Less than two weeks before the current mandate was due to expire, Germany has notified the European Commission that it will prolong stationary controls at all nine of its land borders for another six months, until 15 September 2026. The measure, first introduced in September 2024 in response to a sharp rise in unauthorised entries, was officially published on 20 February after consultation with neighbouring states. (connexionfrance.com)
Under the Schengen Borders Code, internal checks can only be re-instated temporarily and in exceptional circumstances. Berlin argues that the step remains necessary to curb people-smuggling and organised crime. Federal Police data show 67,000 irregular crossings were detected at controlled checkpoints between September 2024 and December 2025, with 46,000 persons refused entry. Asylum applications have meanwhile fallen by almost 50 percent year-on-year. (connexionfrance.com)
The extension covers crossings from France, Austria, Czechia, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland. While checks are random and risk-based, freight forwarders report average border-wait increases of 15–30 minutes on core trans-European corridors, prompting logistics associations to recalibrate delivery schedules and suggest earlier cut-off times to customers.
![Berlin extends internal Schengen border checks until mid-September 2026]()
For companies and private travelers seeking certainty on documentation requirements during these heightened checks, VisaHQ’s online platform provides real-time guidance and visa facilitation services tailored to Germany: https://www.visahq.com/germany/ The service can pre-screen paperwork, alert users to potential compliance gaps, and coordinate any necessary visas for non-EU staff, smoothing journeys even as internal borders tighten.
Business travellers should budget extra time, carry passports even on intra-Schengen trips, and be prepared for on-the-spot questions about itinerary and accommodation. Carriers operating international coach or rail services must continue to transmit passenger manifests in advance. Airlines using regional airports close to the frontier—such as Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden—also see spot controls on inbound flights from Schengen neighbours.
EU officials privately admit the repeated renewals test the limits of Schengen rules but concede that a formal infringement procedure is politically unlikely while migration remains a top EU agenda item. For mobility managers, the practical takeaway is clear: employee travel between Germany and its neighbours remains fluid but no longer friction-free.
Under the Schengen Borders Code, internal checks can only be re-instated temporarily and in exceptional circumstances. Berlin argues that the step remains necessary to curb people-smuggling and organised crime. Federal Police data show 67,000 irregular crossings were detected at controlled checkpoints between September 2024 and December 2025, with 46,000 persons refused entry. Asylum applications have meanwhile fallen by almost 50 percent year-on-year. (connexionfrance.com)
The extension covers crossings from France, Austria, Czechia, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland. While checks are random and risk-based, freight forwarders report average border-wait increases of 15–30 minutes on core trans-European corridors, prompting logistics associations to recalibrate delivery schedules and suggest earlier cut-off times to customers.
For companies and private travelers seeking certainty on documentation requirements during these heightened checks, VisaHQ’s online platform provides real-time guidance and visa facilitation services tailored to Germany: https://www.visahq.com/germany/ The service can pre-screen paperwork, alert users to potential compliance gaps, and coordinate any necessary visas for non-EU staff, smoothing journeys even as internal borders tighten.
Business travellers should budget extra time, carry passports even on intra-Schengen trips, and be prepared for on-the-spot questions about itinerary and accommodation. Carriers operating international coach or rail services must continue to transmit passenger manifests in advance. Airlines using regional airports close to the frontier—such as Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden—also see spot controls on inbound flights from Schengen neighbours.
EU officials privately admit the repeated renewals test the limits of Schengen rules but concede that a formal infringement procedure is politically unlikely while migration remains a top EU agenda item. For mobility managers, the practical takeaway is clear: employee travel between Germany and its neighbours remains fluid but no longer friction-free.
