Visa changes for Indians from July 1: US, Japan, Vietnam, Australia change travel, permit rules
The updates affect everything from how quickly you can get a visa interview to how much your employer needs to pay you
- Jul 1, 2026,
- Updated Jul 1, 2026 10:53 AM IST
If you are travelling to the US, Japan, Vietnam or Australia, or planning to work in one of them, the rules are changing from July 1. The updates affect everything from how quickly you can get a visa interview to how much your employer needs to pay you.
Vietnam: Health form before every border crossing
Vietnam is adding a health declaration requirement for anyone entering, exiting or transiting through the country from July 1. The form must be completed within seven days of the crossing and applies broadly, covering tourists, business visitors, students, resident expats and even transit passengers changing flights at Vietnamese airports.
The government has issued a bilingual form in Vietnamese and English. The health ministry may update requirements depending on the disease situation internationally at any given time, making this an ongoing border-health mechanism rather than a one-time measure tied to a specific outbreak.
Travellers should confirm with their airline and Vietnamese authorities before departure on how and where the declaration needs to be submitted.
United States: Pay $750 for a faster interview
Applicants stuck in long queues for US tourist or business visa appointments now have a way to jump the line, for a price.
Starting July 1, the State Department is running a six-month pilot that lets eligible B-1 and B-2 visa applicants at select embassies and consulates pay an extra $750, roughly Rs 71,000, to secure an interview within 10 business days. This comes on top of the standard $185 application fee, bringing the total to $935.
The premium charge only guarantees an earlier slot. It does not improve the chances of approval or fast-track any other part of the process. Applicants still go through the same checks, eligibility assessment and possible administrative review as everyone else.
The number of accelerated slots will be limited, and only available at participating diplomatic posts. To be eligible, applicants must first complete the DS-160 form, pay the regular fee and book a standard appointment. Those who cancel or miss their premium slot will not get the $750 back.
The pilot runs until December 31, after which the State Department will decide whether to make it permanent.
Japan: Visa fees jump fivefold
Japan is making its biggest revision to visa charges in decades. From July 1, a single-entry visa will cost around ¥15,000, up from ¥3,000, which works out to roughly Rs 8,850 at the conversion rate cited in the announcement. A multiple-entry visa will go from ¥6,000 to approximately ¥30,000, or about Rs 17,700.
Indian tourists and business travellers will feel this directly, since Indian passport holders generally need a visa to enter Japan. Those covered under a visa-waiver arrangement may be exempt from the issuance charge.
The fee is typically collected in the local currency of the country where the application is processed. Additional handling charges may apply if the application goes through an authorised agency. Japan's foreign ministry has also noted that the exact amount can vary by nationality and travel purpose. If a visa is refused, no issuance fee is charged.
Australia: Higher salary bar for sponsored workers
Australia's July 1 changes are focused on skilled migration rather than tourism. The Core Skills Income Threshold, the minimum salary an employer must offer under certain sponsored-work visa programmes, including the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand subclass 482 visa, will rise from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,499, equivalent to roughly Rs 49.86 lakh to Rs 51.81 lakh.
The Specialist Skills Income Threshold will go up from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,717, or approximately Rs 92.07 lakh to Rs 95.66 lakh.
Permanent employer-nomination pathways under subclass 186 will also align with the revised Core Skills threshold, as will some regional sponsored nominations.
For any nomination lodged from July 1, the proposed salary must meet either the new threshold or the applicable annual market salary rate, whichever is higher. These figures refer to base pay only and exclude non-cash benefits.
Nominations and visa applications submitted before July 1 will generally remain subject to the thresholds that were in place at the time of filing, even if a decision comes later.
What to do before you apply
Across all four countries, the new rules are generally triggered by applications or nominations submitted on or after July 1. If your paperwork goes in before that date, you will likely remain subject to the older requirements. Check the filing date carefully; in some cases, a day's difference could affect both cost and eligibility.
If you are travelling to the US, Japan, Vietnam or Australia, or planning to work in one of them, the rules are changing from July 1. The updates affect everything from how quickly you can get a visa interview to how much your employer needs to pay you.
Vietnam: Health form before every border crossing
Vietnam is adding a health declaration requirement for anyone entering, exiting or transiting through the country from July 1. The form must be completed within seven days of the crossing and applies broadly, covering tourists, business visitors, students, resident expats and even transit passengers changing flights at Vietnamese airports.
The government has issued a bilingual form in Vietnamese and English. The health ministry may update requirements depending on the disease situation internationally at any given time, making this an ongoing border-health mechanism rather than a one-time measure tied to a specific outbreak.
Travellers should confirm with their airline and Vietnamese authorities before departure on how and where the declaration needs to be submitted.
United States: Pay $750 for a faster interview
Applicants stuck in long queues for US tourist or business visa appointments now have a way to jump the line, for a price.
Starting July 1, the State Department is running a six-month pilot that lets eligible B-1 and B-2 visa applicants at select embassies and consulates pay an extra $750, roughly Rs 71,000, to secure an interview within 10 business days. This comes on top of the standard $185 application fee, bringing the total to $935.
The premium charge only guarantees an earlier slot. It does not improve the chances of approval or fast-track any other part of the process. Applicants still go through the same checks, eligibility assessment and possible administrative review as everyone else.
The number of accelerated slots will be limited, and only available at participating diplomatic posts. To be eligible, applicants must first complete the DS-160 form, pay the regular fee and book a standard appointment. Those who cancel or miss their premium slot will not get the $750 back.
The pilot runs until December 31, after which the State Department will decide whether to make it permanent.
Japan: Visa fees jump fivefold
Japan is making its biggest revision to visa charges in decades. From July 1, a single-entry visa will cost around ¥15,000, up from ¥3,000, which works out to roughly Rs 8,850 at the conversion rate cited in the announcement. A multiple-entry visa will go from ¥6,000 to approximately ¥30,000, or about Rs 17,700.
Indian tourists and business travellers will feel this directly, since Indian passport holders generally need a visa to enter Japan. Those covered under a visa-waiver arrangement may be exempt from the issuance charge.
The fee is typically collected in the local currency of the country where the application is processed. Additional handling charges may apply if the application goes through an authorised agency. Japan's foreign ministry has also noted that the exact amount can vary by nationality and travel purpose. If a visa is refused, no issuance fee is charged.
Australia: Higher salary bar for sponsored workers
Australia's July 1 changes are focused on skilled migration rather than tourism. The Core Skills Income Threshold, the minimum salary an employer must offer under certain sponsored-work visa programmes, including the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand subclass 482 visa, will rise from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,499, equivalent to roughly Rs 49.86 lakh to Rs 51.81 lakh.
The Specialist Skills Income Threshold will go up from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,717, or approximately Rs 92.07 lakh to Rs 95.66 lakh.
Permanent employer-nomination pathways under subclass 186 will also align with the revised Core Skills threshold, as will some regional sponsored nominations.
For any nomination lodged from July 1, the proposed salary must meet either the new threshold or the applicable annual market salary rate, whichever is higher. These figures refer to base pay only and exclude non-cash benefits.
Nominations and visa applications submitted before July 1 will generally remain subject to the thresholds that were in place at the time of filing, even if a decision comes later.
What to do before you apply
Across all four countries, the new rules are generally triggered by applications or nominations submitted on or after July 1. If your paperwork goes in before that date, you will likely remain subject to the older requirements. Check the filing date carefully; in some cases, a day's difference could affect both cost and eligibility.