Schengen Border Checks: Current Status – Europe 2024
- The Schengen area, a zone guaranteeing free movement for millions of EU citizens, residents, and visitors, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
- the Schengen agreement, initially signed by five countries, aimed to gradually abolish internal border checks.Today, it encompasses 25 of the 27 EU member states, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein,...
- Covering over 4.5 million square kilometers with a population of nearly 450 million, the Schengen area sees approximately 3.5 million people crossing internal borders daily for work, study,...
The Schengen Area, celebrating its 40th year of free movement, faces renewed scrutiny as several countries have temporarily reinstated border checks. This means potential travel disruptions for millions navigating the zone. Recent developments cite concerns over security, including threats of terrorism, irregular migration, and major events. Explore which nations currently impose these temporary measures and the specific reasons behind them, from Spain’s precautions for a major conference to Italy’s vigilance related to potential terrorist infiltration and the upcoming Universal Jubilee. Border controls are a last resort, but they can significantly impact travel plans. News Directory 3 provides a thorough breakdown of current checks, including their duration and affected borders. Understand the latest updates and be prepared with identification. Discover what’s next for travelers within the Schengen area.
schengen Area: Which Countries Have Reinstated Border Checks?
Updated June 14, 2025
The Schengen area, a zone guaranteeing free movement for millions of EU citizens, residents, and visitors, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. However, several member states have reimposed border controls, raising questions for travelers.
the Schengen agreement, initially signed by five countries, aimed to gradually abolish internal border checks.Today, it encompasses 25 of the 27 EU member states, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Covering over 4.5 million square kilometers with a population of nearly 450 million, the Schengen area sees approximately 3.5 million people crossing internal borders daily for work, study, or leisure. Almost 1.7 million residents live in one Schengen country while working in another.
The Schengen Borders Code allows for the temporary reinstatement of internal border checks when a “serious threat to public policy or internal security” exists. This can range from major sporting events to potential terrorist attacks.
These checks should be a “last resort,” limited to the period “strictly necessary,” and not exceed six months. In exceptional cases,controls can be reintroduced for a maximum of two years.
Several countries have reintroduced temporary border controls in recent years. Here’s a breakdown of which countries currently have checks in place and their stated reasons,according to the European Commission:
| Country | Dates | Reason | Affected Borders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | June 27,2025 – July 5,2025 | IV United National International Conference on Financing for development in Sevilla. | Land borders with France and Portugal; internal air borders of Alicante, Almería, barcelona, Bilbao, Girona, Granada, Madrid, Málaga, Murcia, Sevilla and Valencia; internal maritime borders of Barcelona, Málaga and Palma de Mallorca. |
| Italy | June 19, 2025 – December 18, 2025 | Threat of terrorist infiltrations, crises in the Middle East and Ukraine, irregular migration, and security risks associated with the Universal Jubilee of the Catholic Church. | land borders with Slovenia. |
| Italy | December 19, 2024 – June 18, 2025 | Threat of terrorist infiltrations, crises in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, increasing migratory pressures, risk of violent actions against Israeli citizens, and security risks associated with the Universal Jubilee of the Catholic Church. | Land borders with Slovenia. |
| Austria | may 12, 2025 – November 11, 2025 | High levels of irregular migration, strain on the asylum system, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the security situation in the Middle East. | Land borders with Hungary and Slovenia. |
| Austria | April 16, 2025 – October 15, 2025 | Threats associated with irregular migration, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the security situation in the Middle East. | Land borders with Slovakia and Czechia. |
| Denmark | May 12, 2025 – November 11, 2025 | Serious threats to public policy and internal security posed by possible sabotage actions from Russia, and also continuous terrorism-related events and organised crime. | Land and sea borders with Germany (may extend to all internal borders). |
| Norway | May 12, 2025 – November 11, 2025 | General threat aimed at the energy sector, threats of sabotage posed by the Russian intelligence service, as well as to increase infrastructure protection. | Ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area. |
| Sweden | May 12, 2025 – November 11, 2025 | serious threats to public policy and internal security arise from organised cross-border crime and terrorism. | All internal borders (land, air, and sea) and land borders with Denmark. |
| France | May 1, 2025 – October 31, 2025 | Serious threats to public policy, public order, and internal security posed by persistent jihadist threats, a rise in antisemitic attacks, the growing criminal networks facilitating irregular migration and smuggling, and irregular migration flows. | all internal borders (land,air,and sea) with Belgium,Germany,Luxembourg,the Swiss Confederation,Spain,and Italy. |
| Germany | March 16, 2025 – September 15, 2025 | Serious threats to public security and order posed by continued high levels of irregular migration and migrant smuggling. | Land borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, and Poland. |
| Slovenia | June 22, 2025 – December 21, 2025 | Serious threats to public policy and internal security posed by a high level of terrorist threats and organised crime. | Land borders with Croatia and Hungary. |
| The Netherlands | June 9, 2025 – December 8, 2025 | serious threat to public policy caused by high levels of asylum applications, irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and secondary movements. | Land and air borders with Belgium and Germany. |
| Bulgaria | January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025 | Security risks related to illegal migration, including smuggling activities, and also migratory pressure caused by ongoing crises in the Middle East and Africa. | Land borders with Romania. |
| Slovenia | December 22, 2024 – June 21, 2025 | Serious threats to public policy and internal security posed by continuous terrorism-related events and organised crime. | Land borders with Croatia and Hungary. |
What’s next
Travelers within the schengen area should be aware of these temporary border controls and be prepared to present identification if requested. Its advisable to check the latest information from relevant authorities before traveling.