US and Canadian citizens visiting the Solomon Islands as tourists must now apply for an e-visa through a new online system that went into full operation on Aug. 22, 2026, when the government activated online payment processing. The tourist e-visa costs $100 and permits a single-entry stay of up to 90 days, extendable to 180 days depending on approval conditions.
Effective Sept. 15, Thailand replaced its 60-day visa-exemption scheme with a tiered system that shortens most stays. Citizens of 60 countries and territories, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and most of Western Europe, are now permitted a maximum 30-day stay without a visa, down from 60 days. Travelers may request a one-time extension of up to 30 additional days through Thai immigration. Seychelles and Mauritius are limited to 15 days, and Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia remain visa-on-arrival only.
Dear Globetrotter:
As of Jan. 23, all non-US citizens, including permanent residents, entering the US via land or ferry are now required to show proof of completed COVID-19 vaccination. At press time, the US did not require a booster shot in order to be considered fully vaccinated.
While US citizens are exempt from the vaccination requirement, anyone crossing the border, including US citizens, must present a negative COVID test taken within the last 24 hours, regardless of vaccination status.
I used the COVID-19 travel downtime to renew my passport for planned travel at the end of 2021.
After reading an article about the Mobile Passport app, I tried it in 2018. Using the app on my cell phone, I loaded my passport information, took a selfie and, on the night before a return flight to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) from abroad, completed the normal form required for entry to the US.
On Dec. 9, the European Union (EU) agreed to allow Croatia into the passport-free Schengen Zone Agreement. Croatia has been a member of the EU since 2013, but because it was not a member of the Schengen Zone, travel between Croatia and EU or Schengen countries still required passport control. (Confusingly, while not all Schengen countries are EU countries, EU approval was still necessary for Croatia to join.) At press time, it was not known on what date Croatia would officially become a member state.
An agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), announced on Dec. 22, allows the FAA to share, with the TSA, information identifying passengers facing fines for unruly behavior. The TSA said that any of those passengers who are members of their Pre√ program will have that membership revoked.
It was not known, at press time, whether Pre√ members will have their membership restored if the FAA fines are later rescinded after an appeal.
The cost of renewing a US passport book increased by $20, to $130, on Dec. 27. For those over the age of 16 applying for their first passport, or for those replacing an existing passport that is lost or has no empty pages, an additional $35 will be charged for a total of $165.
To download a renewal application, visit travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html.
