MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Beginning at midnight on August 8, Spain has initiated temporary border inspections for travelers arriving from Italy via air and sea routes. This measure is scheduled to remain in effect until September 7. Customs officers are verifying passports, nationality, and visa status where applicable. The controls apply to Italian visitors and other passengers entering Spain from Italy. This action follows Italy’s earlier decision to introduce temporary checks on select arrivals from Spain.
On the first day of enforcement, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that officers examined 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy. These inspections occurred at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. Travelers on the affected flights may undergo document verification before completing their entry process. It’s important to note that these controls do not equate to a border closure. Air and sea links between Spain and Italy remain operational during the temporary restrictions.
Italy reintroduced border checks on August 1 after a significant influx of migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco in late July. The Italian authorities targeted non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air and sea, while Spanish, Italian, and other EU citizens were not subject to these restrictions. Italy informed European agencies that its controls would continue until September 1. Subsequently, Spain announced its own checks following calls for the Italian measures to be lifted.
Bilateral controls follow Ceuta migration surge
Approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta amid the large migration flow from Morocco that started in late July. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated on August 4 that about 70,000 individuals had already left the territory. Ceuta, situated along the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. This migration event preceded Italy’s reintroduction of controls on certain travelers from Spain. Spain then announced that it would implement checks on passengers arriving from Italy via its airports and seaports.
Madrid revealed its plans for border checks on August 7 after raising objections to Italy’s restrictions. Spain argued that Italy’s measures lacked justification and discriminated against the country. Italy maintained its controls, and Spain began its own inspections the next day. Both nations have set different expiration dates for their current measures—Italy’s are scheduled through September 1, while Spain’s are planned to last until September 7.
Temporary border controls authorized under Schengen rules
Within the Schengen Area, countries usually allow free movement across internal borders without routine passport checks. However, the rules permit governments to impose temporary controls if a serious threat to public policy or internal security is identified. The European Commission emphasizes that internal border checks should only be used when necessary and for limited periods. Both Spain and Italy are members of the Schengen Agreement. Their current measures involve temporary screening procedures that do not suspend normal travel between the two nations.
Travelers departing from Italy to Spain should anticipate possible identity and immigration checks at Spanish airports and seaports during the enforcement period. On its first day of inspections, Spain checked nearly 200 passengers across six major airports. Meanwhile, Italy continues its separate checks on specific non-EU arrivals from Spain according to its notified schedule. Both countries’ measures are temporary within the framework of Schengen, with Spain’s current controls scheduled to last until September 7.