Germany’s interior ministry has formally notified Brussels that the temporary identity checks it re-introduced at all nine of its Schengen land borders – including the busy Alsace, Lorraine and Upper Rhine crossings with France – will run for another six-month cycle, taking them to at least 15 September 2026.
Berlin first reinstated the controls in September 2024, citing record irregular arrivals and people-smuggling networks operating via the Balkans and the Calais–Dunkirk corridor. Figures released with Tuesday’s renewal request show 67,000 unauthorised entries detected and 46,000 people refused since the measure began – numbers the ministry says justify a further extension under Articles 25-27 a of the Schengen Borders Code.
For cross-border commuters and the thousands of French firms that send drivers and technicians into Baden-Württemberg every day, the decision means spot checks, queues and the need to carry passports or cartes de séjour will remain the norm through the summer. Although France already keeps its own “terrorism” controls on all internal borders until 30 April 2026, Paris has so far limited roadside checks on the German frontier. Transport federations warn that asymmetric rules create uncertainty for haulage schedules and posted-worker documentation.
![Germany Extends Land Border Checks With France Until September 15, 2026]()
In this context, travellers may find it useful to lean on specialist assistance: VisaHQ, for example, can verify which documents you need, prepare any required visa or residence-permit paperwork and flag upcoming ETIAS or Entry/Exit System changes. Their dedicated France page (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers quick eligibility checks and real-time Schengen updates, helping both individuals and HR teams avoid last-minute surprises at the border.
Legal experts note that the Schengen Code caps consecutive re-introductions at three years, meaning the German government will need a different legal basis if it wants controls beyond 2027. In the meantime, travellers driving from Strasbourg to Kehl or taking regional trains from Metz to Saarbrücken should build in extra time and be ready to show proof of their right to stay (EU ID, residence permit or a passport correctly observing the 90/180-day rule). Non-EU business visitors should also watch how the forthcoming EU Entry/Exit System will interact with on-the-spot checks once fingerprinting becomes compulsory on 10 April 2026.
For mobility managers, the take-away is clear: keep employees’ travel documents valid, brief posted workers about possible stops, and update posted-worker notifications to reflect potential delays at the border.
Berlin first reinstated the controls in September 2024, citing record irregular arrivals and people-smuggling networks operating via the Balkans and the Calais–Dunkirk corridor. Figures released with Tuesday’s renewal request show 67,000 unauthorised entries detected and 46,000 people refused since the measure began – numbers the ministry says justify a further extension under Articles 25-27 a of the Schengen Borders Code.
For cross-border commuters and the thousands of French firms that send drivers and technicians into Baden-Württemberg every day, the decision means spot checks, queues and the need to carry passports or cartes de séjour will remain the norm through the summer. Although France already keeps its own “terrorism” controls on all internal borders until 30 April 2026, Paris has so far limited roadside checks on the German frontier. Transport federations warn that asymmetric rules create uncertainty for haulage schedules and posted-worker documentation.
In this context, travellers may find it useful to lean on specialist assistance: VisaHQ, for example, can verify which documents you need, prepare any required visa or residence-permit paperwork and flag upcoming ETIAS or Entry/Exit System changes. Their dedicated France page (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers quick eligibility checks and real-time Schengen updates, helping both individuals and HR teams avoid last-minute surprises at the border.
Legal experts note that the Schengen Code caps consecutive re-introductions at three years, meaning the German government will need a different legal basis if it wants controls beyond 2027. In the meantime, travellers driving from Strasbourg to Kehl or taking regional trains from Metz to Saarbrücken should build in extra time and be ready to show proof of their right to stay (EU ID, residence permit or a passport correctly observing the 90/180-day rule). Non-EU business visitors should also watch how the forthcoming EU Entry/Exit System will interact with on-the-spot checks once fingerprinting becomes compulsory on 10 April 2026.
For mobility managers, the take-away is clear: keep employees’ travel documents valid, brief posted workers about possible stops, and update posted-worker notifications to reflect potential delays at the border.
