FLASH NEWSSchengen Internal Border Checks: Which Countries Have Them

Schengen Internal Border Checks: Which Countries and What to Carry

The Schengen Area was built on free movement between member states, but several countries have reintroduced temporary checks at their internal borders, citing migration pressure and security concerns. EU rules allow this only in exceptional circumstances, and the controls are meant to be time-limited and proportionate. In June 2026 the European Commission issued opinions on the controls maintained by nine countries: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden.

How the rules work

A country that wants to reintroduce checks must notify the Commission and the other member states. Under the Schengen Borders Code, controls are normally set for periods of up to six months, and the code limits how long they can be extended in total. Because of this, you will see the same checks announced again in short, renewable periods rather than ending outright. The checks are separate from the entry checks you face when arriving from outside Schengen.

Where checks apply

These are the controls and end dates reported for autumn 2026. Several of these dates fall within weeks, and extensions are common, so confirm the current notification before you travel.

Italy and Spain also began reciprocal checks in August 2026 after a large migrant influx into Ceuta. The Netherlands’ controls on borders with Belgium and Germany were set to run to 30 September 2026, and Slovenia is also among the countries the Commission reviewed.

What it means for travellers

• Carry your passport and the visa or residence document that allows you to be in the Schengen Area, even for short hops by road or rail. Emirati citizens travel visa-free for short stays, while other nationalities living in the UAE need to check whether they require a Schengen visa.
• Allow extra time at land crossings and on international trains through the countries above, since checks can be carried out without advance notice.
• Expect checks to range from a quick look at documents to a full stop, and to differ day by day and crossing by crossing. Airports, ferry ports and motorway crossings are common places for them.
• Keep your hotel booking and return or onward ticket handy, as officers may ask about your plans.
• Your 90-day limit still applies across the whole Schengen Area, however many internal borders you cross. See our EES guide for UAE travellers for how the entry system tracks your days.

The Commission is pressing for tighter, clearer limits on renewals, but a binding phase-out has not been announced, so plan on checks continuing wherever notifications are still in force.