adjust to tighter vetting.
Our advice: if a US trip is realistic in the next 12–18 months, start early. The fee is unavoidable, but a long interview queue is not — book the slot well ahead rather than paying for the fast-track later.
The Schengen short-stay visa application fee increased from €80 to €90 (roughly ₹7,300 to ₹8,200) from 11 June 2026. Applications submitted before that date were processed at the old €80 rate. It’s a modest increase in isolation, but for a family it adds up — and it’s not the part that should worry you most.
For Indian travellers, the real Europe bottleneck remains appointment availability, not the fee. Summer and Diwali-season slots fill fast, and a rejected or delayed application can cost you the whole trip. If Europe is on your list, read our full guide to the Schengen visa from India — we handle document review, cover letters and appointment booking so first-time applicants don’t lose weeks to avoidable mistakes. When the visa’s sorted, our Europe tour packages from India cover multi-country itineraries with hand-picked 4–5 star stays.
Planning Europe in 2026–27? WhatsApp our visa desk on +91 99597 77776 and we’ll tell you the current appointment wait for your city before you commit to dates.
Japan got easier for Indian travellers in 2026, not harder. From 1 July 2026, the visa fee for Indian nationals was standardised at a flat ₹500 for single or multiple-entry visas, and the separate transit visa category was merged into the single/double-entry category — one less thing to figure out.
Bigger than the fee: Indian tourists can now use Japan’s eVisa for single-entry short-stay tourism of up to 90 days. That means uploading a digital photo and scanned documents online, paying online, and receiving a “visa issuance notice” in about 5–7 working days — no sticker in your passport and, for eligible applicants, no in-person VFS visit. Japan has quietly become one of the more convenient long-haul visas for Indian holidaymakers, which is worth remembering when you’re comparing East Asia options.
Australia raised visa application fees across nearly every visa class from 1 July 2026, alongside its usual annual increases. The changes hit work and skilled applicants hardest: the Core Skills Income Threshold rose from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,499, and the minimum salary for Subclass 482 employer-sponsored nominations was set at around AUD 79,423 per year. Work & Holiday (Subclass 462) applicants from India, China and Vietnam must now also pay a non-refundable AUD 25 ballot registration charge just to be considered — on top of the visa fee.
For pure tourism, the impact is smaller, but the visitor visa fee still went up with the rest. If you’re planning a family holiday to Australia, budget a little more than last year’s figures and apply with buffer time.
Vietnam added a mandatory health declaration from 1 July 2026 for anyone entering, exiting or even transiting through the country. The form must be completed within seven days of your crossing and applies broadly — tourists, business visitors, students, resident expats, and passengers merely changing flights at a Vietnamese airport. There’s no fee attached, but it is one more step to remember, and Indian passport holders still need a valid visa or e-visa to enter. Fill the declaration in advance so it doesn’t hold you up at the counter.
Thailand made the single biggest access change of the year for Indian travellers, and because it was approved back in May 2026 — not July — it’s easy to miss in a mid-year roundup. The headline: Thailand is no longer visa-free for Indian passport holders. For the last couple of years Indians could simply land and walk in; that visa-exempt entry has been removed. On 19 May 2026 the Thai Cabinet approved a revision that revoked the visa-exemption scheme for the wide list of nationalities that previously qualified, India included.
What this means in practice: to enter Thailand you now need to do two things, both compulsory. First, get a Visa on Arrival at the airport, which allows a stay of up to 15 days — plenty for a normal holiday. Second, complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 72 hours before you travel. It’s not a choice between them — it’s the Visa on Arrival and the TDAC, and there is no e-Visa route for Indian tourists. Carry a confirmed return ticket and hotel booking, and keep the required cash proof on you.
Don’t let this put you off Thailand — it remains one of the easiest and best-value destinations we book for Indian families and honeymooners. It just needs one extra step now. For the full breakdown of both visa routes, documents and costs, read our dedicated guide: Thailand is no longer visa-free for Indians — what you need now.
If you have friends, business partners or NRI family visiting India, note that India revised its own e-Visa system in 2026, moving to a reciprocal pricing model where fees mirror what each country charges Indian citizens. The 1-year e-Business visa rose from a flat $80 to a standard $120 (higher for some nationalities), while the 30-day e-Tourist visa is $25 in the July–March window and $10 in April–June. India also expanded e-Visa entry points to 51, which helps cruise and land-border arrivals. It won’t affect your own outbound trips, but it’s useful context if you host visitors.
What got better:
What got more expensive or stricter:
The overall picture: leisure travel to Asia is getting cheaper and simpler for Indians, while the US and long-stay/work routes to the West are getting pricier and more paperwork-heavy. Plan the expensive ones early and the easy ones can stay flexible.
Rules like these change with little notice, and a missed detail can cost you a trip. As an IATA-certified agency with 15 years of experience, we track these updates for every country we book and build them into your plan from day one — so you apply at the right fee, in the right window, with documents that don’t get bounced. From a US business visa to a Schengen family holiday or a first Japan trip, our visa assistance services take the guesswork out.
If you’re also renewing your passport this year, read our companion guide on the Indian passport fee hike from July 2026 — passport first, visa second, trip third.
Visa rules aren’t the only paperwork that changed in 2026 — India also updated its arrival requirements. Travellers coming from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries now need to complete an Air Suvidha health registration before landing in India, and immigration is checking for it at major airports. It’s quick and free, but skipping it can mean delays at the counter. If your trip routes through an affected region, read our full guide to the Ebola and Air Suvidha rules for India travel in 2026 before you fly.
Ready to plan around the new rules? WhatsApp us on +91 99597 77776 or request a custom quote, and we’ll map out your passport, visa and package timelines together.
The main changes affecting Indian travellers came from the United States (new $250 Visa Integrity Fee from January 2026), Schengen/Europe (fee up to €90 from 11 June), Japan (₹500 standardised fee and eVisa access from 1 July), Australia (higher fees across visa classes from 1 July), and Vietnam (mandatory health declaration from 1 July).
A standard B1/B2 US visa now costs around $472 in total — roughly ₹39,000–₹40,000 per person — after the $250 Visa Integrity Fee was added to the $185 application fee. The integrity fee cannot be waived and may rise each year.
Yes. The Schengen short-stay visa application fee rose from €80 to €90 from 11 June 2026. Applications submitted before that date were charged the old €80 rate. See our Schengen visa from India guide for the full process.
Yes. From 1 July 2026, Japan standardised the visa fee for Indians at ₹500 for single or multiple entry, and Indian tourists can now apply online through Japan’s eVisa for short-stay tourism of up to 90 days, without a VFS visit in eligible cases.
No. Vietnam’s health declaration, mandatory from 1 July 2026 for all travellers entering, exiting or transiting, is free — but it must be completed within seven days of your crossing, and Indian passport holders still need a valid visa or e-visa.
Apply early, in the correct fee window, and with correctly prepared documents. Our visa assistance services help you time applications, book scarce appointment slots, and avoid the rejections and re-applications that cost the most.
Sources: US Visa Integrity Fee — VisaHQ, Manifest Law; Schengen fee — IMAD Travel Visa Team, Khaleej Times; Japan — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, BusinessToday; Australia — Absolute Immigration, BusinessToday; Vietnam — BusinessToday; India e-Visa — Business Today. Verify current fees on official government sources before applying.
