MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Spain has enacted provisional border inspections for travelers arriving from Italy via air and sea routes. The verification process began at midnight on Aug. 8 and is expected to last until Sept. 7. Officials now scrutinize travel and immigration documents along routes that typically operate without routine internal border checks. This step follows Italy’s earlier decision to reintroduce controls on certain passengers arriving from Spain.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, on the first day, 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy were subjected to checks. The controls took place at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. The procedures include verification of passports, nationality, and visa status where applicable. Despite these temporary measures, flights and maritime services linking Spain and Italy continue to operate normally.
Italy imposed its own temporary controls starting August 1, following a significant migration influx into Ceuta from Morocco. Rome’s restrictions targeted non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air or sea, while Italian citizens, Spanish citizens, and other EU nationals were exempt. Italy informed European authorities that its border checks would be active until Sept. 1, according to the current schedule.
Ceuta migration surge preceded border enforcement
During the large influx from Morocco that began in late July, approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that by Aug. 4, around 70,000 individuals had left the territory. Ceuta, located on the North African coast, is outside the Schengen Area. This migration event preceded Italy’s implementation of temporary border controls and Spain’s subsequent decision to monitor arrivals from Italy.
Madrid had urged Rome to rescind its restrictions prior to Spain announcing its own measures on Aug. 7. The Spanish government criticized the Italian controls for lacking justification and for unfair treatment. Italy continued its own controls while Spain introduced its temporary border checks the following day. Both nations have set different expiration dates for their respective measures, yet regular air and sea connections between them remain operational.
Schengen agreements permit temporary border reintroductions
Typically, the Schengen Area allows free movement across internal borders without routine passport checks among member countries. Nonetheless, its regulations permit governments to reinstate internal border controls if a serious threat to public order or internal security arises. The European Commission states that such measures should only be applied when necessary and for a limited time. Spain and Italy remain within the Schengen Area during their temporary border control periods.
Consequently, travelers arriving in Spain from Italy should anticipate possible checks of identity and immigration documents at airports and ports. The first inspections occurred at six major airports on the initial day of enforcement. Italy continues its separate checks on specific arrivals from Spain under its notified schedule. Spain aims to sustain its border controls until Sept. 7, without halting overall passenger travel between the two nations.