Germany extends border controls through September

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Germany will extend border controls at all its land borders through at least September, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced Monday.

The government has notified the European Commission that temporary border checks will continue beyond March 15 for an additional six months, the Interior Ministry said.

"We are extending border controls at the borders with our neighboring countries," Dobrindt told the Bild daily, stressing that the government will continue its strict migration policy.

More than 46,000 people have been turned back from Germany's borders since comprehensive border checks were introduced, according to official figures. From September 2024 to December 2025, a total of 46,426 people were turned back at the borders.

Berlin says asylum seekers must file their applications in the first EU country they enter — such as Greece or Italy — rather than traveling to Germany before processing their applications. Under EU regulations, member states may implement temporary border controls in the passport-free Schengen area only in exceptional circumstances, such as when facing serious threats to public order. The European Commission has repeatedly said that such measures should be used only as a "last resort" and must remain "temporary."