How I built a self-updating visa database from 13,507 passport-destination pairs
For 12 years I handled international onboarding at a company that shipped hardware to 90+ countries. Every month someone asked me the same thing: "Do we need a visa for our engineer going to Brazil? What about the client in Singapore on an Indian passport?" And every month I'd open five tabs, cross-reference three outdated travel sites, and still guess wrong on stay limits. So instead of Googling…
For over a decade, the author managed international onboarding at a hardware shipping company. Travelers frequently asked if visas were required for entry into specific countries. The author decided to build a database with 13,507 passport-to-destination pairs to solve this problem. Visa rules are complex, with different entry requirements based on the passport holder's nationality.
The dataset includes visa-free entry limits, eTA/ESTA requirements, eVisa availability, and visa-required flags with application portal links. The dataset is updated regularly using a policy-monitoring script that monitors US Federal Register and government visa-policy sources. The author wrapped the dataset in a public lookup tool to make it user-friendly, and it is available in English and Spanish.
The dataset is open and machine-readable, ready for use by travel platforms, researchers, or anyone needing visa information. However, the author emphasizes that the dataset is not a substitute for consulting the destination embassy or consulate before traveling, as visa rules can change rapidly and details may vary by nationality.
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