Since 5 October 2025, Polish borders with Germany and Lithuania have been under enhanced protection. president Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk made decisions on the engagement of the Polish Armed Forces and the Military Police, which means six months of intensive checks. This unprecedented operation, which will last until at least 4 April 2026, aims to counter the increasing threat of illegal immigration. However, for thousands of Poles, including entrepreneurs and residents of the border zone, this means 1 thing: major handicaps in everyday life and travel. Prepare for longer waiting times, thorough paper checking and fresh realities on routes to western and northern neighbours. How will this affect your wallet and time?
Military on the Border: Half a Year of Increased Control
The decision to affect troops at the borders with Germany and Lithuania, which has been in force since 5 October 2025, is simply a direct consequence of the extension of temporary border controls. president Karol Nawrocki signed a resolution on the usage of troops and divisions of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk directed the Army Police Border defender to assist. Both documents, published in the Polish Monitor, give them full legal power. The military mission is due until April 4, 2026.
As indicated in the Communication from the National safety Bureau, the main nonsubjective is to guarantee Inviolability of the state border and safety and public order within the territorial scope of border crossing points and in the border area. The checks, which were first introduced on 7 July and then extended from 6 August to 4 October, now enter another half-year phase. On the Polish-German border he is presently operating 50 checkpoints, and at the border with Lithuania thirteen. Border defender officers receive support not only from the military, but besides from policemen and soldiers of the Territorial defence Army. At the time of these checks, the services have the right to hold the selected vehicles and to check documents, which means no longer the freedom to cross the interior borders of the EU.
Drivers and Entrepreneurs Nightmare: Million Losses
Increased border controls are not only a safety issue, but above all real handicap for thousands of people. Mr. Marek, an entrepreneur from Szczecin, who regularly commutes to Berlin for business meetings, has felt it on his own since July. His journey increases on average by 40 minutes 1 wayWhich forces him to get up an hr earlier. This experience shares with him thousands of border residents who commute to work abroad daily, facing additional stress and fatigue.
Transport and logistics companies are peculiarly affected. Tires drivers complain about multi-hour queueswhich paralyze the transport of goods between Poland and Germany. Each hr lost at the border is higher fuel costs, additional driver pay and hazard of failure to meet transportation time. The manufacture is talking about million losses, although authoritative data are inactive waiting for publication. Mrs Anna, who runs a logistics company in Słubice, confirms these concerns: her drivers are late on average by 2-3 hours on each route To Germany. She has already lost 2 regular customers, which translates into a monthly failure of gross order PLN 20-30 thousand. Will the Polish economy bear this burden?
Illegal Immigration: authoritative Reason and Controversy
The authoritative justification for extending military control and engagement is Addressing illegal migration. In fresh months, the Polish authorities have seen an alarming increase in attempts to illegally cross the border with Lithuania – during the year, the number of specified cases increased 3 times. The situation at the border with Germany besides raises serious concerns. Already in June, the Deputy talker of the Sejm, Krzysztof Bosak, accused Germany of "importing illegal migrants" to Poland. According to Polish border services, any people trying to scope Poland across the western border arrive straight from the territory German, which increases the force on the service.
However, not everyone agrees with this assessment of the situation and the legitimacy of specified long-term checks. Critics indicate that they can importantly hinder the free movement of persons and goods within the Schengen area, which is 1 of the foundations of the European Union. They besides item the negative impact on the local economy of border regions, which is mostly based on cross-border exchange and mobility. The question of whether economical and social costs do not outweigh the benefits of specified rigorous action remains open and raises increasing public debate.
How to Avoid Problems on the Border: applicable Guide
To minimise the hazard of obstructions erstwhile crossing the border with Germany and Lithuania, it is worth following a fewer simple, but Key principles. Always carry up-to-date ID papers – ID or passport – and, if you travel in a car, all the vehicle documents. Prepare for questions about your destination, your location and your planned time of stay abroad. It is best to have hotel booking confirmations, return tickets or an invitation from the individual you plan to visit. The more circumstantial and documented the answers, the faster you get through control.
If possible, avoid travel during rush hour. Early morning hours or late afternoons are moments erstwhile queues at the borders are usually shorter. On weekends and holidays, things can be much worse. It is essential for drivers carrying goods to guarantee that they have all the required customs and sanitary documents. Controls can besides cover the trunk of the car, so it is worth arranging space so that officers can easy check the contents without long unpacking. Mr. Tomasz, a truck driver from Poznań, learned from his mistakes: after the first three-hour check, now always prepares a peculiar file folder, so that the control continues with him maximum 15-20 minutes.
The Future of the Schengen Borders: Will Checks Become Norma?
The current Regulation extends checks until 4 April 2026, but there is no indication that this will be the last extension. Since July, erstwhile inspections were introduced, they have been extended twice. The authorities consistently explain that Migration situation requires increased vigilance at the borders. The analysis of the migration situation carried out by the applicable services shows that an extension of the period of temporary reintroduction of border control is absolutely essential to guarantee the safety of the State.
The question is how long this "temporary" state will last and erstwhile the boundaries will return to average functioning without control. For now, no 1 gives a circumstantial date, and subsequent extensions may become regular for the coming years, Permanently changing the face of travelling across Europe. However, border residents and entrepreneurs hope that the government will find a more effective solution than maintaining control indefinitely. Systematic changes are needed to guarantee safety without paralyzing everyday life and the economy of border regions. Is Europe ready for specified challenges?
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Military on the border with Germany and Lithuania. The checks will last until April 2026!
