32 More Countries Will Stop Stamping Passports In 2026

Share The Article

There is a selected sound each traveler is aware of.

The heavy thud of the rubber stamp hitting the ink pad, adopted by the crisp crunch of it touchdown on a recent web page of your passport. For many years, that sound has been the common “welcome” to a brand new journey. It’s a memento that cash can’t purchase—a messy, typically smudged proof that you have been there.

But if you’re sentimental about your passport pages, I’ve dangerous information: The ink is working dry.

In 2026, the worldwide shift towards biometric borders is hitting hyper-drive. We aren’t simply speaking about one or two tech-savvy nations anymore. We are speaking about total continents. Based on the most recent confirmed timelines, 32 extra nations are scheduled to ditch bodily stamps for good (or drastically scale back them) this yr.

Here is the place you will not be getting a memento ink stamp in 2026.

Mexico (Tourist Destinations)

If you might be heading south for a margarita, you’ve doubtless seen the chaos of the Mexican immigration corridor is… surprisingly environment friendly these days.

Mexico has been aggressively phasing out the bodily FMM (Multiple Immigration Form)—that annoying paper slip you used to have to protect along with your life. In 2026, this digital transformation is solidifying at main vacationer hubs.

At Cancun (CUN), Los Cabos (SJD), Mexico City (AICM) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) bodily stamps are being changed by high-speed E-Gates for eligible vacationers (together with Americans and Canadians).

• How it really works: You scan your passport, the gate snaps a photograph, and you might be by means of.
• The Receipt: Instead of a stamp in your guide, you usually get a printed receipt or a digital document linked to your passport.

While you can nonetheless request a stamp at some guide cubicles, the default “fast track” for vacationers is now 100% ink-free.

United Kingdom

The UK’s shift away from stamps is extra of a gradual extinction than a sudden cease.

With the growth of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system in 2026, the UK border drive is pushing almost all eligible guests (together with Americans) towards eGates.

If you utilize an eGate (which it’s best to, until you like ready in traces), you don’t get a stamp.

This turns into much more inflexible beginning February 25, 2026, when the ETA turns into obligatory for all non-visa nationals. The digital authorization replaces the necessity for a border officer to bodily test and stamp your guide.

• If you utilize an eGate (which it’s best to, until you like ready in traces), you don’t get a stamp.
• This turns into much more inflexible in 2026 because the ETA turns into obligatory for all non-visa nationals. The digital authorization replaces the necessity for a border officer to bodily test and stamp your guide.

Singapore

Singapore has all the time been residing sooner or later, so it’s no shock they’re main the cost right here. In reality, they’re virtually eliminating the necessity for a passport in any respect in some terminals.

Starting January 30, 2026, Singapore is implementing strict “No-Boarding Directives.“

What does that imply? Simply put, the “border” is transferring to your departure gate. Singapore will now test your standing earlier than you even get on the aircraft. If you are not digitally cleared to enter, the airline will not allow you to board.

The Trade-Off: Because the onerous work is finished upstream, the arrival course of is virtually magic. The days of flipping by means of passport pages at Changi Airport are over. Most vacationers now breeze by means of automated lanes that use iris and facial recognition to grant entry. No stamp, no questions, simply effectivity.

The “Big 29”: The Schengen Zone (Europe)

This is the huge one. After years of delays, false begins, and “will they, won’t they” rumors, the European Union is lastly pulling the plug on bodily stamps.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) started its phased rollout in late 2025, however April 10, 2026, is the date circled on each border guard’s calendar. By this deadline, the system is scheduled to be totally operational throughout all 29 Schengen nations.

Instead of a stamp, your entry might be recorded digitally. You will scan your passport at a self-service kiosk, present a fingerprint and facial scan, and the “stamp” might be a digital entry in an enormous EU database.

The “Visa” Confusion This new digital border can also be paving the best way for the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). With stamps disappearing and guidelines tightening, tens of millions of Americans are not sure if they are going to be allowed entry below the brand new system.

Don’t guess. Before you guide your European summer season journey, use our ETIAS Checker Tool to see precisely the place you stand. It takes seconds and clears up the confusion immediately.

The Bottom Line: Frictionless vs. Strict

Look, I get it. There is one thing romantic a few cluttered passport web page. It tells the story of your life. But let’s be actual concerning the upside: pace. E-gates take 30 seconds. A guide stamp takes minutes (or hours in line).

However, “frictionless” doesn’t imply “rule-free.” In reality, digital borders are stricter than people. A pc will not allow you to slide in case your passport expires in 5 months as a substitute of 6, or if you do not have the correct digital authorization on file.

Stay Ahead of the Rules:

• Check Your Docs: Use our Entry Rules Checker to make sure your passport and visas are legitimate to your particular vacation spot.
• Stay Safe: Worried about unrest or security scores? Run a fast search on our Travel Advisory Checker.