Vienna has prolonged temporary passport controls at its land borders with Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia until 15 June 2026, according to a European Commission notice dated 7 January. The derogation from normal Schengen free-movement rules, first reintroduced on 16 December 2025, can be renewed in six-month blocks. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
The Interior Ministry cites sustained irregular migration on the Western Balkan route, limited reception-centre capacity and a heightened terror-threat level linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Logistics firms already report freight queues of up to 45 minutes at crossings such as Nickelsdorf (HU) and Spielfeld (SI), eroding driver rest windows and increasing costs. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
![Austria extends internal Schengen border checks to 15 June 2026]()
For travellers and corporates needing clarity on the shifting entry landscape, VisaHQ provides real-time updates and end-to-end assistance with Austrian travel documents, including Schengen visas and the new Frontier-Worker Permit. The dedicated country page (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) lets users verify requirements, submit applications online and set up alerts so that teams remain compliant despite the extended border checks.
Business travellers face longer coach and rail journeys, and officers increasingly ask for hotel bookings or proof of employment in addition to passports. EU citizens may still use e-gates at airports, but spot checks on Vienna–Bratislava and Vienna–Prague routes have intensified. Employers with frontier workers should ensure staff carry Austria’s new Frontier-Worker Permit, launched in December 2025. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
Mobility managers should circulate updated travel protocols, store A1 certificates digitally for on-the-spot inspections and budget for possible overnight accommodation if delays push duty-drivers over statutory rest limits. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
The Interior Ministry cites sustained irregular migration on the Western Balkan route, limited reception-centre capacity and a heightened terror-threat level linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Logistics firms already report freight queues of up to 45 minutes at crossings such as Nickelsdorf (HU) and Spielfeld (SI), eroding driver rest windows and increasing costs. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
For travellers and corporates needing clarity on the shifting entry landscape, VisaHQ provides real-time updates and end-to-end assistance with Austrian travel documents, including Schengen visas and the new Frontier-Worker Permit. The dedicated country page (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) lets users verify requirements, submit applications online and set up alerts so that teams remain compliant despite the extended border checks.
Business travellers face longer coach and rail journeys, and officers increasingly ask for hotel bookings or proof of employment in addition to passports. EU citizens may still use e-gates at airports, but spot checks on Vienna–Bratislava and Vienna–Prague routes have intensified. Employers with frontier workers should ensure staff carry Austria’s new Frontier-Worker Permit, launched in December 2025. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
Mobility managers should circulate updated travel protocols, store A1 certificates digitally for on-the-spot inspections and budget for possible overnight accommodation if delays push duty-drivers over statutory rest limits. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-10/at/austria-prolongs-internal-schengen-border-checks-to-15-june-2026/))
