Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

An IT crash in the French border-control system at Dover on 20 December caused multi-hour delays for tens of thousands of ferry passengers at the start of the Christmas getaway. Manual passport stamping slashed booth throughput, forcing operators to hold vehicles outside the port and prompting some businesses to reroute staff. The disruption underscores vulnerability in Franco-British juxtaposed controls just 12 months before mandatory biometric EES checks come online.

From 1 January 2026 Brazil will: (1) require electronic visas for citizens of the U.S., Canada, Australia, Mexico, France, Argentina and others; (2) introduce a dual-VAT system that raises service prices; and (3) allow coastal cities to levy new tourist taxes. The measures will increase trip costs and add administrative steps for business travellers, so companies need to adjust budgets and visa-planning timelines now.

An internal memo seen by Reuters shows Google urging employees on H-1B and other U.S. visas—many of them Indian—to cancel overseas trips because visa-stamp appointments at U.S. consulates can take up to 12 months. The advice reflects broader U.S. policy tightening and poses major scheduling and cost challenges for India-centric tech teams.

ACI EUROPE has asked the Commission to freeze the EES roll-out after some travellers queued three hours at Schengen borders. Brussels Airport remains relatively smooth but is hiring extra staff as a precaution. Mobility managers should warn non-EU travellers to allow an extra hour at Belgian airports and monitor for a possible EU decision in early January.

From 17 December 2025, Finnish citizenship applications must be filed entirely online, and applicants now need six years’ legal residence plus proof of sustainable earned income. The overhaul promises faster processing but imposes higher thresholds, forcing employers to rethink retention plans and applicants to master a fully digital workflow.

An IT failure at French border control cut vehicle processing capacity at Dover on 20 December, producing queues of up to an hour just as the Christmas getaway peaked. Ferry operators re-booked delayed passengers but logistics firms warned of wider supply-chain knock-ons. Mobility teams should build extra buffer time into cross-Channel itineraries and monitor future EES roll-outs.

A 24-hour walk-out by SNCTA air-traffic controllers shut three airports in southern France on 18-19 December, with ripple effects still disrupting flights on 20 December. Grounded services and sector caps forced travellers, exporters and HR teams to re-route plans, illustrating the growing mobility risk posed by France’s frequent ATC strikes.

Austria’s parliament has prolonged the suspension of refugee family-reunification rights to 2 July 2026, citing pressure on public services. The freeze eases short-term housing demand but complicates talent retention for sectors that employ recognised refugees. Corporate mobility teams should plan for continued separation risks and tougher visa scrutiny.

A once-in-a-decade rainstorm flooded major UAE cities on 20 December, forcing flight cancellations, snarling road traffic and disrupting visa-processing appointments. Multinational employers activated remote-work and travel-waiver policies, highlighting the need for stronger weather-contingency planning in the Gulf’s principal mobility hub.

Google has told employees holding U.S. work visas not to leave the country because stamping appointments at American embassies are backed up as much as 12 months. The backlog follows new vetting rules and a $100,000 H-1B fee introduced by the Trump administration. Tech companies fear key talent could be trapped abroad, disrupting projects and payroll compliance. Employers are beefing up pre-travel screening and lobbying for domestic visa revalidation to avoid future upheaval.

Finland has raised the bar for permanent residence: six straight years of legal stay plus an A2 language exam are now required. The change aligns the integration timeline with new citizenship rules but forces companies and assignees to lengthen stay plans and invest in language training.

A dense-fog spell on 20 December forced the cancellation of more than 100 flights and delayed hundreds more at Delhi IGI and other North-Indian airports. IndiGo and Air India rolled out passenger-waiver schemes, while the Airports Authority deployed facilitation teams. The disruption highlights winter operational risks for business travellers and the need for robust back-up plans.