Italy and Spain conduct border checks for non-EU travelers through Sept. 7

Non-EU travelers moving between Spain and Italy face selective border controls and passport checks at airport gates and ferry terminals this month.

Active screening at airports and ferry terminals

Italy reinstituted internal border controls on air and sea arrivals from Spain on Aug. 1, with measures scheduled to run through Sept. 1. Spain enacted reciprocal checks on passengers arriving from Italy on Aug. 8, set to last through Sept. 7. Both governments notified the European Commission under Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code, citing migration pressures linked to Lampedusa.

The measures apply exclusively to air and maritime routes, including hubs such as Madrid-Barajas, Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa. European Union citizens remain entitled to free movement and only need standard national identity cards. Border police are concentrating inspections on third-country nationals, including citizens from the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.

Requirements for non-EU nomads and short-stay visitors

Police units positioned in arrival corridors and boarding gates are verifying legal rights of stay across the Schengen zone. Non-EU remote workers and tourists should expect slower transit times and carry primary physical documentation rather than digital copies.

Border officers are checking specific credentials based on traveler status:

• Short-stay tourists: Valid passports, return flight tickets, accommodation reservations, proof of sufficient funds and compliance with the 90-day Schengen limit.
• Long-term residents and visa holders: Physical residence cards or valid national visas, including digital nomad permits.

Remote workers balancing stays between both countries or moving to Italy should budget at least 45 extra minutes for airport arrival procedures. Police are calculating Schengen day counts directly against entry and exit passport stamps. Anyone traveling on an expiring 90-day allowance or awaiting a pending visa renewal should carry complete paper evidence of their application status to avoid boarding denials or secondary screening.