Return of Controls Between Schengen Countries in 2026: What It Means for You
 

Written by: Jean-Joseph Rivouchy

Date: 06/01/2025

Updated: 09/07/2026

The Return of Controls Within the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area was created to allow free movement of people, without systematic border controls at internal borders.
However, an increasing number of member states are temporarily reintroducing these controls. Why? Under what legal framework? For how long? Which countries are affected in 2026? We clarify what you need to know and how it will concretely impact your travels in Europe.
 

This guide covers:

• 🛂 Reintroduction of controls: rules and legal grounds within the Schengen area
• 🌍 Current situation: European countries applying controls in 2026
• 🔍 On the ground: how checks are carried out between neighboring states
• 🚧 EES and ETIAS: how the new external borders of Europe operate
• 📝 European travel checklist: our practical advice before departure
• ❓ FAQ: quick answers to your frequent questions

In which cases can a Schengen country reintroduce border controls?

In principle, the Schengen area is a zone of free movement (the largest in the world, in fact!) where you travel from one member country to another without police checks. However, European law, specifically the Schengen Borders Code (CFS), allows member states to reintroduce controls in an exceptional and temporary manner.

Be aware! This does not mean borders are closing! Free movement remains the rule. Local police simply adapt their procedures to verify travelers’ identities based on targeted or random criteria.

The 4 reasons permitted by Europe for reintroducing controls

A country cannot arbitrarily decide to filter its internal borders. It must justify a serious threat to public order or internal security, linked to one of these four specific cases:

1. Terrorism and crime: risk of attacks, sabotage threats, or organized criminal networks.

2. Public health: risk of a major epidemic or health crisis (such as during Covid-19).

3. Migration pressure: large, sudden, and unauthorized movements of third-country nationals between member states.

4. Major and temporary events: securing major international events (political summits like G7, Olympic Games, major football tournaments…)

Duration of controls: what does the law say?

To prevent these exceptional controls from becoming permanent, Europe imposes strict time limits depending on the threat’s nature:

• For predictable events (G7 summit, Euro football tournament): The initial duration is a maximum of 30 days.
  If the threat persists, the country can extend the measure in 6-month periods.
  The total duration normally cannot exceed 2 years.
• For sudden and unforeseen emergencies (e.g., terrorist attack): The member state may activate controls immediately, without prior notice.
  This emergency measure is limited to 1 month, and cannot exceed 3 months in total.

📌 A regulated procedure

• Obligation to inform: As soon as a country decides to monitor its borders, it must notify the European Commission, the European Parliament, and all other Schengen member states. This must always be a last resort measure.
• General alert: In case of a threat jeopardizing the overall functioning of the Schengen area, the European Commission can directly request one or more member states to restore controls at internal borders.

Which Schengen countries have reintroduced border controls in 2026?

In response to increased terrorist risks, global geopolitical tensions (ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East), and persistent migration pressures, about a dozen Schengen countries are applying border controls in 2026.

Here’s a summary table of the affected countries, monitored zones, and expected end dates:

⚠️ Our traveler's advice: depending on how threats evolve, controls may be extended and/or introduced by new countries at any time.
Check the official notifications on the European Commission website before traveling, and allow extra time when passing through borders.

How do border controls between two Schengen countries concretely take place?

Rest assured: we are not back to the times of Covid-19 when borders were completely closed. Roads remain open and traffic is not blocked.
It is simply targeted checks carried out by law enforcement and under the supervision of European authorities.

Border controls: where and how do they happen?

The checks are not systematic for all vehicles and all passengers. To avoid paralyzing traffic, controls are conducted randomly, based on suspicions or on reasoned targeting.

They can take several forms:

• By car: fixed checkpoints or roadblocks are set up on major roads and highways.
• By train and bus (cross-border lines): police patrols may board to check passengers during the journey.
• By plane and boat: identity checks are reinforced at maritime terminals (ferries) and airport terminals connecting two countries of the area.

Which documents you must present during a border control?

If you are checked, you must be able to immediately prove your identity and your right to circulate.
Be aware that authorities consult the Schengen Information System (SIS) to verify that you are not subject to any alert or entry ban.

• If you are an EU/Schengen citizen: you must present a national ID card or a valid passport (a driver's license is not sufficient).
• If you come from a third country (outside the European Union and outside Schengen): in addition to your passport, customs officers will examine the validity of your visa or residence permit, if applicable.

⚠️ Reminder! If you are traveling with a visa or visa exemption, make sure not to exceed the maximum authorized duration, which is 90 days maximum within any 180-day period in the Schengen area.

💡 Our traveler's advice: Where controls are in place, there is a risk of delays. During major holiday departures or on very busy routes, always plan extra time in your trips (between 30 minutes and 1 hour margin) to avoid missing your connection, train, or flight.

2026: What changes with EES and ETIAS at Europe’s borders?

Alongside controls between neighboring countries, the year 2026 marks a major turning point for border security outside the Schengen area. Two new acronyms are entering travelers’ daily lives: EES and ETIAS. Here's a simple explanation.

EES System: what concretely changes for travelers since April 2026?

No more old-fashioned passport stamps! Launched gradually at the end of last year, the EES (Entry/Exit System) has been fully operational since April 10, 2026, across the entire Schengen zone.

• Who is concerned? All travelers who are not nationals of an EU country and who enter the Schengen area for a short stay (tourism, family, business).
• Mandatory passage through the kiosk: At each entry and exit, you must pass in front of an automatic kiosk to scan your passport (or other travel document). The machine records your biometric data (a photo of your face and your fingerprints).
• What is it used for? This large European database automatically calculates your stay duration with precision. It allows instant detection of exceeding the 90-day legal limit, identification fraud, or the blocking of profiles flagged as threats in security files.

💡 Our traveler's advice: to check if you are affected by this new obligation to travel in Europe, visit the official EU EES website.

When will ETIAS become mandatory and for which travelers?

If you are familiar with ESTA for travel to the United States or ETA for the United Kingdom, you won't be surprised: ETIAS is its European twin. Initially scheduled to launch at the same time as the EES, its rollout has been postponed. It is now expected by the end of 2026.

• Principle: Travelers from third countries exempt from Schengen visa (such as Canadians, Americans, or Brits) will be required to obtain this electronic authorization before booking their flight for a stay of less than 3 months in Europe.
• Procedure: Everything will be done online or via an official app. You will just need to fill out a quick form and pay €20 to obtain an authorization valid for 3 years or until your travel document expires.
• For more information: we invite you to consult the official ETIAS page on the EU website

💡 Traveler's tip: For now, no stress about ETIAS — you can travel without this formal requirement (until the last quarter of 2026). However, for the EES (biometrics), anticipate some waiting during your first crossing at external borders this summer, as everyone gets used to the new kiosks!

Crossing borders in Europe: your stress-free travel checklist

Whether you are arriving from across the world or planning a simple road trip between two neighboring countries, here is the checklist to tick off before packing your bags:

1. To ENTER the Schengen area (from a third country):

• Your passport: It must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned return date and less than 10 years old.
   
• If your nationality requires a visa: Make sure it covers the entire duration of your stay. Need help with your procedures? Find our step-by-step guide to easily obtain a Schengen visa
   
• If you are visa-exempt: You are traveling simply with your passport but remember that starting from the end of 2026, you will be required to obtain the electronic authorization ETIAS before departure.
   
• Your mandatory documents: Border guards may ask you for proof of accommodation, evidence of financial resources, and especially your valid travel insurance certificate. It is mandatory for all visa applicants and must cover medical expenses of at least €30,000.

2. To TRAVEL between countries of the Schengen area:

• Your identity document (and your visa): Even if there is no fixed customs, a passport (accompanied by your Schengen visa or residence permit if your nationality requires it) or a valid identity card remains mandatory.
  Attention, a driver's license is not a travel document.
   
• Your itinerary: Check the current temporary controls in the countries you will pass through to avoid surprises.
   
• Your watch: Anticipate possible delays at road borders or during train/ferry boarding by allowing extra time in your travel schedule.

Mandatory for your visa application or simply essential for traveling with peace of mind, our insurance adapts to all travelers.

• For visa applications: Our certificate is instant and guaranteed 100% accepted by embassies and consulates.
• For all travelers: You are effectively covered in case of health issues or medical emergencies anywhere in the Schengen area.

Related Articles
These articles might also interest you:

• Culture: 30 fun facts you (probably) didn’t know about the Schengen area
• Understanding: Differences between the European Union, the Schengen area, and the Euro zone?
• Practical: Practical travel tips and original ideas for traveling in Europe

FAQ - Common questions about Schengen border controls

Can I still travel freely in Europe despite the return of border controls?

Yes! Border controls within the Schengen area do not mean borders are closed. You can continue traveling between Schengen countries. At certain crossing points, officers may verify your identity, but these controls are not systematic. Always carry a valid ID, your travel documents (passport and visa, if necessary), and allow extra time at the busiest border crossings.

Can my flight or train trip between two Schengen countries be affected by these border controls?

Yes. The re-establishment of controls mainly concerns land borders (including train travel), but some countries like the Netherlands have extended controls to inter-Schengen air borders. Identity checks may therefore take place at arrival airports.

How long can these internal border controls be maintained?

Legally, the Schengen Borders Code sets the limit at 2 years per threat period. However, the European Commission can approve exceptional extensions if the situation demands. In practice, several countries circumvent this limit by regularly renewing their official notifications. Austria, for example, has maintained such controls at its borders almost continuously for several years.

What makes a passport valid for obtaining a Schengen visa?

To be considered valid, your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and its validity must extend beyond three months after your planned departure from the Schengen area. Find out everything about the procedures and necessary documents to obtain a Schengen visa.