If you’re travelling within Europe, get ready for possible disruptions or delays to travel at affected borders due to the reintroduction of Schengen Internal Border Controls until at least the end of 2023. You should ensure all identification and travel documents are valid and compliant with the latest entry requirements.
Why is this happening?
The temporary reintroduction of Schengen internal border controls is an exceptional measure adopted by countries to address a sudden threat to public order or internal security. Shortly after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, two terrorist attacks took place in France and Belgium. Also, bomb alerts triggered high-security measures at several European airports.
The escalation of violence in the Middle East prompted several members of the 27-country Schengen Area to introduce temporary border controls. The goal was to prevent an increased risk of possible infiltration by violent extremists and increased illegal migrations by sea via the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkan region through land routes. These threats, along with Russia’s war against Ukraine, the threat of espionage by foreign states and potential sabotage of critical infrastructure have also prompted the implementation of enhanced border control measures during previous months.
April 2024 update
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 16 April 2024:
- Austria: controls at the land borders with the Czech Republic until 16 April, at land borders with Slovakia until 2 June and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May;
- Denmark: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connections to Germany until 11 November;
- France: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 31 October;
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until at least 15 June and at land border with Austria until 11 November;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 18 June;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May;
- Slovakia: controls at land border with Hungary until 22 January;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 22 June;
- Sweden: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 November.
The above measures apply and the following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 22 April:
- Austria: controls at the land borders with the Czech Republic until 16 June, at land borders with Slovakia until 2 June and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 November;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 November;
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March 2024 update
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 3 April 2024:
- Austria: controls at the land borders with the Czech Republic until 16 April, at land borders with Slovakia until 2 June and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May;
- Denmark: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connections to Germany until 11 May;
- France: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April;
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until at least 15 June and at land border with Austria until 11 May;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 18 June;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May;
- Slovakia: controls at land border with Hungary until 22 January;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 22 June;
- Sweden: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May.
***
February 2024 update
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 2 February 2024:
- Austria: controls at land border with the Czech Republic until 16 February 2024, at land border with Slovakia until 3 February 2024 and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
- Czech Republic: lifted border controls with Slovakia;
- Denmark: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024;
- France: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024;
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until at least February 2024 and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 19 December;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024 and controls at internal borders, particularly air borders, through 18 December;
- Poland: extended border controls with Slovakia until 2 March 2024;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary through 22 June 2024;
- Sweden: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 5 February 2024:
- Austria: extended temporary border controls with Slovakia until 2 April 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 14 February 2024:
- Germany: extended temporary border controls with Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic until 15 March 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 19 February 2024:
- Austria: extended temporary border controls with the Czech Republic until 16 April 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 27 February 2024:
- Germany: extended temporary border controls with Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic until 15 June 2024.
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January 2024 update
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 5 January 2024:
- Austria: controls at land border with the Czech Republic until 16 February 2024, at land border with Slovakia until 3 February 2024 and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
- Czech Republic: controls at land border with Slovakia until 2 February 2024;
- Denmark: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024;
- France: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024;
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until at least February 2024 and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 19 December;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024 and controls at internal borders, particularly air borders, through 18 December;
- Poland: controls at land border with Slovakia until 2 January 2024;
- Slovakia: controls at land border with Hungary until 22 January 2024;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary through 22 June 2024;
- Sweden: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
***
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 4 December 2023:
- Austria‘s land border with the Czech Republic until 6 December, at land border with Slovakia until 3 February 2024 and at land borders with
- Poland’s land border with Slovakia until 2 January 2024;
- Czech Republic‘s land border with Slovakia until 3 January 2024;
- Denmark’s all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024;
- France’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024;
- Germany’s land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until 4 December and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024;
- Italy’s land border with Slovenia until 9 December;
- Norway’s ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024;
- Slovakia’s land border with Hungary until 23 December;
- Slovenia’s land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 9 December;
- Sweden’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 6 December 2023:
- Germany extended border controls with Switzerland, Czech Republic and Poland until 15 December.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 7 December 2023:
- Slovakia extended controls at land border with Hungary until 22 January 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 8 December 2023:
- Austria: controls at land border with the Czech Republic until 16 December;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 19 December;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 21 December.
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 12 December 2023:
- Austria: controls at land border with the Czech Republic until 16 December, at land border with Slovakia until 3 February 2024 and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
- Czech Republic: controls at land border with Slovakia until 3 January 2024;
- Denmark: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024;
- France: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024;
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until 15 December and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024;
- Italy: controls at land border with Slovenia until 19 December;
- Norway: controls at ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024 and controls at internal borders, particularly air borders, through 18 December;
- Poland: controls at land border with Slovakia until 2 January 2024;
- Slovakia: controls at land border with Hungary until 22 January 2024;
- Slovenia: controls at land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 21 December;
- Sweden: controls at all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 15 December:
- Germany: controls at land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until at least February 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 17 December:
- Austria extends temporary border controls with the Czech Republic until 16 February 2024
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 18 December:
- Slovenia extends temporary border controls with Hungary and Croatia through 22 June 2024
**
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 14 November 2023. Controls at:
- Austria’s land border with the Czech Republic until 16 November, land border with Slovakia until 22 November and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
- Czech Republic’s land border with Slovakia until 22 November
- Denmark’s all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024
- France’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024
- Germany’s land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until 14 November, and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024
- Italy’s land border with Slovenia until 19 November
- Norway’s ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024
- Poland’s land border with Slovakia until 22 November
- Slovakia’s land border with Hungary until 23 November
- Slovenia’s land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 19 November
- Sweden’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
The following extraordinary border control measures are in place as of 20 November 2023. Controls at:
- Austria’s land border with the Czech Republic until 6 December, at land border with Slovakia until 22 November and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
- Czech Republic’s land border with Slovakia until 22 November;
- Denmark’s all internal Schengen Area borders, and ports with ferry connection to Germany until 11 May 2024;
- France’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 30 April 2024;
- Germany’s land borders with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland until 4 December and at land border with Austria until 11 May 2024;
- Italy’s land border with Slovenia until 9 December;
- Norway’s ports with ferry connections to the Schengen area until 11 May 2024;
- Poland’s land border with Slovakia until 22 November;
- Slovakia’s land border with Hungary until 23 December;
- Slovenia’s land borders with Croatia and Hungary until 9 December;
- Sweden’s all internal Schengen Area borders until 11 May 2024.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 23 November 2023:
- Czech Republic: controls at land border with Slovakia until 3 January 2024;
- Poland: controls at land border with Slovakia until 3 December.
The above measures apply and these additional ones are in place as of 28 November 2023:
- Austria: controls at land border with the Czech Republic until 6 December, at land border with Slovakia until 2 December and at land borders with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 May 2024;
Here are some more tips to keep in mind while travelling within Schengen this quarter:
EU citizens must carry a passport, ID or driving licence valid for the duration of their stay. For non-EU citizens, the passport must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure. It also needs to be issued within the last ten years and have two blank pages.
Travellers with a Schengen visa are advised to ensure their stay does not exceed the 90-day period allowed within 180 days. Authorities could require Schengen visa holders to show additional documentation, such as proof of insurance, financial means, accommodation or return tickets.
Due to delays and queues, travellers are advised to allow for additional travel time at affected borders. Follow security forces’ instructions and observe the conditions for crossing the border at authorised points. This may involve traffic controls and vehicle inspections by officials due to increased security measures.
We will be adding updates as the situation evolves.
For more information, check out these resources:
- Notifications of the Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control
- Full list of Member States’ notifications of the temporary reintroduction of border control at internal borders
- List of authorised border crossing points notified to the Commission after reintroduction of internal border control
