Poland Extends Border Controls with Germany and Lithuania Amid Migration Concerns

Poland Extends Border Controls Until April 2026

Poland has officially extended its temporary border control measures with Germany and Lithuania for an additional six months. The regulation, which took effect on Sunday, October 5, 2025, will remain in force until April 4, 2026. This decision was announced by the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration, with the decree signed by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński.

The extension aims to address persistent concerns regarding irregular migration flows along routes leading from the Baltic region through Poland to Western Europe. Minister Kierwiński stated, 'We are extending border controls with Germany and Lithuania to monitor the migration route leading from the Baltic states, through Poland, to Western Europe.' He added, 'We are catching individuals who illegally attempt to smuggle migrants to the West.'

Background and Justification for the Extension

The temporary border controls were initially introduced on July 7, 2025, at Poland's western border with Germany and northeastern border with Lithuania. They were subsequently extended in August for an additional two months, with the previous expiration date set for October 4, 2025. The current extension marks a continuation of these measures, which are implemented at 50 points along the Polish-German border and 13 points along the Polish-Lithuanian border.

A primary justification for the prolonged controls is the ongoing migratory pressure on Poland's eastern frontier with Belarus, which Warsaw describes as a 'politically driven migrant crisis' orchestrated by Minsk and Moscow since 2021. According to the Interior Ministry, nearly 25,000 attempted illegal border crossings were recorded at the Polish-Belarusian border in the first eight months of 2025.

Military Involvement and Migration Statistics

To bolster border security, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a decree authorizing the involvement of armed forces units to assist border guards. Additionally, Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on the Military Gendarmerie of Poland to support border guards along the German border for the duration of the temporary controls.

Statistics provided by the Interior Ministry highlight the scale of the challenge:

• Border authorities detained close to 500 third-country nationals who illegally entered Poland from Lithuania.
• Over 2,100 individuals were apprehended while attempting to cross from Poland into Germany.
• Among those apprehended at the Polish-German border, nearly 550 foreign nationals had previously entered Poland illegally via the Belarusian border.

Schengen Area Context

The reintroduction of internal border controls within the Schengen Area is permissible under the Schengen Borders Code (SBC) in exceptional circumstances, specifically when there is a serious threat to public policy or internal security. Such measures are considered a 'measure of last resort' and must be limited in scope and duration. While the SBC generally limits these extensions, provisions exist for prolonging controls under persistent threats.