Global immigration firm Fragomen issued an alert on 3 December summarising the latest extensions of internal border controls across the Schengen Area. Nine countries—including France, Germany and the Netherlands—have now notified Brussels that checks will run into mid-2026 citing migration or security concerns. Austria’s controls remain in place at least until the end of 2025.
While Belgium currently refrains from systematic controls, the alert warns Belgian residents driving through neighbouring states to carry passports or ID cards and to track their 90/180-day allowances if they are non-EU nationals. The notice is timely for Belgian winter-holiday traffic heading to ski resorts via Germany or France, where roadside checks may cause delays.
![Fragomen alert maps extended Schengen border checks and what Belgian travellers must carry]()
For companies managing Belgian assignees on short-term contracts, the revived controls mean extra record-keeping. HR teams should ensure posted workers travel with A1 and LIMOSA documents and consider margin days in project schedules. Fragomen also reminds visa-exempt third-country staff based in Belgium that time spent in France during internal controls still counts toward their overall Schengen stay.
The update highlights the tension between national security measures and free movement, reinforcing Belgian stakeholders’ calls for a harmonised EU approach rather than a patchwork of unilateral extensions.
While Belgium currently refrains from systematic controls, the alert warns Belgian residents driving through neighbouring states to carry passports or ID cards and to track their 90/180-day allowances if they are non-EU nationals. The notice is timely for Belgian winter-holiday traffic heading to ski resorts via Germany or France, where roadside checks may cause delays.
For companies managing Belgian assignees on short-term contracts, the revived controls mean extra record-keeping. HR teams should ensure posted workers travel with A1 and LIMOSA documents and consider margin days in project schedules. Fragomen also reminds visa-exempt third-country staff based in Belgium that time spent in France during internal controls still counts toward their overall Schengen stay.
The update highlights the tension between national security measures and free movement, reinforcing Belgian stakeholders’ calls for a harmonised EU approach rather than a patchwork of unilateral extensions.
