Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that the “temporary” controls re-introduced on almost all German land borders in mid-September will now run until at least 15 March 2026 – the maximum period currently authorised by the European Commission. The extension, published in the Federal Gazette on 22 December, means that motorists, rail passengers and coach operators entering Germany from Austria, Czechia, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland must continue to expect spot checks by the Bundespolizei.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt justified the renewal by pointing to what he called “continued secondary movements and people-smuggling along the Balkan and Central-European routes”. According to ministry data, irregular entries have fallen by 35 % since 16 September and officers have denied entry to more than 7 000 travellers while arresting almost 500 suspected smugglers.
![Germany extends land-border checks until March 2026]()
For those looking for a hassle-free way to keep up with these evolving entry rules, VisaHQ offers a streamlined service that tracks the latest German visa and border-control requirements, prepares applications and provides real-time status updates for both corporate and individual travellers. Mobility managers can lean on its digital dashboard to organise documents, schedule passport pick-ups and ensure staff cross the frontier with the correct paperwork in hand. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
For corporate mobility managers the decision translates into at least three more months of administrative friction. Logistics associations warn that a mere five-minute delay per truck adds roughly €4 million in costs to cross-border supply chains every month, while employee shuttles between German and Polish factories now schedule buffer time and carry letters explaining the business purpose of each trip.
Practical tips remain straightforward: travellers should carry a valid passport or EU ID card, allow extra travel time and keep hotel bookings, work contracts or invitation letters to hand. Companies moving staff frequently across the border can apply for Federal Police “Frequent Traveller” cards that permit use of designated fast-track lanes.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt justified the renewal by pointing to what he called “continued secondary movements and people-smuggling along the Balkan and Central-European routes”. According to ministry data, irregular entries have fallen by 35 % since 16 September and officers have denied entry to more than 7 000 travellers while arresting almost 500 suspected smugglers.
For those looking for a hassle-free way to keep up with these evolving entry rules, VisaHQ offers a streamlined service that tracks the latest German visa and border-control requirements, prepares applications and provides real-time status updates for both corporate and individual travellers. Mobility managers can lean on its digital dashboard to organise documents, schedule passport pick-ups and ensure staff cross the frontier with the correct paperwork in hand. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
For corporate mobility managers the decision translates into at least three more months of administrative friction. Logistics associations warn that a mere five-minute delay per truck adds roughly €4 million in costs to cross-border supply chains every month, while employee shuttles between German and Polish factories now schedule buffer time and carry letters explaining the business purpose of each trip.
Practical tips remain straightforward: travellers should carry a valid passport or EU ID card, allow extra travel time and keep hotel bookings, work contracts or invitation letters to hand. Companies moving staff frequently across the border can apply for Federal Police “Frequent Traveller” cards that permit use of designated fast-track lanes.
