Holidaymakers heading to Morocco for the long ‘Puente de Mayo’ weekend found themselves stuck for up to six hours at the Beni-Enzar crossing on 1–2 May. Local newspaper El Faro de Melilla reports that tailbacks stretched beyond the Barrio Chino roundabout as both vehicles and foot passengers converged on the sole operating gate between the Spanish enclave and Nador. Although traffic eased on Friday evening, police warn that congestion will return on Sunday when travellers re-enter Spain—and may worsen once the summer Operación Paso del Estrecho begins on 15 June.
![May-Day holiday triggers six-hour queues at Melilla’s Beni-Enzar frontier]()
If your company’s travellers need to cross this frontier, VisaHQ can help by reviewing passport validity, securing any necessary Moroccan or Schengen visas, and tracking applications through its user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), so that documentation is ready long before you reach the queue.
The city government plans to convert the former Valenzuela barracks site into a shaded waiting area with water points and toilets, but the works are not expected to finish before July. Border agents say the spike exposes the fragility of a crossing that has handled rising post-pandemic demand while Farhana gate remains closed. Calls are growing for Madrid and Rabat to reopen additional lanes or stagger ferry arrivals from Almería to avoid pile-ups at dawn. For companies shuttling technicians or goods via Melilla, contingency planning is essential. Suggested mitigations include booking early-morning crossings mid-week, using the Alborán ferry route, or routing via Ceuta where the new biometric system—despite teething problems—offers more lanes during peak hours. The episode is a reminder that even short-haul cross-border assignments can be derailed by local holidays. Mobility managers should monitor Spanish and Moroccan holiday calendars and brief travellers on potential delays, insurance coverage and on-the-ground support.
If your company’s travellers need to cross this frontier, VisaHQ can help by reviewing passport validity, securing any necessary Moroccan or Schengen visas, and tracking applications through its user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/), so that documentation is ready long before you reach the queue.
The city government plans to convert the former Valenzuela barracks site into a shaded waiting area with water points and toilets, but the works are not expected to finish before July. Border agents say the spike exposes the fragility of a crossing that has handled rising post-pandemic demand while Farhana gate remains closed. Calls are growing for Madrid and Rabat to reopen additional lanes or stagger ferry arrivals from Almería to avoid pile-ups at dawn. For companies shuttling technicians or goods via Melilla, contingency planning is essential. Suggested mitigations include booking early-morning crossings mid-week, using the Alborán ferry route, or routing via Ceuta where the new biometric system—despite teething problems—offers more lanes during peak hours. The episode is a reminder that even short-haul cross-border assignments can be derailed by local holidays. Mobility managers should monitor Spanish and Moroccan holiday calendars and brief travellers on potential delays, insurance coverage and on-the-ground support.
