Poland’s Council of Ministers has signed a regulation that prolongs the country’s temporary Schengen-internal border controls with Germany and Lithuania for another 90 days, shifting the expiry date from 5 January to 4 April 2026. First imposed on 7 July 2025 amid concerns over irregular migration, the regime allows Border Guard officers, police and Territorial Defence troops to stop vehicles, verify identity documents and search cargo at 52 road and rail crossings with Germany and 13 with Lithuania. Officials say the decision follows a year-end spike in so-called “secondary movements” by migrants who initially entered the EU via Belarus or the Baltic states and then attempted to reach Germany through Poland. In 2025 German authorities intercepted almost 2,100 such travellers—numbers Warsaw calls “unsustainable.”(visahq.com)
Business-travel planners are already feeling the impact. Long-distance coaches and corporate shuttles on the Warsaw–Berlin and Warsaw–Vilnius corridors are reporting spot-check delays of 15–25 minutes. Road hauliers moving just-in-time automotive components between Kaunas, Poznań and Leipzig are being told to pre-lodge electronic manifests and build 45-minute buffers into delivery schedules. Air and rail links remain unaffected, but rail passengers must carry biometric ID to speed up random inspections.(visahq.com)
![Poland extends temporary checks on German and Lithuanian borders until 4 April 2026]()
Whether you’re a logistics manager shepherding time-critical freight or an employee dashing across the border for meetings, VisaHQ’s Poland portal can streamline the process. The platform—https://www.visahq.com/poland/—offers fast Schengen visa services, document checks and live updates on any new entry requirements, helping travellers keep delays and compliance risks to a minimum.
Behind the scenes, the Interior Ministry is using the extended window to test new technology. Six border posts now feature automated e-gates linked to the EU Entry/Exit System (EES); customs officers are piloting blockchain-sealed freight containers that alert inspectors if tampered with. If the pilots succeed, the hardware could remain in place even after controls are lifted, permanently reshaping Poland’s intra-EU border management.(visahq.com)
For corporate mobility teams the next 11 weeks will be about communication and contingency. HR managers should update duty-of-care platforms with the new end-date, distribute revised driver briefings that list all currently open crossings, and advise expatriates transiting Germany or Lithuania to travel with a Polish residence card or biometric passport. Supply-chain managers whose factories rely on just-in-sequence deliveries may wish to reroute via Czechia or Slovakia until free movement resumes.(visahq.com)
Business-travel planners are already feeling the impact. Long-distance coaches and corporate shuttles on the Warsaw–Berlin and Warsaw–Vilnius corridors are reporting spot-check delays of 15–25 minutes. Road hauliers moving just-in-time automotive components between Kaunas, Poznań and Leipzig are being told to pre-lodge electronic manifests and build 45-minute buffers into delivery schedules. Air and rail links remain unaffected, but rail passengers must carry biometric ID to speed up random inspections.(visahq.com)
Whether you’re a logistics manager shepherding time-critical freight or an employee dashing across the border for meetings, VisaHQ’s Poland portal can streamline the process. The platform—https://www.visahq.com/poland/—offers fast Schengen visa services, document checks and live updates on any new entry requirements, helping travellers keep delays and compliance risks to a minimum.
Behind the scenes, the Interior Ministry is using the extended window to test new technology. Six border posts now feature automated e-gates linked to the EU Entry/Exit System (EES); customs officers are piloting blockchain-sealed freight containers that alert inspectors if tampered with. If the pilots succeed, the hardware could remain in place even after controls are lifted, permanently reshaping Poland’s intra-EU border management.(visahq.com)
For corporate mobility teams the next 11 weeks will be about communication and contingency. HR managers should update duty-of-care platforms with the new end-date, distribute revised driver briefings that list all currently open crossings, and advise expatriates transiting Germany or Lithuania to travel with a Polish residence card or biometric passport. Supply-chain managers whose factories rely on just-in-sequence deliveries may wish to reroute via Czechia or Slovakia until free movement resumes.(visahq.com)
