Germany Extends Internal Schengen Border Checks Through March 2026
State Department admits visa-appointment backlog could stretch a year, prompting corporate travel freezes
Air-Traffic Controller Strike Shuts Three Southern France Airports Ahead of Holiday Rush
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India suspends visa services in Chittagong as Bangladesh unrest intensifies
India has indefinitely closed its visa application centre in Chittagong after protests linked to political unrest. The move halts processing of roughly 1,400 daily visas, disrupting Bangladeshi medical, business and leisure travel to India and complicating Indian corporate mobility into the port city. Companies should expect a multi-week interruption and shift applications to Dhaka or defer travel.
China’s 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Drives 27 % Jump in Foreign Arrivals
New NIA statistics show foreign entries rose 27 % in the past year, with more than half of the growth driven by China’s 10-day visa-free transit programme. The policy, in effect since December 2024, now covers 55 countries and 65 ports and is helping multinationals schedule longer, multi-city China trips without a visa.
EES Meltdown Triggers Three-Hour Queues at Prague Airport on Christmas Peak Weekend
A system crash of the EU’s Entry/Exit System left non-EU passengers in three-hour passport lines at Prague Airport on 19 December, causing missed connections and flight delays. With the biometric programme becoming mandatory across Schengen in April 2026, airlines and ACI Europe warn Czech authorities that further glitches could force airports to suspend the rollout over the holiday peak. Businesses should add 90 minutes to normal airport arrival times and review itineraries that connect via Prague.
Biometric Bottlenecks: EU Entry/Exit System Triggers Holiday Queues at Helsinki Airport
ACI Europe warns that the EU Entry/Exit System is adding up to 55 minutes to border processing at Helsinki-Vantaa. Finavia urges non-EU passengers to arrive three hours early and is installing overflow biometric zones ahead of the Lapland charter rush. Business-travel programmes must build in longer connection buffers and brief UK staff on one-time biometric registration requirements.
Brazil locks in 2026 e-Visa, VAT and tourist-tax overhaul for 30+ nationalities
From 1 January 2026 Brazil will require e-Visas for travellers from the US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, France, Argentina and two dozen other countries and will introduce a dual-VAT regime plus new local tourist taxes. The combined measures will lengthen pre-trip lead times and raise on-the-ground costs by an estimated 8-10 %. Corporate travel and mobility teams need to adjust budgets, itineraries and visa-processing workflows now to avoid compliance gaps.
Italy extends internal border checks with Slovenia until June 2026
Rome has prolonged passport checks on the Italian–Slovenian land frontier until 18 June 2026, citing security and migration pressures. The move means continued random inspections on road and rail traffic, with potential delays for freight and cross-border commuters. Corporates should ensure travellers carry full ID and plan for further renewals.
White House prepares billion-dollar surge for ICE and Border Patrol as 2026 deportation drive looms
Reuters reports that President Trump will use a $170 billion budget windfall to expand workplace raids, detention beds and data-driven immigrant tracking in 2026, even as public backlash grows and business leaders warn of economic fallout.
Dense fog grounds flights across North India; airlines activate contingency plans
Thick winter fog blanketed Delhi and other northern airports on 21 December, cancelling 110+ flights and delaying hundreds more. IndiGo and Air India activated passenger advisories and flexible re-booking schemes, while Delhi airport ran low-visibility procedures. The disruption highlights the need for flexible travel planning and alternative routing for business travellers during India’s fog season.
Permanent Residence Now Requires Six Years and A2 Language Level in Finland
Effective 17 December, applicants for Finland’s P-EU permanent-residence permit need six years of legal stay and an A2-level language certificate. The change forces companies to extend assignment timelines, invest in language training and fast-track staff who have already passed the previous four-year threshold.
Finland Switches to All-Digital Citizenship Applications and Raises Eligibility Bar
Finland’s overhauled Citizenship Act went live on 17 December, making online filing mandatory and extending the residence requirement to six years. Higher income and language thresholds mean employers must adjust talent-retention plans and help assignees navigate a fully digital process.
Cyprus Police Arrest 31 Undocumented Migrants in Nationwide Sweep
The Aliens and Immigration Service arrested 31 undocumented third-country nationals during coordinated raids in all four southern districts on 21 December. The action brings 2025 repatriations to 11,500—already exceeding last year’s total—and highlights Cyprus’s tougher stance on illegal employment and overstays, with significant compliance implications for employers and mobility managers.