Poland will introduce increased border checks with Lithuania and Germany starting July 7 in response to a growing influx of migrants entering the European Union via Belarus and Latvia.
The new measures are expected to affect freight transporters, passenger carriers, and travellers, with delays likely at major crossing points. Lithuanian and Polish officials say they aim to minimise disruption, but travellers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time.
The decision follows months of rising concern over irregular migration through the eastern EU frontier – particularly from Belarus, where migrants, mostly from countries like Somalia and Afghanistan, are believed to be funnelled through into Latvia, Lithuania, and eventually further west into Germany.
Border checks will not equate to full border closures, said Giedrius Mišutis, a spokesperson for Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT). “We haven’t received any indication that the borders will be closed entirely,” he said. These are likely to be targeted, intensified checks – not a return to hard borders.
VSAT and Polish border forces coordinate via a joint centre and are in regular contact. According to Mišutis, inspections may also occur away from the main crossing points.
Border guards don’t expect major queues, but urge travellers – especially those heading to places like Warsaw Airport – to factor in additional time in case of delays, he added.
Freight, passenger carriers brace for disruptions
Erlandas Mikėnas, president of the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association Linava, said transport companies understand the security concerns driving Poland’s decision, but still worry about operational impacts.
Each new restriction creates additional complications, Mikėnas said. “We hope the measures will be measured and won’t cause major issues for carriers.”
He noted that most Lithuanian freight companies operate in Western Europe and may avoid major disruptions. However, bus companies could face greater difficulty.
“Stopping a coach with 50 passengers for checks can be a significant disruption,” he said.
Migrant flows through Latvia worry Lithuania
Lithuania has also increased random checks and patrols amid a spike in irregular border crossings – mostly by migrants entering Latvia from Belarus and continuing on to Lithuania.
Mišutis emphasised that Lithuania’s direct border with Belarus is heavily fortified and tightly monitored. The problems are primarily on the Latvian side, he said.
In the first half of 2025, Lithuanian and Polish authorities apprehended 352 migrants – more than double the number recorded during the same period last year (140). Of these, 157 were stopped by Lithuanian forces, and 195 by their Polish counterparts.
The number of migrants from Somalia has risen sharply. This year alone, 150 Somali nationals have been detained, up from 52 in the first half of 2024. Their route typically includes Dubai, Moscow, and then Belarus, before crossing into Latvia and making their way westward.
Afghan nationals account for the second-largest group, with 52 stopped so far in 2025.
VSAT has launched 25 criminal investigations into illegal smuggling across the Lithuanian border this year and detained 31 alleged smugglers, mostly from Ukraine and Latvia.
Latvia and Poland remain under the greatest pressure. Latvian border forces have blocked 5,914 unauthorised entries in 2025, while Polish authorities have stopped 14,975.
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