How we source visa data.
Transparent documentation of where the visa requirements on TravelMaxing come from, how often they're updated, and what we don't cover.
Primary data source
Our visa-requirements matrix comes from the open passport-index-data project, a machine-readable matrix of every passport-destination pair (199 × 199 = 39,601 combinations) compiled from Passport Index. It succeeds the passport-index-dataset by Ilya Ilyankou, which covered 2019 to January 2025 and is now archived.
The dataset categorizes each combination into one of: visa-free, visa on arrival, e-visa, ETA (electronic travel authorization), visa required, no admission, or unknown — along with allowed stay durations where they're published.
Update frequency
TravelMaxing fetches the latest visa dataset monthly via an automated GitHub Actions workflow that runs on the 1st of every month. The workflow opens a pull request with a diff so changes are reviewed before merging. You can see the latest update date on the visa checker page itself.
Manual triggers are also possible — if a major visa policy change happens mid-month (e.g., a country opens or closes its borders), the data can be refreshed on demand.
When a government changes its rules faster than the upstream dataset catches up, we apply a dated manual correction on top, each one tied to an official announcement or a named source. Thailand's switch from 60-day to 30-day visa exemptions on 15 September 2026 is handled this way. Corrections are dropped once the upstream data matches.
What we verify, what we don't
We verify: visa category (visa-free / on-arrival / e-visa / ETA / required / no admission), stay duration where published, and recent policy changes flagged in the source dataset's commit log.
We don't verify: specific visa fees, application processing times, required supporting documents, biometric requirements, or vaccination/health requirements. These vary by consulate, change frequently, and aren't reliably captured in a global dataset. For those details, always check the destination country's official immigration website.
Known limitations
- Tourist visas only. Business, work, student, and long-stay visa rules follow different policies and aren't included.
- Citizenship matters more than residency. The checker asks for your passport country — if you hold dual citizenship or special-status residency (e.g., EU long-term resident), check both passports separately.
- Diplomatic/service passports differ. Rules for diplomatic and official passports often differ from ordinary tourist passports. Our data is for ordinary passports only.
- Bilateral exceptions exist. Some bilateral agreements grant special access (e.g., border-region permits, ASEAN free movement). The dataset captures the general rule; check official sources for exceptions.
- Sanctions and political changes happen fast. While we update monthly, fast-moving political situations can outpace any global dataset. For high-risk destinations, verify with the embassy 48 hours before flying.
For journalists and researchers
We're happy to share aggregated visa-policy data, ranking analyses, or methodology specifics for citation in articles or research. The underlying dataset is open-source, and our processing layer (passport-name normalization, slug resolution, country-name aliases) is documented in our repository.
For data partnerships, anonymized usage statistics, or specific cuts of the data, email admin@travelmaxing.app.