Key data
| Regulation | Order INT/932/2026, of September 4 |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | September 5, 2026 |
| Entry into force | September 8, 2026 |
| Deadline | September 22, 2026 (24:00 h) |
| Affected parties | Airlines, shipping companies and passengers on Italy-Spain routes (air and maritime) |
| Legal basis | Articles 25 and 26 of the Schengen Borders Code |
| Category | Regulatory Changes |
| Year | 2026 |
Passengers arriving in Spain from Italy by air or sea are subject to identity and documentation controls at Spanish entry points until September 22, 2026 at 24:00 hours. Order INT/932/2026, published on September 5 in the BOE, extends a measure that has been in force since August 8 and which the Ministry of Interior justifies as a response to a persistent serious threat to public order and internal security.
The extension is based on articles 25 and 26 of the Schengen Borders Code, which allow the temporary restoration of controls at internal borders when there is a serious threat that cannot be addressed with less restrictive measures. For airlines and shipping companies operating routes between Italy and Spain, this means maintaining the document verification protocols already active for at least two more weeks.
What does this regulation establish?
Order INT/932/2026 extends the temporary restoration of border controls at Spain's internal air and maritime borders with respect to flights and maritime passenger links from Italy. This is not a new measure: controls have been active since August 8, 2026 and this order simply extends their validity.
The key elements established by the regulation are as follows:
- Scope of application: flights and maritime passenger links from the Italian Republic destined for Spain.
- Type of control: verification of identity and documentation at Spanish entry points (airports and ports).
- Validity: until 24:00 hours on September 22, 2026.
- Reason: persistent serious threat to public order and internal security, according to the assessment of the Ministry of Interior.
- Early lifting: the measure may be lifted before September 22 if threats disappear or equally effective less restrictive measures emerge.
- No automatic extension: any future extension will require a new reasoned decision with assessment of necessity and proportionality.
It is important to emphasize that this measure is limited exclusively to passengers arriving from Italy. It does not affect flights or maritime routes with other Schengen area countries or cargo or merchandise routes.
Economic and operational impact
For companies in the passenger transport sector, the impact is fundamentally operational: controls generate additional waiting times at entry points, which can affect operational punctuality and passenger experience.
The main operational effects are:
- Airlines: need to maintain coordination with border authorities at Spanish airports for flights from Italy. Disembarkation and transit times may increase.
- Shipping companies: passengers on Italy-Spain maritime routes (such as ferries between Italian ports and Barcelona, Valencia or Civitavecchia-Barcelona) are subject to the same document controls.
- Passengers: must carry valid identity documentation (ID card or passport) on all air and maritime journeys from Italy, even when traveling within the Schengen area.
- Connection operations: passengers in transit arriving from Italy with connecting flights in Spain must allow for additional time for controls.
The regulation does not establish direct economic sanctions for airlines or shipping companies, but failure to comply with verification protocols may result in operational and legal responsibilities to Spanish border authorities.
Who does it affect?
- Airlines operating direct routes between Italian airports and Spanish airports.
- Shipping companies and ferry operators with maritime passenger routes between Italian ports and Spanish ports.
- Passengers traveling from Italy to Spain by air or sea until September 22, 2026.
- Travel agencies and tour operators managing groups or tourism packages on these routes, who must inform their clients of the obligation to carry documentation.
- Companies with mobile employees between Italy and Spain who must ensure their staff travels with valid documentation.
- Airport and port operators at Spanish entry points, who must maintain resources available for controls.
Practical example
An airline operating the Rome Fiumicino - Madrid Barajas route must ensure that upon arrival in Madrid, passengers from Italy pass through the identity and documentation control established by Spanish border authorities. This involves coordinating with the airport the necessary resources (personnel, enabled channels) and communicating to passengers before boarding that they must carry a valid ID card or passport.
If a passenger travels without valid documentation and is detected at the control, the airline may be forced to manage their return, with the operational and reputational costs that entails. The same applies to a shipping company operating the Genoa - Barcelona route: passengers must pass document control when disembarking at Barcelona port.
The measure will be active until 24:00 hours on September 22, 2026, unless the Ministry of Interior lifts it early or extends it through a new reasoned order.
What should companies do now?
- Verify document control procedures: airlines and shipping companies must confirm that their identity verification protocols at Spanish entry points are active and properly coordinated with border authorities.
- Communicate the documentation obligation to passengers: inform through sales channels, booking confirmations and pre-travel communications that it is mandatory to carry a valid ID card or passport on all journeys from Italy.
- Review operational times: adjust ground time estimates at airports and ports to absorb possible delays resulting from controls, especially on flights or routes with high occupancy.
- Alert HR and mobility departments: companies with employees who frequently travel between Italy and Spain must ensure that all staff travel with proper documentation.
- Monitor possible changes: the measure may be lifted early or extended through a new order. Establish an alert system to detect regulatory changes before September 22.
- Do not assume automatic extension: if controls continue beyond September 22, they will only be valid if the Ministry of Interior publishes a new reasoned order. Without that order, controls must cease.
Frequently asked questions
Until when are border controls between Italy and Spain in force?
Controls are in force until 24:00 hours on September 22, 2026, according to Order INT/932/2026. The measure may be lifted earlier if the threats justifying it disappear, but there is no automatic extension: any future extension requires a new reasoned decision from the Ministry of Interior.
What documentation must passengers carry on flights and ships from Italy to Spain?
Travelers from Italy by air or sea must carry valid identity documentation (ID card or passport) at Spanish entry points. Controls apply to all passengers on these routes, regardless of their nationality.
Do these controls affect only flights or also maritime routes?
They affect both modes: flights and maritime passenger links from Italy. Excluded from the scope are cargo and merchandise routes, as well as journeys originating in other Schengen area countries other than Italy.
What legal basis supports these controls within the Schengen area?
The measure is based on articles 25 and 26 of the Schengen Borders Code, which allow the temporary restoration of controls at internal borders when there is a serious threat to public order or internal security that cannot be addressed with less restrictive measures.
Can controls be extended beyond September 22, 2026?
Yes, but not automatically. Any future extension will require a new reasoned decision from the Ministry of Interior, with express assessment of necessity and proportionality. Without that new order, controls must cease at 24:00 hours on September 22, 2026.
Official source
View complete regulation at official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-18640
