Which countries ended visa-free entry for Indians in 2026?

Published 2026-10-30 · 7 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Iran and Nicaragua took away easy entry for Indians, and Thailand halved its visa-free stay. Here is what changed, what got easier in 2026, and which reported changes are not confirmed.

Two countries took away easy entry for ordinary Indian passport holders and still require a visa in advance: Iran, which suspended its visa waiver from 22 November 2025, and Nicaragua, which ended visa on arrival from 16 February 2026 and now asks Indians for a pre-approved "consulted" visa. Thailand kept visa-free entry but cut it from 60 to 30 days on 15 September 2026. Reports about Cape Verde, Bolivia and Laos are contradictory, so treat them as unconfirmed and check before you book.

At a glance: Visa needed again: Iran (since 22 Nov 2025), Nicaragua (since 16 Feb 2026). Shorter stay: Thailand, 30 days visa-free since 15 Sep 2026. Easier in 2026: free Sri Lanka ETA, wider UAE visa on arrival, Saudi Package Visa, Uzbekistan visa-free for some visa holders, no airport transit visa in Spain, France and Germany. Unconfirmed: Cape Verde, Bolivia, Laos. Watch: Malaysia's visa-free entry runs only until 31 Dec 2026.

Which countries ended visa-free or visa on arrival for Indians in 2026?

The changes we could confirm against official sources are Iran and Nicaragua. Iran's change began in late 2025 but shapes every 2026 trip, and no restart had been announced when we checked. Thailand did not end visa-free entry, but it halved the stay.

You may have seen headlines such as "2 added, 4 lost" (Gulf News, January 2026) or "4 countries removed" (Gulf News, July 2026). Those counts come from passport-index rankings, and the two articles name different countries. Below we separate what governments have confirmed from what has only been reported.

Harder in 2026

• Iran (from 22 November 2025): Iran suspended visa-free entry for ordinary Indian passport holders. It used to allow up to 15 days for tourism. You now need a visa to enter or even transit through Iran. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) warned that Indians had been lured to Iran with fake job offers and kidnapped for ransom. What to do: apply for an Iranian visa through the embassy or its official e-visa route, and ignore any agent who offers visa-free travel or onward transit via Iran. Diplomatic and official passports are not covered here.
• Nicaragua (from 16 February 2026): Nicaragua's immigration authority issued Disposición No. 002-2026, which changed its visa categories. The Embassy of India in Panama says Indian ordinary passport holders are now in Category C, the "consulted visa". Immigration in Managua must approve that visa before you travel. The visa is for 30 days and can be extended to a total of 90 days. What to do: apply online on the Nicaraguan Interior Ministry portal (tramitesconsulares.mint.gob.ni) or by email using the Category C form, well before your flight. The embassy advisory lists no exemption for holders of US, Canadian or Schengen visas, so do not rely on one.
• Thailand (from 15 September 2026): Thailand ended its 60-day visa exemption. Indian tourists now get 30 days visa-free. You must also fill the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before you land. What to do: if your trip is longer than 30 days, apply for a Thai tourist visa or e-visa. Note that the MEA's country list still showed 60 days when we checked, because its data is dated February 2026.
• Malaysia (deadline, not yet a change): Malaysia's 30-day visa waiver for Indians runs until 31 December 2026. No extension had been announced when we checked. What to do: for trips in 2027, avoid non-refundable bookings until Malaysia confirms the rule, and keep filling the MDAC arrival card.

Easier in 2026

• Spain (4 March), France (10 April) and Germany (3 June): Indians no longer need an airport transit visa to change planes in the international transit area of these countries' airports. Who it helps: anyone flying to the US, Canada or Latin America via Madrid, Paris or Frankfurt. You still need a Schengen visa if you leave the transit area or pass through passport control.
• Sri Lanka (25 May): Indians are among 40 nationalities who get a free 30-day, double-entry tourist ETA. You must still apply on eta.gov.lk before you fly.
• Bhutan (2 June): visits of up to 24 hours to Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar carry no Sustainable Development Fee until August 2027. Once you go beyond these towns, Indians pay ₹1,200 a night.
• UAE (25 June): the UAE widened its visa on arrival. Indians with a valid US visa or green card, or a UK or EU visa or residence permit, can get a 14-day visa on arrival for AED 100. Some other residence permits also qualify.
• Saudi Arabia (18 July): the Package Visa lets Indians without a US, UK or Schengen visa get a Saudi tourist e-visa by buying a flight and 4-star-plus hotel package from an approved provider. It costs SAR 402.21 including insurance and is single entry.
• Uzbekistan (1 September): Indians with a valid multiple-entry US, UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or South Korea visa can stay up to 30 days without a visa. Everyone else should use the e-visa.

Reported but not confirmed

These claims appear in news or travel sites, but we could not confirm them from an official source, or official and news sources disagree. Do not treat any of them as settled.

• Cape Verde: several outlets reported that Cape Verde ended visa on arrival for 96 countries, including India, from 1 January 2026. But two Lusophone newspapers, Expresso das Ilhas in Cape Verde and Observador in Portugal, reported that a corrected order published on 23 January 2026 cut the list to 91 countries. Expresso das Ilhas says India was one of five removed. The MEA's list, with data as of February 2026, still shows a 30-day visa on arrival after online EASE pre-registration and a fee. Some articles from July and October 2026 still list India as affected. What to do: confirm with a Cape Verde embassy or consulate and the EASE portal before you buy tickets.
• Bolivia: Gulf News and Outlook Traveller say Bolivia moved Indians from visa on arrival to an e-visa that must be approved before travel. We found no official Bolivian notice or effective date, and some travel sites still describe visa on arrival.
• Laos: some Indian news sites say Laos ended visa on arrival for Indians and now requires an e-visa. The MEA list still shows both an e-visa and visa on arrival. We found no official Lao notice.
• Senegal and Ethiopia: a January 2026 Gulf News article counted both as losses because of "tightened protocols". The MEA list still shows Senegal as visa-free for 90 days and Ethiopia as offering visa on arrival at Addis Ababa airport. We found no official change for ordinary passports.
• Mauritius: the 2026-27 budget plans an Electronic Travel Authorisation for visitors, with a fee. No start date or amount had been announced when we checked, so for now Indians can still visit without a visa.

Why do the headline numbers keep changing?

Passport rankings such as the Henley Passport Index count only places you can enter without arranging a visa first. They leave out e-visas, and they sometimes move a country between lists because of index rules rather than a new law. For example, Gulf News listed Malaysia and Kazakhstan as 2026 "additions". In fact Kazakhstan has allowed Indians 14 days visa-free since July 2022, and Malaysia's waiver began in December 2023 and was later extended to the end of 2026.

The October 2026 Henley index puts India at 84th with 55 destinations. Treat that number as a rough guide, not as a booking rule. One country's rule on your travel date matters far more than any ranking.

How to check before you book

• Go to the source: check the destination's immigration or embassy website, not a blog or a ranking. For countries with no embassy in India, check the Indian embassy that covers that country, which often posts an advisory.
• Use the MEA list carefully: India's MEA page "Visa Facility for Indian Nationals" is useful, but its data was dated 2 February 2026 when we checked. It still showed Thailand at 60 days, so it can lag behind new rules.
• Check your passport type: most changes apply to ordinary passports only. Diplomatic and official passports often follow separate agreements.
• Check transit too: a visa-free destination does not help if your connection needs a transit visa. Iran now requires a visa even to transit.
• Ask the airline: airlines check documents before boarding and can refuse you if the rules have changed. Call them or check their travel document tool a week before you fly.
• Book refundable first: when a rule is new or disputed, pay for a refundable fare and hotel until your visa or authorisation is approved.

Our visa glossary (travlys.com/visa-glossary/) explains terms such as ETA, visa on arrival and consulted visa. Our travel news page (travlys.com/travel-news/) and the visa rule changes tracker list dated updates as they happen. A "Do Indians need a visa?" checker is also coming soon at travlys.com/visa-checker/.

How Travlys helps

Travlys does not file visas for Iran, Nicaragua or Cape Verde. If you are planning one of these trips, we can check your documents against the current official rules before you apply. If you would rather choose an easier destination, we file visas for Thailand, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries. We also plan holiday packages, such as Sri Lanka and Bali, with hotels and private transfers. We have filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 82009 18967.

Last checked: We checked these rules on 30 October 2026 against the sources listed below. Entry rules can change at short notice, so confirm with the embassy or official portal before you pay for flights.