Border control regulations now apply to crossings with Poland, affecting travel in both directions. - Border Control Now Implemented Simultaneously on Both Polish Sides
In a bid to address growing concerns over illegal migration, both Germany and Poland have implemented stricter border controls at their shared border since 2023. This move, despite being part of the visa-free Schengen area, aims to enhance security and combat human trafficking.
Germany initiated random border checks at its border with Poland in October 2023. From May 2024, these controls have become more intensive, with the possibility of immediately returning or deporting asylum seekers at the border. Since May 8, 2024, German Federal Police have recorded 7,960 unauthorized entries at all German land borders, with 6,193 individuals rejected or deported immediately.
On the other hand, Poland officially reinstated temporary border controls with Germany from July 7, 2025, following Berlin's pushback of migrants claimed to have entered Germany illegally from Poland. These controls are in place at 13 designated border crossings with Germany and Lithuania, with an additional 10 ad hoc control sites for local residents.
Both countries have maintained controls at numerous crossing points without physical barriers but with increased inspection and document checks. Vehicle checks in Poland target buses, vans, cars carrying multiple passengers, and vehicles with tinted windows. Travelers are required to carry valid identification, and delays are expected due to these new checks.
The measures in Germany reflect the country’s ongoing efforts since 2023 to combat illegal migration and human trafficking. In Poland, the temporary controls are permitted under Schengen rules in exceptional 'emergency' or security-threat situations but are meant to be temporary, though often renewed.
Some travelers have expressed doubts about the usefulness of the measures, with some Germans finding it inconvenient when border guards do not speak German. Commuters and shoppers crossing the border at the Krajnik Dolny control point, particularly those traveling to Poland for cheaper fuel, have been consistently controlled.
The economic impacts due to delays and checks have raised concerns, given the significant cross-border trade and free movement policies within Schengen. Some businesses, like the "Polenmarkt Hohenwutzen" in Osinow Dolny, have had to adjust their operations due to the time-consuming federal police controls, with some, like Andreas Ewald from Berlin, no longer employing any Polish workers.
However, not all commuters and shoppers are convinced that these controls can curb irregular migration. Britta Haßelmann, the chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group, criticized the introduction of Polish border controls as a failed policy. Representatives of German economic associations in the border region had warned of negative consequences for goods and commuter traffic before the introduction of border controls.
This ongoing border control situation between Germany and Poland underscores the complexities of balancing security concerns with economic and social implications within the Schengen area.
- In response to increasing debates about illegal migration and human trafficking, both Germany and Poland have enacted stringent community policies, such as random border checks and the immediate return or deportation of asylum seekers, as a means to enhance security.
- The economic implications of these border control measures have raised concerns, with some businesses in the Schengen area, like the "Polenmarkt Hohenwutzen" in Osinow Dolny, altering their operations due to the time-consuming federal police controls, leading to job losses, such as those experienced by Andreas Ewald from Berlin who no longer employs any Polish workers.
