What changed
The change log: what moved, and when.
Travel-money facts do not sit still. Taxes take effect, fees rise or quietly disappear, entry rules change, and sometimes we get a detail wrong and fix it. This page is the dated record of all of it: 28 changes in the world and 5 corrections to our own guides so far, newest first. Every entry links to the guide where the current fact lives.
One thing this page is not: a list of checks. Every guide is re-checked on a schedule (here is how), and most checks confirm that nothing moved. Those re-checks update the dates on the guides and add nothing here. An entry on this page means something actually changed.
2026
Australia's card-surcharge ban took effect
From 1 October 2026, surcharges on eftpos, Visa, Mastercard and American Express are no longer permitted in Australia. PayPal's own no-surcharge rule follows from 5 October 2026. A surcharge on those networks after these dates should not be there.
Why it matters: The surcharge line many Australian bills used to carry, often around 1 to 1.5% and more on Amex, is now gone for everyday card payments, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Australia money guidePermanent linkUK ETA: we corrected how we described layovers
We had written that a UK layover needs an ETA even without leaving the airport. That is not right for a pure airside connection at Heathrow or Manchester, where you never pass UK border control: those are temporarily exempt. A landside transit (bag recheck, a border-crossing terminal change, separate tickets) or a connection at any other UK airport does need one. The 20 pound fee and the before-boarding rule for UK entry are unchanged.
Why it matters: If you are only connecting airside through Heathrow or Manchester, you may not need to buy an ETA at all. The exemption is temporary and under review, so verify before you book.
UK ETA guidePermanent linkJamaica: we corrected how we described the hotel tax rise
We previously wrote about the tourism GCT rate rise in a way that read as if it had already happened. It has not: the rate on a hotel bill today is still 10%. The legislated rise to the standard 15% takes effect 1 April 2027, phased in, and the hotel industry is contesting it.
Why it matters: A trip before April 2027 is not paying the higher rate, so do not budget for it yet.
Jamaica money guidePermanent linkMexico: the two taxes on a hotel room, now stated and modeled
We added the 16% federal IVA and the state lodging tax (typically 2 to 5%, and 5% in Quintana Roo) to the guide and its calculator. The guide had understated both. We also recorded that Quintana Roo now actively scans VISITAX QR codes at airport departure.
Why it matters: A Mexican room rate can carry roughly a fifth in tax on top, and in the Cancun area the roughly 16 dollar VISITAX is now genuinely checked on the way out.
Mexico money guidePermanent linkThailand raised its proposed arrival fee to 450 baht, and it is still not being collected
The proposed fee for air arrivals was raised from 300 to 450 baht (about 14 dollars), the land and sea portion was shelved, and the start has slipped to late 2026 or early 2027. We re-verified on 17 August 2026 that no fee is being collected today.
Why it matters: If you fly to Thailand this year there is nothing to pay on arrival, whatever an older article says. The free TDAC arrival card is still required.
Thailand money guidePermanent linkThe EU dropped its late-2026 target for ETIAS
The EU removed the late-2026 launch target for ETIAS, its planned travel authorization, so there is once again no start date. Our European guides no longer quote one.
Why it matters: There is nothing to apply for and nothing to pay. A US passport is still all you need for the Schengen area, and any site selling ETIAS today is selling something that does not exist yet.
Passports and visas guidePermanent linkEdinburgh's visitor levy took effect
Paid overnight stays in Edinburgh now carry a 5% levy on the room rate, charged before VAT and capped at the first five nights, collected by the accommodation. It is the first percentage visitor levy in the UK, and Glasgow follows with its own 5% from 25 January 2027.
Why it matters: If you are booking Edinburgh, the sticker price is not the total: budget roughly 5% on top of the room.
UK money guidePermanent linkGermany: we removed Munich from the bed-tax list
We had listed Munich among German cities charging a bed tax. Bavaria banned local hotel taxes and its Constitutional Court upheld that ban in 2025, so Munich does not levy one. Berlin (7.5%), Cologne (5%), Hamburg (sliding scale) and Frankfurt (2 euros a night) are confirmed.
Why it matters: A Munich hotel bill carries no city bed tax, so if a booking site shows one, question it.
Germany money guidePermanent linkIreland: we corrected the M50 toll wording
The guide first described missing the M50 toll deadline as a flat 30 to 60 euro fine. In fact, missing the 8pm next-day deadline triggers a small per-journey late fee that then escalates, and the larger figure is a separate rental-company admin charge.
Why it matters: If you drive the M50 and miss the deadline, the immediate cost is small and grows with delay; the scary flat fine you may have read about is the rental desk, not the toll operator.
Ireland money guidePermanent linkIreland cut restaurant VAT back to 9%
From 1 July 2026, Ireland cut the VAT on restaurant and cafe meals from 13.5% back to 9%. Hotels were left out, and there is still no nightly tourist tax, though Dublin and Galway are pushing for the power to introduce one.
Why it matters: Eating out in Ireland should ease a little, while the room itself costs what it did.
Ireland money guidePermanent linkNorway's visitor's contribution went live, in some places
Norway's new visitor's contribution took effect in the summer of 2026. It lets a municipality add up to 3% to overnight stays, and it is opt-in: the Lofoten islands are an approved early area, with Bergen, Tromso and others expected to follow.
Why it matters: Whether you pay depends on where you stay, so a Lofoten room now runs a little more while much of the country adds nothing.
Norway money guidePermanent linkThe Philippines' tourist VAT refund cleared its court challenge
The Supreme Court upheld RA 12079 in July 2026, the law that refunds the 12% VAT to foreign tourists on goods of at least 3,000 pesos from accredited stores, taken out of the country within 60 days. The scheme is still rolling out.
Why it matters: The refund is real and here to stay, but the accredited-store network is still growing, so ask whether a shop is in the scheme before you count on it.
Philippines money guidePermanent linkVienna's accommodation tax rose to 5%
The Vienna Ortstaxe rose to 5% of the net room price on 1 July 2026, and a further step to 8% is already set for 1 July 2027.
Why it matters: A Vienna hotel stay now carries a mid-single-digit tax on top of the room, and it is scheduled to rise again next summer.
Austria money guidePermanent linkSri Lanka's tourist ETA became free for US citizens
Sri Lanka made its tourist ETA free of charge for nationals of 40 countries, and the United States is on the list. The ETA is still mandatory and must be obtained online before you fly; only the fee is gone.
Why it matters: Apply on the official portal and confirm the fee shows as zero for a US passport. Anyone charging you the old tourist fee is not the official channel.
Sri Lanka money guidePermanent linkNew Zealand's card-surcharge ban did not happen
The promised ban on in-store card surcharges missed its May 2026 deadline after a coalition partner withdrew support, and the bill remains stalled with no confirmed date.
Why it matters: Surcharges of around 2 to 3% still turn up at cafes, taxis and small shops, worst in tourist towns, so keep watching the terminal before you tap.
New Zealand money guidePermanent linkTurkey's accommodation tax was temporarily cut to 1%
A Presidential Decision reduced the 2% accommodation tax to 1% from 1 May through 31 December 2026, after which it returns to 2%. We updated the guide to the current 1%.
Why it matters: A Turkish hotel bill carries half the usual tax through the end of 2026, a small saving that arrives without you doing anything.
Turkey money guidePermanent linkThe UK ETA fee rose to 20 pounds
The fee for the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation rose from 16 to 20 pounds per person in April 2026. The ETA itself has been required for US visitors before boarding since 25 February 2026, lasts two years, and is issued through the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK.
Why it matters: Budget 20 pounds a person before a UK trip, and apply only through the official channel: lookalike sites charge far more for the very same approval.
UK money guidePermanent linkBarcelona's tourist tax roughly doubled
Catalonia raised its tourist tax on 1 April 2026. In Barcelona the combined regional charge plus city surcharge now runs roughly 6 to 12 euros and up per person per night by accommodation category, capped at the first 7 nights, with under-16s exempt, and the city surcharge is set to keep rising about a euro a year through 2029. The rest of Catalonia rose more modestly.
Why it matters: A week in Barcelona for two can now carry well over 100 euros in tourist tax alone. Most of Spain, including Madrid, Andalusia and Valencia, still charges none.
Spain money guidePermanent linkSweden cut grocery VAT from 12% to 6%
From 1 April 2026, Sweden cut the VAT on most groceries from 12% to 6%, a temporary reduction scheduled to run to the end of 2027. Restaurant and cafe meals stayed at 12%, as did hotel stays.
Why it matters: VAT is already in the displayed price, so nothing changes about how you pay; a supermarket receipt just runs slightly cheaper than you might expect.
Sweden money guidePermanent linkAustralia confirmed a card-surcharge ban, starting October
The Reserve Bank of Australia's final decision, published 31 March 2026, bans card surcharges on eftpos, Visa and Mastercard from 1 October 2026. Until that date many merchants still add a surcharge, often around 1 to 1.5% and more on Amex. Amex later confirmed it would remove its own surcharging from the same date, and PayPal from 5 October 2026.
Why it matters: Travel before October and the surcharge line on the bill is still legal and common; travel after and it should be gone for Visa and Mastercard.
Australia money guidePermanent linkKyoto raised its lodging tax
Kyoto raised its lodging tax from 1 March 2026, with top-tier rooms now taxed up to 10,000 yen per person per night. Most travelers pay far less.
Why it matters: Factor it in for a high-end Kyoto stay; a mid-range room adds much less.
Japan money guidePermanent linkChina began enforcing penalties on shops that refuse cash
From 1 February 2026, China began enforcing penalties on merchants who refuse cash. Alipay and WeChat Pay remain how almost everyone pays, and both let visitors link an international Visa or Mastercard, with the per-transaction limit raised to about 35,000 CNY in 2026.
Why it matters: Yuan in your pocket is a reliable backup again, even in a country where nearly every payment happens by phone.
China money guidePermanent linkDutch hotel VAT rose from 9% to 21%
On 1 January 2026, Dutch VAT on hotel and short-term rental accommodation rose from 9% to 21%, the same rate as most other goods and services. Combined with Amsterdam's 12.5% tourist tax, a room in the city can carry a combined tax load of roughly 33.5%.
Why it matters: Some bookings made before the change, and booking sites slow to update, may still show the old 9%, so double-check your total at checkout rather than trusting an older quote.
Netherlands money guidePermanent linkGeorgia made travel insurance mandatory for tourists
From 1 January 2026, Georgia requires every foreign tourist to hold travel insurance covering the whole stay, with at least 30,000 GEL (about 11,000 dollars) of medical and accident cover, under Decree 602. Most standard US policies qualify.
Why it matters: Carry proof in English, since border officers can ask for it and travelers without it can be turned away or fined about 300 GEL. Buy a policy before you fly.
Georgia money guidePermanent linkIceland switched to a per-kilometre road tax
From 1 January 2026 Iceland replaced part of its fuel tax with a per-kilometre road tax on all vehicles, about 6.95 ISK per km at the government rate, with rental companies typically adding an admin margin to around 8.8 ISK per km, billed after you drop the car off.
Why it matters: A full Ring Road loop of roughly 1,500 km can add about 13,200 ISK, around 105 dollars, to a rental, and it lands on your card after the trip rather than in the booking price.
Iceland money guidePermanent linkParis raised its tourist tax
From 1 January 2026 the nightly taxe de sejour in Paris went up, partly to fund transport and Olympic-legacy projects. Expect roughly 6 euros and up per adult per night at a mid-range Paris hotel, more at higher categories, with under-18s still exempt.
Why it matters: The charge sits outside the room rate, so a Paris hotel bill runs a little over the price you booked. Most towns outside Paris stay at a euro or two.
France money guidePermanent linkSouth Korea's e-Arrival Card became mandatory
Since 1 January 2026, Korea requires the free online e-Arrival Card for arrivals without a K-ETA, replacing the paper card. The K-ETA exemption for US citizens runs through 31 December 2026, and K-ETA becomes required again from 1 January 2027.
Why it matters: File the free card online before you land this year, and if your trip is in 2027, plan for the K-ETA to be back.
South Korea money guidePermanent link
2025
Indonesia merged its arrival card and customs declaration
Since 1 October 2025, Indonesia combined the arrival card, customs declaration and health screening into one free online filing, the All Indonesia arrival card, replacing the separate customs declaration. It is completed before you fly for a QR code at the airport.
Why it matters: It is now one form, not two, and it is free, so there is one less thing to file and nothing to pay. It is separate from your visa on arrival and the Bali levy, and paid lookalike sites charge for what the official site does free.
Indonesia money guidePermanent linkLaos introduced a digital arrival and departure card
Since September 2025, Laos has run a free online arrival and departure filing, the Lao Digital Immigration Form, at its main international entry points, the airports at Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse and the first Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. It is filed on the official site for a QR code at the border.
Why it matters: A new step to complete before you travel to Laos through a main entry point, and one wanted on departure too. It is free on the official site and separate from the e-visa, but new enough that paid lookalikes target it.
Laos money guidePermanent linkGreek bank ATMs dropped their withdrawal fees
Since August 2025, cash withdrawals at ATMs run by Greek banks, including Alpha Bank, National Bank of Greece, Eurobank and Piraeus, carry no local commission for any cardholder, and independent non-bank machines are legally capped at a modest fee, well down from the 2 to 4 euros they used to charge.
Why it matters: Your own bank's foreign fees can still apply, so a no-fee card still matters, but the Greek side of getting cash has gotten meaningfully cheaper.
Greece money guidePermanent linkBrazil began requiring an e-visa from US citizens
Since April 2025, US citizens need a visitor e-visa to enter Brazil, about 81 dollars, applied for on the official VFS portal before boarding.
Why it matters: This reversed years of visa-free entry, so plans and older guides that assume none are out of date. Apply before you fly, on the official portal only.
Brazil money guidePermanent linkNamibia began requiring a visa from US citizens
Since 1 April 2025, Americans need a visa to enter Namibia, at N$1,600 (about 88 dollars), through the online e-visa portal or on arrival at main airports and border posts. A separate N$300 day-visit fee applies to cruise passengers at Walvis Bay and Luderitz.
Why it matters: A lot of older guides still say Namibia is visa-free for US citizens, and that is now wrong. Apply ahead and bring a printed approval.
Namibia money guidePermanent linkHong Kong brought back its 3% hotel tax
On 1 January 2025 Hong Kong reinstated its 3% Hotel Accommodation Tax on the room charge, after 17 years at zero. It is usually already in the hotel bill, though a few hotels collect it at check-in.
Why it matters: A Hong Kong room now carries a small tax again, in a city that otherwise remains a free port with no sales tax at all.
Hong Kong money guidePermanent link
How this log is kept honest.
Every entry above is dated and traceable to a real change: either the world moved, or we corrected our own wording and said so. When a change note appears on a guide, its entry lands here at the same time, and a routine re-check that found nothing new never becomes an entry. The rest of the discipline, what counts as a source, how often each figure is re-checked, and how corrections work, is on the methodology page.