Air France Grounds Middle-East Routes Until 5 March Amid Regional Airspace Closures
France Deploys Rafale Jets to UAE and Starts Assisted Evacuations of Nationals
French Embassy Shuts Public Counter as VFS Global Halts Schengen Visa Services in Kuwait
Latest News
EU Asylum Applications Fall 19 % in 2025; France Holds Steady at 152 000 Claims
EUAA data published 3 March show EU-wide asylum claims down 19 % in 2025, but France held steady at 152 000. The stable French caseload, coupled with forthcoming accelerated procedures, means prefectural backlogs will persist—affecting corporate immigration timelines.
France Plans Visa-Free Airport Transit Pilot for Indian Nationals
Sherpa°’s March update reveals that France will run a pilot allowing Indian nationals to change planes at CDG and LYS without an Airport Transit Visa. The six-month test, due to launch this summer, aims to win back connecting traffic from rival hubs and speed corporate itineraries. If successful, the model could feed into the EU’s broader visa-code overhaul, underlining France’s push for smarter, risk-based border controls.
Brazil Drops Short-Stay Visa Requirement for French Travellers
Schengen Travel News reports that, effective 24 February and announced on 2 March, Brazil now allows French passport-holders visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days, extendable to 90 days annually. The waiver slashes costs and lead times for French tourists and project teams and is expected to boost bilateral trade and visitor numbers ahead of major sporting events.
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation Now Mandatory for French Visitors
An advisory published 2 March confirms that, as of 25 February 2026, French citizens cannot enter or transit the UK without first obtaining a £16 Electronic Travel Authorisation. The digital permit, valid for two years, adds a new compliance step for post-Brexit business travel and may see its fee rise later this year.
EU Visa Working Party Meets to Debate New Strategy – France Backs Streamlined Business Mobility
An EU Council notice dated 2 March calls member-state experts – including France – to a Visa Working Party meeting to discuss the Commission’s new visa-policy blueprint. Key items include digital Schengen stickers and updated facilitation deals, measures French industry groups say would speed talent mobility but that still face privacy and funding hurdles.