Italy Announced a One-Month Suspension of Schengen Pact With Spain Starting 1 August 2026

On 31 July 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni along with Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini announced a temporary suspension of Schengen free movement agreement with Spain.

Effective from 1 August 2026, Italian Ministry of Interior has reinstated “targeted and selective” document checks for travellers moving between the two countries. The ministry called the measure a temporary closure of Italy’s air and sea borders with Spain. The two countries do not share any land borders.

While Italian government confirmed that this move would not affect EU citizens traveling from Spain to Italy, it would surely have a significant impact on non-EU nationals arriving from Spain to Italy by air or by boat. It can also affect dual national if they are not travelling on their EU passports.

Let’s explore what you should expect if you are coming to Italy from Spain on a non-EU passport, and what steps you may take to avoid unnecessary delays and immigration hassles as far as possible at the Italian port of entry.

But before we continue, let’s understand what drove Italy to take such a strong measure in the first place.

What Is Ceuta Crisis and How Did It Drive Italy to Temporarily Reintroducing Immigration Checks at Spain Borders

The Ceuta situation has hit the headlines globally for the last few days. More than 50,000 migrants entered Ceuta, a Spanish exclave situated in North Africa, from Morocco late last month.

While illegal migration is quite a common incident for Ceuta and Melilla, the two Spain-controlled autonomous cities on the coast of North Africa, the vast numbers of migrants swimming to Ceuta from Morocco in just a few days created havoc for the former. Quite understandably, this mass migration sent a ripple not only through Spain but also across the EU, particularly at a time when the European Union is reshaping its migration and asylum policies.

As of 3 August 2026, Spain reported that over 48,000 of these illegal migrants had been escorted back to Morocco within just 48 hours. However, with at least 72 people dying while attempting to migrate to Ceuta, the human and emotional costs of this incident have made a considerable impact globally.

Against this backdrop, Italy announced a temporary suspension of Schengen agreement with Spain, leading to widespread concerns and questions among travellers coming to Italy from Spain. Italian hospitality and tourism sectors, who considerably depend on the business from summer visitors, are also cautiously monitoring the impact the government announcement may likely have on the numbers of tourists coming to Italy.

This move has also sparked a political tension between the two countries, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez answering Rome directly on social media that “Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data is not.”

Will It Affect EU Citizens?

Italian authorities clarified that the measure would not affect Spanish or other EU citizens. If you are an EU passport holder, you will move between the two countries as before, enjoying full freedom of movement within the EU.

With the new rule in place, Italian border officials will check the passports and other visa documents of third-country nationals arriving in Italy from Spain, to verify whether they hold the documents required to move lawfully within the EU.

These checks are expected to be “targeted and selective.” However, the Italian government did not clarify or elaborate on that statement.

What It Means for Non-EU Travellers Coming to Italy From Spain

If you are a non-EU national travelling to Italy from Spain on a Schengen visa, be prepared for spot identity checks and document verifications at Italian airports and seaports. It is not clear as of now whether non-EU citizens who hold a long-term visa or resident permit in any of the EU countries will also face similar verifications or not.

To avoid unnecessary delays, carry your valid passport, approved Schengen visa (or any other appropriate visa/permits), and supporting travel documents like proof of accommodation or return tickets with you at all times. Be ready to show these documents to Italian border control officers as and when asked for.

These additional screening procedures will inevitably cause processing delays and create a long queue at the airports or seaports. Account for the additional time required while travelling from Spain to Italy and accordingly tweak your itinerary. Tour operators must also take note of this especially if there are non-EU travellers in their respective groups.

In any case, do not panic as long as you have a legal and valid visa or permit that allows you to enter and travel through the EU (like a Schengen visa). The additional screening process does not affect your visa validity or cancels the same. You retain your legal right to travel in the EU by all means but are now subject to a temporary arrival check if you are coming to Italy from Spain.

What Dual Nationals Must Keep in Mind

To bypass the additional screening procedure, ensure you are travelling on your EU passport if you are a dual national (i.e., you hold citizenship in any of the EU countries along with your non-EU citizenship). As EU nationals are not subject to these checks, you can avoid the unnecessary details and hassles at the border.

Using your non-EU passport, however, will result in your being treated as a third-country national. Accordingly, you may be subjected to the selective document and security verifications when coming to Italy from Spain.

Spain’s Reaction on the Schengen Pact Suspension

As expected, Spain has strongly criticised Italy’s move. Sánchez cited Frontex figures in his social media post to demonstrate that Italy recorded more irregular entries than Spain between 2021 and 2026.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares also condemned his Italian counterpart Tajani’s call to suspend the agreement. He even summoned Italy’s ambassador to Madrid for explanations.

What’s Next?

Migration has of late become a particularly polarising political concern in the EU, and the Ceuta crisis has brought the underlying tensions between Member States somewhat in the open. Many experts anticipate Italy’s fast move in suspending Schengen agreement with Spain to have a domino effect on the already weakening relations among some of the EU Member States.

French President Emmanuel Macron also announced his government’s decision to strengthen controls along its land border with Spain, although he offered Sánchez support to help manage the Ceuta situation. Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Austria also sided with Italy. While the first backed the suspension measure outright, Sweden and Austria reserved the right to act alone. The European Commission, however, rejected calls led by Italy to suspend Spain from the Schengen Area.

The situation is more a political than a legal one for now. Far-right parties across the EU are openly supporting Italy’s move while their centre-left counterparts are arguing for a more balanced approach.

Meloni called the move “an extraordinary measure, adopted to safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions for our nation.” Time will tell whether such extraordinary measures are going to be the new normal for the bloc in the coming days.

Meanwhile, stay compliant with your EU visa requirements. And feel free to give us a call at +44 (0) 333 305 9375 for immediate legal support with any immigration and asylum matters.