Germany’s federal police ombudsman Uli Grötsch has used the publication of his 2025/26 annual report to deliver an unusually blunt assessment of the temporary border controls that have been in force on all German land borders since September 2024. Grötsch writes that the controls—originally justified as an emergency response to increased irregular migration—have become a de-facto permanent fixture even though EU law limits such measures to short, clearly defined periods. He notes that several administrative courts (most recently Munich and Koblenz) have already ruled individual checks unlawful and warns of further legal defeats if Berlin continues to prolong the regime without a new legal basis. Beyond legality, the ombudsman focuses on operational strain. Federal-police officers have amassed large backlogs of overtime, face frequent rota changes and lose access to training because thousands remain tied up at border posts. Morale is suffering, Grötsch reports, and staff question the proportionality of the deployment when overall migration numbers have stabilised. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) immediately rejected the criticism, calling the checks “highly effective” against people-smuggling and cross-border crime. The ministry has until mid-August to decide whether to ask Brussels for a further six-month extension. The European Commission has recently urged Germany to phase the controls out; political debate in Berlin is now intensifying ahead of the deadline. For companies that move staff or goods by road or rail, the uncertainty matters.
![German Police Ombudsman Warns Border Controls “Not Sustainable” Long-Term]()
At times like these, VisaHQ can help organisations and individual travellers cut through the red tape. Its Germany portal offers real-time updates on entry requirements, handles Schengen visa applications end-to-end and arranges courier pick-ups, giving mobility teams a single interface to stay compliant while the legal situation evolves.
Spot checks can translate into missed delivery slots, longer coach journeys and extra compliance paperwork. Mobility managers should monitor whether the government seeks a fresh extension and, if so, whether courts will allow it. A possible outcome is a pared-back model that relies more on mobile patrols and intelligence-led checks—less disruptive for legitimate travellers but still resource-intensive for the Bundespolizei.
At times like these, VisaHQ can help organisations and individual travellers cut through the red tape. Its Germany portal offers real-time updates on entry requirements, handles Schengen visa applications end-to-end and arranges courier pick-ups, giving mobility teams a single interface to stay compliant while the legal situation evolves.
Spot checks can translate into missed delivery slots, longer coach journeys and extra compliance paperwork. Mobility managers should monitor whether the government seeks a fresh extension and, if so, whether courts will allow it. A possible outcome is a pared-back model that relies more on mobile patrols and intelligence-led checks—less disruptive for legitimate travellers but still resource-intensive for the Bundespolizei.
