Spain has begun checking travellers arriving from Italy at six airports as part of reciprocal temporary border controls linked to a migration dispute over Ceuta, joining Italian measures already in force. On the first day, Spanish national police screened about 200 passengers on 12 flights from Italy at Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante and Valencia, while Italy continued its own checks on arrivals from Spain.
The controls are limited to internal Schengen-style movements and do not amount to a full border closure or route suspension. Italy introduced its measures on 1 August and planned to keep them in place at least until 15 August, while Spain’s restrictions took effect on 8 August and are due to run until 7 September.
Italy’s checks apply to non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air or sea, while Spain’s controls target passengers from Italy at airports and ports. The moves add paperwork and processing time on a route that is normally open, with airlines potentially facing document checks at boarding or arrival gates and passengers needing to prepare for identity and visa verification.