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Italy and Spain Reinstate Border Checks for Non-EU Travelers Until Sept. 7

Travelers moving between Italy and Spain are facing temporary passport and visa checks on air and sea routes, as both countries have suspended routine Schengen border exemptions. The measures target non-EU travelers and run through early September, so remote workers hopping between the two countries should plan for extra scrutiny and longer transit times.

What changed

Italy reintroduced internal border controls on air and sea arrivals from Spain on Aug. 1, with the measures scheduled to run through Sept. 1. Spain enacted reciprocal checks on arrivals 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 controls apply only to air and maritime routes, including major hubs such as Madrid-Barajas, Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, plus ferry terminals. EU citizens keep full free-movement rights and can travel with a standard national identity card. Border police are focusing inspections on third-country nationals, including citizens of the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.

What it means for nomads

If you are a non-EU remote worker traveling between Spain and Italy during this window, expect selective checks at boarding gates and arrival corridors. Officers are verifying legal rights of stay across the Schengen zone and calculating Schengen day counts directly against entry and exit passport stamps.

Practical steps to prepare:

  • Carry physical documents, not just digital copies. Bring your passport, return or onward tickets, accommodation reservations and proof of sufficient funds.
  • Watch your 90-day count. 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.
  • Budget extra time. Allow at least 45 minutes of additional time for airport arrival procedures during this period.

The checks are temporary and tied to a specific end date, but they are a useful reminder that Schengen's open borders can be suspended at short notice. Keeping clean paper records of your entries, exits and legal status is the simplest way to avoid trouble at the gate.

Originally reported by Stamped Nomad.