Traveling from Spain to Italy is still possible normally, but during these days the journey may include a procedure that millions of Europeans have not encountered in their travels within the Schengen area for years: a documentation check upon arrival in the country.
The government of Giorgia Meloni introduced the checks after the massive influx of migrants recorded in Ceuta and has rejected Spain's request to remove them before Sunday, August 9. Rome maintains that it will keep the measure at least until August 15, when it will reassess the situation.
The decision has generated a diplomatic confrontation between both governments, but for those who have booked a vacation in Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, or any other Italian destination, the practical issue is simpler: the checks do not equate to closing the border nor do they prevent travel from Spain to Italy.
Can you travel to Italy from Spain?
Yes. There is no prohibition on traveling to Italy from Spain, nor have flights or maritime connections been suspended as a result of this measure.
What Rome has done is temporarily restore border checks for arrivals from Spain. The Schengen Borders Code exceptionally allows states to re-establish controls at their internal borders when they consider there is a serious threat to public order or internal security.
In practice, this means that a trip that is normally made without systematic border control may now include a check of identity and passenger documentation.
Who do the controls in Italy affect?
The Italian measure is especially aimed at controlling non-EU citizens arriving from Spain, according to the information available about the restrictions adopted by Rome.
However, this does not mean that a Spanish citizen or another EU country citizen must travel without documentation. The checks may involve inspections of passengers and, therefore, it is especially important to carry a valid travel document.
Checks are already being carried out at airports. Travelers arriving from Spain at Fiumicino Airport in Rome have reported documentation checks by the Italian police after disembarking.
What documents must a Spaniard carry to travel to Italy?
For a Spanish citizen a new documentary requirement does not appear for these controls. Italy continues to be part of the European Union and the Schengen area.
Therefore, Spaniards can travel by identifying themselves with their valid DNI or passport. They do not need to apply for a visa due to the temporary introduction of these controls.
The difference is that now it is advisable to have the documentation prepared and accessible during the journey, because the Italian authorities may request it upon arrival.
Is a passport required to travel to Italy?
No for Spanish citizens. The passport is valid, but it is not the only document that allows for the trip: the valid DNI remains sufficient.
The temporary border controls do not modify the rights of free movement of European citizens nor do they turn a trip between Spain and Italy into an ordinary entry from a third country.
The European Commission reminds that community regulations allow for the exceptional re-establishment of internal controls, but aim to ensure that these measures are temporary, proportionate, and replaced when possible by less restrictive alternatives.
What happens with travelers who are not EU citizens?
Here the documentation takes on special importance. A non-EU citizen traveling from Spain must carry the passport and, when applicable according to their nationality and administrative situation, the valid Schengen visa or residence permit that certifies their right to remain and move within the Schengen area.
The re-establishment of control does not in itself mean that valid Schengen visas have ceased to be effective. The measure allows Italy to check the documentation of those arriving from Spain again.
Therefore, non-EU travelers should especially check the validity of their passport, visa, or residence permit before traveling.
Can delays occur at airports?
Yes. This is probably the main practical consequence for Spanish tourists.
With the introduction of additional checks, queues may form at points of arrival, especially on days of high mobility such as those close to the bridge of August 15.
The airlines can also convey specific recommendations to their passengers. In this situation, it is advisable to consult the company's communications before going to the airport and allow for an additional margin of time, especially for subsequent connections.
Until when will the controls from Italy to Spain be in place?
The date that should now be marked on the calendar is August 15.
Spain had demanded that Italy lift the controls before the end of Sunday August 9 and has threatened to take proportional measures if Rome maintains the restrictions. Italy has rejected that ultimatum and announced that it will not review its decision before August 15.
This does not necessarily mean that the controls will automatically end that day. August 15 is the announced date to review the situation, so it will be necessary to check then if Italy decides to lift them, modify them, or maintain them.
Why is Italy now controlling arrivals from Spain?
The origin lies in the migratory crisis in Ceuta. Rome argues that the massive entry recorded in the Spanish autonomous city justifies adopting preventive measures to avoid possible secondary movements to Italy.
Spain rejects that argument. The Government maintains that the people who entered irregularly in Ceuta could not move freely through the Schengen area due to the specific regime of the autonomous city and reminds that the vast majority have already returned to Morocco.
The controversy has ended up turning an initially concentrated crisis at the Hispano-Moroccan border into a confrontation between two European partners that directly affects travel between Spain and Italy during the peak tourist season.
For travelers, however, the fundamental message does not change: it is still possible to travel to Italy, the DNI remains valid for Spaniards, and no additional visa has been introduced. The main novelty is that, at least until the review scheduled for August 15, anyone arriving from Spain must be prepared to encounter a border control.