The German Interior Ministry has formally notified the European Commission that identity checks at all land crossings from France and the country’s other Schengen neighbours will remain in force for another six months beyond 15 March 2026. The decision—confirmed on 19 February by French-language daily The Connexion—extends a regime first imposed in September 2024 amid a spike in irregular migration through the Balkans and the central Mediterranean.
Since the controls were introduced, German police report intercepting more than 67,000 unauthorised entrants and refusing entry to 46,000. At the same time, asylum applications have halved year-on-year, falling to 7,649 in January 2026, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Officials therefore argue that the checks remain “effective and necessary”.
Travellers who need clarity on what documents are required can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/). The platform monitors the latest border policies, assists with visa or residence-permit processing, and offers courier services—helping businesses and individuals minimise delays and avoid costly mistakes at on-the-spot inspections.
![Germany prolongs land-border checks with France until at least 15 September 2026]()
For cross-border commuters and business travellers the extension means that passports or national ID cards must continue to be carried, and non-EU citizens need to keep proof of residence visas ready for random inspection. Logistics firms operating the busy A5 (Basel–Frankfurt) and A35 (Alsace) corridors report average delays of 15–25 minutes per truck during daylight hours—costing an estimated €4 million in lost productivity each month.
Travel managers should brief staff that officials may also ask to verify Schengen-stay limits until the new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes mandatory in April. Airports Council International Europe has warned that coupling EES with land checks could create “double queues” if member states do not coordinate staffing levels.
Although France itself maintains similar measures until at least 30 April 2026, Paris is expected to seek a parallel extension, making a coordinated EU-level solution unlikely before autumn.
Since the controls were introduced, German police report intercepting more than 67,000 unauthorised entrants and refusing entry to 46,000. At the same time, asylum applications have halved year-on-year, falling to 7,649 in January 2026, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Officials therefore argue that the checks remain “effective and necessary”.
Travellers who need clarity on what documents are required can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/). The platform monitors the latest border policies, assists with visa or residence-permit processing, and offers courier services—helping businesses and individuals minimise delays and avoid costly mistakes at on-the-spot inspections.
For cross-border commuters and business travellers the extension means that passports or national ID cards must continue to be carried, and non-EU citizens need to keep proof of residence visas ready for random inspection. Logistics firms operating the busy A5 (Basel–Frankfurt) and A35 (Alsace) corridors report average delays of 15–25 minutes per truck during daylight hours—costing an estimated €4 million in lost productivity each month.
Travel managers should brief staff that officials may also ask to verify Schengen-stay limits until the new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes mandatory in April. Airports Council International Europe has warned that coupling EES with land checks could create “double queues” if member states do not coordinate staffing levels.
Although France itself maintains similar measures until at least 30 April 2026, Paris is expected to seek a parallel extension, making a coordinated EU-level solution unlikely before autumn.
