MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Spain has put in place provisional border checks for individuals arriving by air and sea from Italy, with these measures commencing at midnight on Aug. 8 and scheduled to be in effect until Sept. 7. Authorities now conduct inspections of travel and immigration documents along routes that normally operate without routine internal border controls. This step follows Italy’s earlier decision to reintroduce checks on certain passengers arriving from Spain.
On the first day of these measures, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy were subject to verification. The checks took place at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. The process involved examining passports, nationality, and visa status where relevant. Despite the temporary controls, flights and maritime services connecting Spain and Italy continue to operate normally.
Italy initiated its own temporary border controls on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta from Morocco. The Italian government implemented these checks on non-EU nationals arriving from Spain via air or sea, explicitly excluding Italian citizens, Spanish citizens, and other EU nationals from the targeted restrictions. Italy notified European authorities that its controls would remain in place until Sept. 1 according to the current schedule.
Ceuta influx preceded border restrictions
During the large migrant movement that began in late July, approximately 72,000 individuals entered Ceuta from Morocco. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced on Aug. 4 that about 70,000 of those had since left the territory. Ceuta, situated on the North African coast and outside the Schengen Area, experienced this surge prior to Italy’s introduction of temporary border checks and Spain’s subsequent decision to impose controls on arrivals from Italy.
Madrid had urged Rome to eliminate its restrictions before Spain announced its new border controls on Aug. 7. Spain argued that Italy’s measures lacked justification and unfairly targeted the country. Italy maintained its controls while Spain implemented its own temporary border measures the following day. Both nations have set different expiration dates for their respective controls, and regular air and sea routes between them remain operational.
Temporary border measures are permissible under Schengen regulations
Within the Schengen Area, countries generally allow free movement across internal borders without routine passport checks; however, their rules also permit governments to temporarily restore internal border controls if a serious threat to public policy or internal security is identified. The European Commission states that such measures should only be used when necessary and for a limited duration. Spain and Italy remain within the Schengen Area while their temporary border controls are active.
Travelers arriving in Spain from Italy should therefore anticipate possible identity and immigration document inspections at airports and seaports. Spain initiated these checks on six major airports on the first day of the measure. Meanwhile, Italy continues its separate controls for targeted arrivals from Spain under its notified timetable. Spain intends to maintain its border checks until Sept. 7, with no overall suspension of passenger travel between the two nations.