Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

A software crash disabled all automated passport e-gates at Brussels Airport from the evening of 6 February until late 7 February, forcing manual checks and creating queues of up to 90 minutes. The episode highlights vulnerabilities in border-automation systems ahead of the EU’s mandatory Entry/Exit System launch next April, signalling that corporate travellers should expect further teething problems and build additional time into itineraries.

India has widened its e-Tourist Visa scheme from 157 to 166 countries, effective 8 February 2026. The fully digital process cuts paperwork and is expected to spur both leisure and corporate travel, offering mobility managers simpler, standardised entry rules.

The Financial Times says the U.S. embassy in London is refusing visas over minor offences previously overlooked, in line with a broader Trump-era ‘catch-and-revoke’ policy. Executives and specialists are being blocked with little explanation, disrupting board meetings and product launches and forcing costly waiver or re-application strategies.

London will now allow adult children of British National (Overseas) passport holders to apply for the BN(O) visa independently, potentially opening the door to 26,000 extra Hongkongers over five years. The step follows the jailing of media tycoon Jimmy Lai and is meant to plug an eligibility gap that split many families. While businesses welcome a deeper talent pool, advocacy groups worry that separate plans to toughen settlement rules could undermine the scheme’s humanitarian intent.

The Home Office has closed the biggest loophole in the BN(O) scheme by allowing adult children of status-holders to apply independently. Roughly 26,000 extra Hongkongers are expected to move to Britain over five years, easing family-splits created by the 2021 launch. While BN(O)s keep the five-year route to settlement, they will still face higher language and income tests, putting pressure on employers and universities to plan support early.

Air Canada has suspended all flights to Cuba after Havana informed airlines that no jet fuel would be available starting February 11. About 3,000 Canadian passengers will be repatriated on empty south-bound flights. The move underscores the fragility of leisure and project travel to Cuba and is expected to raise fares and complicate mobility planning for Canadian firms with interests on the island.

Unions representing train drivers and rail staff began a three-day strike on 9 February, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of commuter, high-speed and freight services across Spain. The walk-out, triggered by recent fatal accidents, highlights long-standing safety and maintenance gaps and is already creating major headaches for business travellers, supply chains and relocated staff who depend on rail mobility.

Brussels’ new strategy will move all Schengen visa applications online, let fingerprints be reused for almost five years and create longer-validity multi-entry visas for trusted travellers. Italy, plagued by long consular queues, is expected to gain the most, easing business-travel friction ahead of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

From 25 February 2026, Aer Lingus will require a passport or Irish passport card on all Republic of Ireland–UK flights, ending acceptance of driving licences and Garda Age Cards. The change aligns the airline with Ryanair and follows pressure from UK Border Force over non-passport arrivals. Irish business travellers and corporate mobility teams must update travel policies and ensure staff carry compliant ID; non-Irish nationals may also need a UK ETA or visa. Although the Common Travel Area remains in force, the practical documentation bar has effectively been raised.

From 5 February 2026, Brazilians flying to Mexico may once again obtain a same-day electronic Visitor Visa instead of a consular sticker, eliminating interviews and courier fees. The move sharply reduces lead-times for corporate trips and signals warmer bilateral ties ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

A two-day national strike by French air-traffic controllers on 8–9 February 2026 has forced airlines to cancel about 180 flights and generated hour-plus delays at multiple airports. The stoppage, driven by a dispute over staffing and control-centre consolidation, particularly affects Paris-Orly and Marseille and lands just as business-travel demand surges for Paris Fashion Week. Companies with travellers in France should reroute via rail or alternative airports and brace for further disruption if negotiations fail.

USCIS will open H-1B FY 2027 registration from March 4-19, 2026—the first cycle using a wage-weighted selection system. Higher prevailing-wage registrations get better odds, registration fees jump to $215, and employers face tight timelines to align wage levels and documentation.