MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Spain has implemented temporary border inspections for individuals arriving from Italy by air and sea. The measure took effect at midnight on Aug. 8 and is scheduled to last until Sept. 7. Officials are verifying passports, nationality, and visa requirements where applicable. These checks target Italian travelers and other passengers entering Spain from Italy. This step follows Italy’s earlier decision to reintroduce temporary controls on certain arrivals from Spain.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, officers examined 199 passengers on 12 flights from Italy during the first day of enforcement. These inspections occurred at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. Travelers on affected routes may undergo document verification before completing their arrival procedures. It’s important to note that these controls do not constitute a border closure. Air and sea links between Spain and Italy continue as usual while the temporary measures are in place.
Italy reinstated checks on Aug. 1 following a large influx of migrants that entered Ceuta from Morocco in late July. Italian authorities applied their restrictions to non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air and sea. Citizens of Spain, Italy, and other EU countries were not subject to these controls. Italy informed European officials that the measure would extend through Sept. 1. Spain subsequently introduced its own checks after calling for the Italian restrictions to be withdrawn.
Bilateral controls followed Ceuta migration surge
Approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta during the significant movement from Morocco that began in late July. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated on Aug. 4 that about 70,000 had already left the territory. Ceuta, located on the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. This migration occurred prior to Italy’s reintroduction of controls on certain travelers from Spain. Following that, Spain announced checks for passengers arriving from Italy via its airports and seaports.
Spain announced its measure on Aug. 7 after opposing Italy’s restrictions. Madrid criticized Italy’s controls as unjustified and discriminatory. Italy maintained its restrictions, prompting Spain to start its own inspections the next day. The two nations set different durations for their current controls, with Italy’s measure lasting through Sept. 1 and Spain’s scheduled to remain in effect until Sept. 7.
Temporary border checks are permitted under Schengen rules
The Schengen Agreement generally allows travelers to cross borders within participating countries without routine passport checks. Its regulations enable governments to reintroduce temporary controls if they face a serious threat to public order or internal security. The European Commission recommends that internal border checks be used only when essential and for limited periods. Both Spain and Italy remain members of the Schengen Area. Their current measures involve temporary screening procedures without suspending normal travel between the two nations.
Travelers moving from Italy to Spain should be prepared for possible identity and immigration checks at Spanish airports and seaports during the enforcement period. Spain’s first day of inspections covered nearly 200 travelers across six major airports. Meanwhile, Italy continues its separate checks on targeted non-EU arrivals from Spain as scheduled. Both sets of controls are temporary measures within the Schengen framework, with Spain’s current timetable extending until Sept. 7.