Cuban travelers who are traveling between Spain and Italy during these days should pay special attention to the documentation they carry with them, even though both countries are part of the Schengen area.
Spain and Italy currently maintain temporary controls at their internal air and maritime borders, an exceptional measure that allows authorities to recheck passports, identity documents, visas, or residence permits on routes that normally are not subject to systematic border control.
The European Commission keeps an updated list of temporary border controls within the Schengen Area.
According to this information, Spain will maintain controls on its air and sea connections with Italy until October 7, 2026.
Italy, for its part, extended its controls on connections from Spain until October 16, 2026.
It doesn’t mean that the borders have been closed
The measure does not mean that Spain or Italy have left Schengen, nor that travelers need to apply for a new visa just to travel between the two countries.
The Schengen Border Code allows for the temporary reinstatement of internal controls when there are exceptional circumstances related to public order or internal security.
During that period, a traveler may encounter identity and documentation checks at an airport or port even if their journey begins and ends within the Schengen area.
The practical recommendation is simple: do not travel between Spain and Italy relying solely on the fact that it is an internal European flight or ferry. You must carry the migratory documentation that certifies your right to stay and move within the Schengen area.
Why does Italy maintain the controls?
The Italian Ministry of the Interior confirmed on September 30 a new extension of 15 days for its air and maritime controls with Spain.
The Italian government links the decision to the migratory situation observed in the Spanish city of Ceuta and to the risks arising from potential secondary movements of people within the Schengen area.
Italian authorities also mention objectives related to internal security and the prevention of potential terrorist threats.
Italy began implementing these controls on August 1st and has subsequently extended them.
The Italian Ministry of the Interior has explained that they are applied selectively and based on risk analysis, aiming to minimize the impact on legitimate travel.
Spain also controls arrivals from Italy
Spain has a similar measure in place for connections coming from Italy.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior explicitly informs about the temporary restoration of controls at the Spanish internal air and maritime borders corresponding to flights and connections of passengers coming from Italy.
The measure has been extended through successive orders from the Ministry of the Interior and is currently in effect until October 7, according to the Spanish notification recorded by the European Commission.
Cuban with a Cuban passport and Schengen visa
A person traveling with a Cuban passport and a valid Schengen visa can move between Spain and Italy under the conditions set by their visa.
The time control does not require applying for another Italian or Spanish visa just for crossing between the two countries.
However, you must carry with you:
Valid Cuban passport.
Valid Schengen visa, when applicable.
Documentation that proves legal residence within the Schengen Area.
When necessary, documents related to accommodation, return travel, or the purpose of the stay.
The European Commission reminds that a person who has legally entered with a Schengen visa can travel across the countries within the area during the validity of that visa and respecting the general limit of 90 days within a period of 180 days.
Having a visa for Spain does not mean staying only in Spain
A common misunderstanding among Cuban travelers is thinking that a Schengen visa issued by Spain only allows them to stay in Spanish territory.
In general, a valid uniform Schengen visa also allows travel to Italy and the other countries in the Schengen area as long as the authorized conditions and days are respected.
The current temporary controls do not modify that rule.
Cuban legal resident in Spain
A Cuban citizen with a valid residence permit in Spain can travel through Italy for a short stay using their passport and residence card or authorization.
For travel to another Schengen country, non-EU residents must bring:
Valid passport or travel document.
Valid residence permit or card.
European regulations typically allow a national from a third country with a residence permit issued by a Schengen State to visit another Schengen State for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period.
The same logic applies to a Cuban resident in Italy who travels temporarily to Spain.
Cuban with Spanish citizenship
For a Cuban who also has Spanish nationality, the situation is simpler.
As a citizen of the European Union, you can travel between Spain and Italy with your valid Spanish ID card or Spanish passport.
The European Commission reminds that when temporary border controls are in place within Schengen, European citizens must be able to present a valid passport or national identity document.
Therefore, a Cuban-Spanish person should not rely solely on their Cuban passport when making this journey if they have valid Spanish documentation.
What happens with a Cuban American?
A Cuban traveling with a U.S. passport falls within the category of travelers currently exempt from visa requirements for short stays in the Schengen area.
This means that you can travel between Spain and Italy with your U.S. passport as long as you meet the applicable stay conditions, including the 90-day rule within each 180-day period.
During temporary checks, you must be able to present your passport and, if requested by the authorities, prove that you are legally residing in the Schengen area.
For now, you do not need ETIAS because the new European electronic authorization system is still not operational.
CiberCuba recently explained which Cubans will need ETIAS when it becomes operational, likely during the last quarter of 2026.
ETIAS and these border controls are different things
The current controls between Spain and Italy are not part of ETIAS.
ETIAS will be a travel authorization for citizens of certain nationalities who can currently enter without a visa, such as Americans.
The temporary controls between Spain and Italy, on the other hand, are physical border checks within the Schengen area itself.
A person with a valid ETIAS in the future could also be subjected to this type of internal control if one of the States decides to maintain or temporarily reintroduce border checks.
It is also not the same as the EES system
The European Union Entry and Exit System, known as EES, should not be confused with these controls either.
The EES is used to electronically record the entry and exit of certain non-EU travelers when they cross the external borders of the Schengen Area.
It has been fully operational since April 2026.
A direct flight from Madrid to Rome still counts as an internal movement within the Schengen area. The fact that there is temporarily a document check does not change that trip into a new entry into the Schengen space.
Could there be more waiting time at the airport?
The possibility of additional controls may make it advisable to arrive at airports and ports with more time to spare during the days when the measures remain in effect.
It does not necessarily mean that all passengers will go through a lengthy procedure.
Italy has indicated that its controls are applied in a selective and risk-based manner, aiming to minimize the impact on regular travelers.
But any passenger may be required to show their documentation.
What happens if you travel by road between Spain and Italy?
Spain and Italy do not share a direct land border.
The road route usually crosses through France, and there is another important detail: France currently has temporary controls at its internal borders with Spain and Italy until October 31, 2026.
Therefore, anyone traveling by road or train must also carry their travel and residency documentation in order.
What is advisable to bring in each case
Cuban passport + Schengen visa: passport, valid visa, and documentation related to the stay.
Cuban resident in Spain or Italy: valid passport and residence card or permit.
Cuban with Spanish citizenship: Valid Spanish ID card or Spanish passport.
Cuban-American: valid U.S. passport and documentation to verify legal residency when requested.
The general principle has not changed: a person who is legally within Schengen retains the right to move in accordance with the conditions of their visa, residence permit, or citizenship.
What has temporarily changed is that Spain and Italy can once again verify those documents when crossing between the two countries.
Two dates that travelers should keep an eye on
According to the notifications currently registered by the European Commission:
October 7, 2026: unless a new extension is granted, the period currently announced by Spain for controls on connections originating from Italy will end.
October 16, 2026: unless a new extension is granted, the period communicated by Italy for its controls on connections from Spain will end.
Both governments can modify or extend the measures again if they believe that the circumstances justifying them still exist.
Therefore, those planning to travel in the coming weeks should check shortly before departure the updated register of internal controls from the European Commission and the guidance from the authorities of Spain and Italy.
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