If you are planning a trip and something you read six months ago about a visa or entry rule now sounds wrong, you are not imagining it — 2026 has been an unusually active year for travel-rule changes affecting Indian passport holders. The single biggest reversal is Thailand ending its visa-free entry scheme, while Malaysia has gone the other way and extended its own visa-free window through 2026, so the two most popular Southeast Asian destinations for Gujarat travellers now sit at opposite ends of the rulebook.
The big reversal: Thailand ends visa-free entry
Thailand ended its visa-free entry scheme for Indian passport holders in 2026, and the Indian Embassy in Bangkok issued a fresh advisory confirming travellers now need a Visa on Arrival or an e-visa. Separately, every traveller must complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 72 hours of arrival, regardless of visa type, and Visa on Arrival applicants should be ready to show around 20,000 Thai Baht (about ₹58,000) in cash as proof of funds if asked.
The good news: Malaysia extends its visa-free window
In the opposite direction, Malaysia has extended visa-free entry for Indian tourists through 31 December 2026, allowing a 30-day stay for tourism, business, social visits or transit with no visa application — making it one of the easiest Southeast Asian destinations to book right now.
A small win for Europe transit passengers, and Air Suvidha 2.0 for arrivals into India
France launched a pilot programme in early 2026 exempting Indian nationals from needing an Airport Transit Visa when transiting through a French airport's international zone, useful if your route to Europe happens to connect through Paris. Meanwhile, following heightened global health surveillance around an Ebola (Bundibugyo virus disease) outbreak, the Government of India reinstated its Air Suvidha health self-declaration system for all international arrivals, now updated as Air Suvidha 2.0 — it asks for your last 21 days of travel history and any exposure to high-risk zones or symptoms, and must be submitted online within 24 hours of your departure to India. This matters directly for NRI families flying home to Gujarat.
Smaller updates worth knowing
Cape Verde suspended its visa-on-arrival facility for Indian travellers from 1 January 2026, so a visa is now required before departure. India itself expanded its e-Tourist Visa to more source countries and made an e-Arrival Card mandatory for foreign visitors from April 2026, relevant if you are hosting family or business visitors in Gujarat. General India travel status remains normal with no special alert, though official advisories now flag extreme-heat precautions for summer travel.
Staying safe: the checklist every Indian traveller should carry
Before you book, only use official government visa portals or an IATA/IATO-accredited travel agent — fraudulent visa websites cost tourists real money every year — check the Ministry of External Affairs advisory for your destination, and confirm your passport has at least six months validity from your return date, since this single rule cancels more trips than any visa issue. Before you fly, buy travel insurance for every international trip, which is mandatory for Schengen countries in any case, save your destination's Indian embassy contact number, keep digital and physical copies of your passport, visa, insurance and bookings, and register high-risk or long-duration trips with the MEA where available. Once there, use registered taxis or your hotel's transfer desk, stay alert around major monuments where 'helpful' strangers steering you toward a private agency is a well-documented scam pattern, follow local laws strictly, check in with family periodically, and in extreme-heat destinations follow the same hydration and sun-protection precautions now flagged for Indian summers.
Frequently asked questions
Has Thailand really ended visa-free entry for Indians? Yes — this changed in 2026. Indian passport holders now need a Visa on Arrival or an e-visa, plus a mandatory Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) submitted online within 72 hours of arrival, regardless of visa type.
Is Malaysia still visa-free for Indian tourists? Yes — Malaysia extended its visa-free scheme for Indian tourists through 31 December 2026, allowing a 30-day stay with no visa application, though we still confirm it is active on your exact dates before booking.
What is Air Suvidha 2.0 and does it affect me? It is a mandatory online health self-declaration for all international arrivals into India, reinstated due to global Ebola outbreak surveillance, and it affects anyone flying into India from abroad — including NRI families visiting Gujarat — with submission required within 24 hours of departure to India.
Rules like these shift constantly, which is exactly the work a good travel agent does that a booking website cannot — message Explera Vacations on WhatsApp or get in touch, and we will verify the current visa, entry and health-declaration requirement for your exact route and dates before we file anything.
