Germany Extends Border Controls for Six More Months Amid Migration Pressure
Berlin, August 21, 2025 – Germany will extend its temporary border controls for an additional six months, citing continued pressure from irregular migration and concerns over public security, according to the European Commission.
The border checks, which were originally reinstated on March 16, 2025, were scheduled to end on September 15. However, the Commission confirmed that the controls will now remain in place until March 15, 2026.
The decision comes amid growing political and social pressure to respond to rising numbers of irregular border crossings. According to the European Commission, the extension is a reaction to "serious threats to public security and order posed by continued high levels of irregular migration and migrant smuggling, and the strain on the asylum reception system."
Border Checks at Multiple Frontiers
The controls will apply at Germany’s land borders with:
- France
- Luxembourg
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Denmark
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Czechia
- Poland
The move follows orders from Germany’s new interior minister Alexander Dobrindt of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU). Dobrindt has introduced a stricter border policy aimed at curbing unauthorized immigration.
Policy Shift on Asylum Seekers
Under the renewed controls, non-EU citizens without valid visas or entry documents will be turned back at the borders. This includes asylum seekers who have previously filed applications in other EU member states — a policy shift reflecting a tougher stance on secondary migration.
Earlier this month, Poland imposed its own border checks with Germany and Lithuania, accusing Berlin of returning thousands of irregular migrants without due process. The diplomatic strain underscores wider EU tensions over burden-sharing and asylum coordination.
Afghans Caught in the Middle
In a related development, Germany’s efforts to resettle vulnerable Afghans have been disrupted by mass deportations from Pakistan. According to foreign ministry spokesperson Josef Hinterseher, more than 200 Afghans previously offered sanctuary in Germany have been deported to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in recent days.
These individuals were part of a humanitarian programme established after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, targeting Afghans who worked with German institutions, as well as journalists and human rights activists.
German officials said "around 450" Afghans accepted under the scheme were recently detained in Pakistan. While 245 were released from deportation camps, 211 were sent back to Afghanistan, prompting Berlin to open diplomatic talks with Islamabad to reverse the deportations.
Rights groups in Germany have launched legal action against two federal ministers, accusing them of neglecting those stranded abroad under the suspended visa programme. The scheme has been put on hold under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has prioritized a tougher immigration stance since taking office in May.
Policy Backdrop
The extension of internal border checks challenges the fundamental principle of free movement within the Schengen Area, a pillar of EU integration. However, under the Schengen Borders Code, such controls can be temporarily reintroduced in cases of serious threat.
Germany is not alone: other Schengen countries, including Austria and Denmark, have also periodically reinstated controls in response to migration and security concerns.
Source:
European Commission announcement – ec.europa.eu
