The Brussels Times reported on 21 December 2025 that small-boat arrivals on England’s south-east coast have climbed to 41,455 this year after another 800 people left launches along the French and Belgian coast overnight. While most embarkation points remain in the Calais–Dunkirk area, Belgian federal police confirm an uptick in launches from Nieuwpoort and De Panne, prompting calls for extra maritime surveillance resources.
For Belgium, the surge is more than a humanitarian headline. Logistics flows through Zeebrugge ferry port have experienced intermittent delays as UK Border Force conducts enhanced vehicle searches to intercept clandestine passengers. Transport federation Febetra estimates that waiting times for unaccompanied freight units have increased by 15 % since September, costing hauliers up to €2 million in additional driver hours.
Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor told VRT that Brussels is negotiating a trilateral operational plan with London and Paris to deploy joint coastal patrols and drone surveillance in early 2026. The proposal would share intelligence, fund additional Belgian maritime police hiring and accelerate returns of migrants whose asylum claims are deemed inadmissible under UK legislation.
![Channel crossings exceed 41,000 in 2025 as Brussels pushes for tighter joint patrols]()
For travellers who do need to cross the Channel legitimately—whether lorry drivers, seasonal workers or executives on short-term assignments—VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. The online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) provides step-by-step visa guidance, document checking and real-time status tracking, helping companies and individuals stay compliant amid the evolving border controls.
NGOs, however, argue that enforcement-only fixes are insufficient. Médecins Sans Frontières’ Brussels office warns that harsher policing merely pushes smugglers to riskier routes. The organisation advocates for expanded humanitarian visas and legal work pathways—an idea gaining traction among Belgian agricultural lobbies faced with chronic labour shortages.
Corporations moving staff between Belgium and the UK should prepare for tighter vehicle checks at Dover and Eurotunnel, carry proof-of-employment letters for drivers and factor in extra transit time around the New Year peak. Compliance teams are also advised to track evolving UK asylum rules, which could change how long-term secondments are scrutinised at the border.
For Belgium, the surge is more than a humanitarian headline. Logistics flows through Zeebrugge ferry port have experienced intermittent delays as UK Border Force conducts enhanced vehicle searches to intercept clandestine passengers. Transport federation Febetra estimates that waiting times for unaccompanied freight units have increased by 15 % since September, costing hauliers up to €2 million in additional driver hours.
Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor told VRT that Brussels is negotiating a trilateral operational plan with London and Paris to deploy joint coastal patrols and drone surveillance in early 2026. The proposal would share intelligence, fund additional Belgian maritime police hiring and accelerate returns of migrants whose asylum claims are deemed inadmissible under UK legislation.
For travellers who do need to cross the Channel legitimately—whether lorry drivers, seasonal workers or executives on short-term assignments—VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. The online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) provides step-by-step visa guidance, document checking and real-time status tracking, helping companies and individuals stay compliant amid the evolving border controls.
NGOs, however, argue that enforcement-only fixes are insufficient. Médecins Sans Frontières’ Brussels office warns that harsher policing merely pushes smugglers to riskier routes. The organisation advocates for expanded humanitarian visas and legal work pathways—an idea gaining traction among Belgian agricultural lobbies faced with chronic labour shortages.
Corporations moving staff between Belgium and the UK should prepare for tighter vehicle checks at Dover and Eurotunnel, carry proof-of-employment letters for drivers and factor in extra transit time around the New Year peak. Compliance teams are also advised to track evolving UK asylum rules, which could change how long-term secondments are scrutinised at the border.
