Germany’s intensified border regime produced immediate enforcement results overnight as officers from the Ebersbach division of the Bundespolizei intercepted three unauthorised entrants at the Zittau crossing with Poland on 16 February. A Senegalese truck driver carrying only a mobile-phone image of his passport was stopped on the B178n at 15:00. Little more than an hour later agents boarded a long-distance coach and discovered two Ukrainian nationals—aged 19 and 23—without valid residence permits who were attempting to transit Germany en route to Denmark. All individuals were refused entry and returned to Poland; criminal proceedings under the Residence Act have been opened.
The incident underscores how Germany’s newly extended internal controls (now valid until at least September) have shifted resources to secondary crossings in Saxony, a region long used by smugglers to skirt the main A4 motorway checkpoints. Logistics companies with Polish-licensed drivers should note that electronic copies of ID are insufficient: physical, original documents remain mandatory.
![Federal Police Thwart Multiple Illegal Entries at Zittau Border Checkpoint]()
For corporate mobility teams the message is clear—third-country contractors entering Germany by road must carry hard-copy passports, appropriate visas or EU residence cards, and proof of assignment. Failure to do so can trigger immediate refusal and jeopardise project timelines.
To navigate these tightened requirements, travellers and employers can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which provides up-to-date information on German entry rules and facilitates end-to-end visa processing, including courier collection of passports. Visit https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for document checklists, application guidance and personalised support that helps minimise the risk of border delays.
The Bundespolizei says it will maintain high-visibility patrols during the winter school-holiday period, traditionally a time of increased coach traffic. Employers should brief travellers accordingly and build extra lead-time into cross-border schedules.
The incident underscores how Germany’s newly extended internal controls (now valid until at least September) have shifted resources to secondary crossings in Saxony, a region long used by smugglers to skirt the main A4 motorway checkpoints. Logistics companies with Polish-licensed drivers should note that electronic copies of ID are insufficient: physical, original documents remain mandatory.
For corporate mobility teams the message is clear—third-country contractors entering Germany by road must carry hard-copy passports, appropriate visas or EU residence cards, and proof of assignment. Failure to do so can trigger immediate refusal and jeopardise project timelines.
To navigate these tightened requirements, travellers and employers can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which provides up-to-date information on German entry rules and facilitates end-to-end visa processing, including courier collection of passports. Visit https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for document checklists, application guidance and personalised support that helps minimise the risk of border delays.
The Bundespolizei says it will maintain high-visibility patrols during the winter school-holiday period, traditionally a time of increased coach traffic. Employers should brief travellers accordingly and build extra lead-time into cross-border schedules.
