China Confirms 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for British Citizens
Spain to Regularise 500,000 Undocumented Migrants in 2026
UK Home Office confirms full switch to digital visas and ETA enforcement from 25 February 2026
Latest News
Italian visa processing worldwide to pause 12–18 February for VIS-IT system upgrade
Italian missions on five continents have confirmed that the national visa database (VIS-IT) will be offline 12–18 February, forcing a worldwide freeze on Italian visa lodgement and issuance. Business-critical travellers must apply before 9 February or face delays of at least a week once processing resumes, while companies should brace for knock-on effects to February trade-fair travel and Olympic test events.
PARAFE e-gate glitch keeps UK & US residents in manual queues until summer
Technical upgrades to PARAFE e-gates are running late, meaning Britons covered by the Brexit deal and US residents must continue using staffed passport booths at French airports. The workaround is unlikely before summer, lengthening border-crossing times for assignees and frequent travellers.
EU gives France leeway to pause biometric border checks, easing EES roll-out pressure
Brussels will let France and other Schengen states pause EES biometric enrolment for up to 90 days after 10 April, with an optional 60-day extension, to prevent summer bottlenecks. The move means border processing at French airports, ports and Eurotunnel sites will oscillate between manual stamping and kiosk use until at least September, giving companies more time to prepare travellers.
USCIS Sets March 4 Opening for FY 2027 H-1B Cap Registration, Introduces Weighted Lottery and $215 Fee
USCIS will open the FY 2027 H-1B electronic registration window from March 4-19, 2026, require a $215 fee per beneficiary, and run a wage-weighted lottery that gives higher-paid roles better odds. Employers must gather detailed job data, review wage levels and budget for higher costs. The policy shifts cap-season strategy for large users of H-1B talent and favours employers willing to pay above-market wages.
Mexico Launches 48-Hour e-Visa for Brazilians, Replacing Consular Stickers
Effective 5 February 2026, Mexico replaces its paper visa with a 48-hour electronic authorisation for Brazilians. The fully-online process slashes costs and lead times for leisure and business trips and is expected to revive a market that shrank after physical visas were reinstated in 2022.
EU pushes full biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout to September 2026, giving Swiss airports breathing space
The EU has postponed the mandatory, 100 % use of its biometric Entry/Exit System from 10 April to September 2026. Because Switzerland is a Schengen-associated state, the decision removes the risk of peak-season chaos at Zurich, Geneva and Basel airports and gives authorities time to expand kiosk capacity and refine procedures. Companies should still plan for voluntary enrolment and build short buffers into travel schedules.
€20 ETIAS fee confirmed for visa-exempt travellers entering Schengen from late-2026
The EU has set the ETIAS fee at €20, confirming the last major unknown of the new electronic travel authorisation that short-stay visitors to Austria and the wider Schengen area will need from late-2026. Austrian employers and travel managers must revise budgets and booking workflows, while Vienna Airport and airlines can complete IT integrations. The announcement kick-starts a 20-month countdown before ETIAS becomes compulsory once the Entry/Exit System is live.
Parliamentary hearing backs faster recognition of foreign-trained doctors, dentists and pharmacists
Germany’s Health Committee held a 4 February hearing on a bill that would create a nationwide digital process for recognising foreign medical qualifications. Experts praised the proposal as a way to trim months off hiring timelines and ease acute staffing gaps, while warning that quality controls and a central exam register are still needed. If passed this spring, hospitals could start onboarding international doctors and pharmacists far more quickly from July 2026 onward, a change with major cost and scheduling implications for corporate healthcare networks.
€20 ETIAS Fee Confirmed for Visa-Exempt Travellers Entering Cyprus and the Schengen Area
The EU has set a €20 fee for the ETIAS travel authorisation that all visa-exempt visitors—including those heading to Cyprus—will need from late-2026. Applications will be done online, linked to passports for three years, and checked automatically before boarding. Mobility teams must budget for the fee and potential processing delays, while Cyprus’ tourism sector plans an information drive to avoid last-minute travel disruptions.
Dubai Secures Boring Company Deal to Build High-Speed ‘Dubai Loop’ Tunnel Network
RTA and The Boring Company have inked a landmark deal to build the Dubai Loop, a 22-km underground tunnel system that will move passengers between key business districts in minutes. Phase 1 starts this year and could cut downtown traffic by 20 %. The project strengthens Dubai’s bid to remain the Gulf’s premier meetings and logistics hub and opens new partnership opportunities for mobility suppliers.
‘No permission, no travel’: Home Office launches global media blitz ahead of ETA enforcement
The Home Office has begun a global publicity drive hammering home that from 25 February travellers without a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation will be turned away at the gate. Airlines and employers must integrate the ETA check into boarding and booking systems to avoid last-minute refusals.
Ireland Extends Travel Confirmation Notice, Letting Non-EEA Residents Fly on Recently-Expired IRP Cards Until 28 February
ISD has prolonged the Travel Confirmation Notice until 28 February 2026, allowing non-EEA residents with expired IRP cards to travel if they filed a timely renewal. The move eases pressure on assignees, students and family members affected by registration backlogs but requires strict document checks at departure and return. Employers should audit travel plans now to avoid workers being stranded after the cut-off date.
Air New Zealand strike to disrupt long-haul services, prompts contingency planning for Australia-bound business travellers
Air New Zealand has confirmed two days of cabin-crew strike action (12–13 Feb 2026), forcing long-haul flight cancellations and triggering schedule adjustments on Tasman routes. Thousands of Australia-ticketed passengers could be affected, and TMCs are activating contingency plans. The dispute underscores the need for corporates to maintain flexible travel policies and real-time monitoring of regional industrial relations.