Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Effective 12 January 2026, Germany no longer requires Indian passport holders to obtain an airport-transit visa when connecting through German hubs. The decision removes cost and paperwork, revives India–UK itineraries routed via Frankfurt or Munich, and is expected to boost passenger numbers for Lufthansa, Air India and partner carriers.

The draft International Protection Bill will oblige recognised refugees to wait three years—and prove financial self-sufficiency—before sponsoring close family members. Government says the measure aligns with EU norms and eases pressure on housing; critics warn it risks harming integration and making Ireland less attractive to skilled refugees. Employers should plan for longer single-status postings and monitor any transitional rules.

A brutal Arctic cold wave on 12-13 January forced 26 flight cancellations and 161 delays at Finnish airports, closing Kittilä overnight and severely disrupting schedules at Helsinki-Vantaa. Finnair and KLM passengers faced long delays, while road and rail links also faltered. Corporate mobility managers should expect continuing disruption through mid-week and revisit contingency plans for staff and assignees in northern Finland.

Ireland has published the International Protection Bill 2026, setting a six-month cap on all asylum decisions, creating a new appeals tribunal and embedding EU border-procedure rules. Faster refusals and approvals will reshape accommodation costs and labour-market access, with direct implications for employers who hire protection applicants. The Government wants the Bill enacted by spring so it can meet an EU compliance deadline of 12 June 2026.

As of 1 January 2026, Poland requires all residence-permit applications to be lodged online via the MOS portal and has multiplied government fees by four. The abrupt change is causing operational headaches for HR teams but promises faster processing once bugs are fixed. Mobility managers must update budgets, secure e-signatures and train staff quickly to avoid non-compliance.

Nearly 300,000 foreigners entered China visa-free during the 1–3 January holiday—a 36 % jump year-on-year—thanks to expanded 240-hour transit waivers, new bilateral exemptions and streamlined tax-refund and payment tools. The figures validate Beijing’s push to turn policy liberalisation into seamless customer experience and signal easier short-term mobility for business visitors.

The EU has postponed compulsory ETIAS authorisations until at least April 2027. Spain’s tourism industry and border authorities say the delay will ease pressure while the biometric Entry/Exit System beds in. Businesses gain extra time to update travel policies and booking tools before the €20 permit becomes a pre-boarding requirement.

A snowstorm forced Frankfurt Airport to cancel more than 100 flights on 12 January, snarling global connections for business travellers and cargo. Multinationals activated contingency plans, Deutsche Bahn rerouted high-speed trains and mobility managers warned of knock-on compliance risks with Schengen stay limits. The incident highlights the need for better winter-weather coordination ahead of the EES roll-out.

Freezing rain overnight paralysed roads, rail and air traffic across Czechia on 13 January, forcing Prague Airport to restrict arrivals and prompting authorities to tell the public to stay home. Business travellers faced widespread delays, and mobility teams must anticipate possible visa-overstay issues if further disruptions occur.

Zurich Airport expects about 1,000 extra flights and special late-night operations for the 2026 World Economic Forum. Business-jet slots are almost fully allocated, security measures may close public viewing areas, and travellers should build in extra time. The surge underscores Switzerland’s role as a corporate travel crossroads and signals higher costs and tighter planning requirements for multinationals.

A NOTAM released on 13 January 2026 will close Delhi’s airspace daily from 21–26 January for Republic Day rehearsals, disrupting an estimated 600 flights. Airlines must reschedule operations during peak fog season, and travellers are urged to build extra slack into itineraries.

Freezing rain forced Vienna International Airport to shut down for most of 13 January, cancelling or diverting more than 120 flights and stranding business travellers across Central Europe. The closure also disrupted rail links and highways, underscoring the vulnerability of Austria’s single-hub air system and the need for robust contingency planning by corporate mobility teams.