Travel to Europe is entering a new phase of scrutiny as Italy joins a growing list of Schengen states tightening internal border checks, while the United States moves ahead with higher visa costs and expanded social media screening for many foreign applicants.

Together, the combined shift on both sides of the Atlantic signals a more controlled era for cross-border movement, even as tourism numbers continue to rebound and demand for international trips remains strong.

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Italy’s Return To Border Checks Signals A Wider European Trend

Italy has reintroduced systematic checks on its land border with Slovenia, aligning itself with a broader wave of temporary internal controls across the Schengen area. Rome formally notified Brussels that the controls, first brought back in late 2024, would continue into mid-2025, citing concerns over irregular migration flows and potential security risks. Italian officials argue that the border with Slovenia remains a key transit corridor on the so‑called Balkan route, used by smugglers moving people toward northern Europe.

The decision places Italy among at least ten Schengen countries that have partially rolled back the bloc’s hallmark of passport-free travel by reinstating internal checks. Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Bulgaria have all announced or extended similar measures into 2025, many of them invoking migration pressures, terrorism threats, or organized crime as justification. According to data shared with the European Commission and reported by regional media, the current extent of internal controls is unprecedented in the zone’s recent history.

For travelers, the Italian-Slovenian frontier, once a quick, signal-only crossing for motorists and coaches, now increasingly resembles an external border checkpoint. Authorities have boosted the presence of police and border guards, and drivers may be stopped for document inspections, vehicle searches and questions about their travel purpose. Rail passengers face random checks, and some cross-border local services have reported delays as controls are stepped up during peak periods.

Schengen Under Pressure As More Than Thirty-Two Countries Tighten Rules

The Schengen area has long been presented as the world’s largest zone of free movement, covering nearly all European Union states along with Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. With Bulgaria and Romania gaining full membership from January 1, 2025, the passport-free region now comprises 29 countries and more than 450 million residents. Yet beneath that milestone expansion, the number of member states resorting to emergency internal checks has steadily climbed.

By early 2025, at least ten Schengen members had formal, time‑limited internal controls in place. Others, such as Spain, Slovakia and Poland, have periodically reintroduced checks linked to major events, animal health concerns or spikes in irregular crossings. While the legal basis exists in the Schengen Borders Code to allow such measures in response to “serious threats” to public policy or internal security, critics warn that what was designed as an exceptional tool is increasingly becoming routine.

Germany currently operates the broadest network of internal checks, covering borders with nine neighbors and extending through at least September 2025. France has repeatedly prolonged controls on several frontiers, citing terror threats and security concerns linked to large-scale events. Denmark, Sweden and Norway maintain heightened checks at land borders, ports and airports, all pointing to organized crime, extremism and spillover risks from the conflict in Ukraine. Austria and Slovenia have also kept controls with certain neighbors amid continued migration along Balkan routes.

European institutions have urged capitals to keep such measures “strictly proportionate and limited in time,” but national governments argue they face a combination of migratory pressures, smuggling networks, and security challenges that demand national-level responses. For passengers, the practical outcome is the same: a growing likelihood of document checks, queues and questioning, even when traveling between countries that are nominally border-free.

New EU Biometric Border Systems Add Another Layer Of Scrutiny

At the same time as internal controls rise, the European Union is rolling out a powerful new digital frontier regime for non‑EU travelers. Since October 2025, the Entry/Exit System, or EES, has started coming online at selected border crossings, including key airports, ports and land terminals serving the Schengen area. The system replaces manual passport stamping with mandatory biometric registration for most short‑stay visitors from outside the EU.

Under EES, travelers from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India and many others are required to have their facial image captured and fingerprints scanned on their first entry after the system goes live. Their biometric and biographic data, along with entry and exit records, are stored in a centralized database for several years. Border authorities say the technology will help detect overstayers, combat document fraud and tighten security while eventually speeding up repeat crossings once a traveler’s profile has been created.

The phased introduction, however, has been far from seamless. Airports and ports across countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Greece have reported long queues and delays as self‑service kiosks malfunction, servers struggle with peak loads and staff adapt to new procedures. In some hubs, non‑EU passengers have faced waits of two to three hours, prompting industry groups to call for temporary suspensions or more flexible implementation during busy travel periods.

For now, only a fraction of eligible travelers are being processed through EES as authorities test and gradually scale up the system. Full operational coverage is targeted by spring 2026, at which point most non‑EU short‑stay visitors entering Schengen by air, sea or land will face biometric checks. Although Ireland and Cyprus are not participating, the vast majority of Europe’s most popular tourism destinations will be covered, meaning that trips combining, for example, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden and Portugal will all fall under the new regime.

United States Raises Visa Costs And Deepens Social Media Checks

Across the Atlantic, the United States is also tightening aspects of its travel and immigration screening, with a mix of higher fees and more invasive digital vetting taking effect in 2025. The U.S. State Department has confirmed that applicants in several popular visa categories now face increased scrutiny of their online presence, along with the introduction of a new “visa integrity fee” that will significantly raise costs for many travelers.

From June 23, 2025, students and exchange visitors applying for F, M and J visas have been required to list all social media identifiers used in the previous five years and keep those accounts publicly visible throughout the assessment period. Consular officers are empowered to review posts, comments, photos, likes and group affiliations, looking for any material that could be construed as extremist, violent or overtly hostile to the United States. Guidance to applicants stresses that deleting or locking down accounts shortly before applying may itself be treated as a red flag.

On the financial side, a new 250‑dollar “visa integrity fee” is scheduled to take effect from October 1, 2025, initially affecting large numbers of applicants from high‑demand countries such as India. While full global implementation details continue to be clarified, travel experts expect the surcharge to apply broadly across non‑immigrant categories in markets where fraud or high refusal rates are a concern. Combined with existing application charges, medical checks and service fees, the additional cost will push the total outlay for a standard U.S. visitor or student visa into significantly higher territory for many families.

These steps build on earlier changes that extended mandatory social media disclosure to most non‑immigrant visa categories. They reflect a wider trend in U.S. policy that increasingly treats public online behavior as part of a candidate’s security profile. For would‑be travelers, the message is clear: consular officers are now encouraged to see a visa application not just as a stack of forms and documents, but as a window into an applicant’s digital footprint and worldview.

Impact On Transatlantic Travelers And Tourists

The convergence of stricter controls in Europe and the United States is reshaping the experience of transatlantic travel, particularly for tourists, students and business visitors who previously enjoyed relatively frictionless movement. It now takes more planning, more paperwork and often more money to complete what used to be a straightforward trip.

For example, a U.S. traveler flying to Italy, then continuing on to France and Germany, will increasingly face a series of layered checks instead of a single entry control. Upon first arrival at a Schengen external border, they are likely to undergo biometric registration under EES. If their itinerary involves crossing into countries that have reinstated internal controls, such as driving from Italy into Slovenia or Austria, they could encounter spot checks that require passports, proof of accommodation, and sometimes evidence of onward travel or financial means.

Conversely, an Italian or German visitor seeking to study in the United States must now weigh not only higher visa fees, but also the possible implications of their social media history. Comments made years ago about polarizing political events, foreign policy, or protest movements might, in theory, be read in a very different light when examined by consular officials looking for “security indicators.” Immigration lawyers report growing demand from clients seeking advice on how past posts could be misinterpreted or taken out of context.

Industry observers say that while seasoned travelers and frequent flyers may adapt quickly to the new environment, first‑time visitors and older passengers can find the process intimidating. Airlines and tour operators are responding by updating guidance, adding buffer time in itineraries, and warning customers to expect additional questions at borders. Travel insurance providers, meanwhile, are reviewing policy wording to clarify what happens if missed connections or lost hotel nights result from biometric delays or extended questioning at checkpoints.

Security, Migration And Politics Drive The Clampdown

The tightening of travel regimes on both continents is rooted in a mix of security anxieties, migration pressures and domestic political dynamics. In Europe, the legacy of the 2015 migration crisis, successive terror attacks in cities such as Paris, Brussels and Berlin, and the shock of Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine have all fed into a narrative that border management must be reinforced, even at the cost of Schengen’s ideal of seamless movement.

Interior ministries argue that internal checks, when used alongside external border upgrades and information‑sharing systems like EES, are necessary to disrupt smuggling networks, identify suspects and maintain public confidence in open borders. Several governments also face strong pressure from opposition parties and parts of the electorate to “regain control” of migration, prompting them to show visible action at key crossing points.

In the United States, policy conversations around visas and travel screening are deeply intertwined with debates on national security, foreign influence campaigns and the role of social media in radicalization. Lawmakers from both major parties have at times pushed for more rigorous vetting of foreign nationals’ online behavior, especially after incidents where attackers or extremists were later found to have posted warning signs or hateful rhetoric on public platforms. The new social media rules and visa fees are presented by officials as tools to deter bad actors and fund stronger integrity checks.

Civil liberties groups on both sides of the Atlantic, however, warn that the expanding focus on digital footprints risks chilling free expression and disproportionately affecting young people, activists and members of minority communities. They also caution against normalizing internal border checks within Schengen, arguing that such measures, once entrenched, could prove difficult to roll back even after the stated security or migration triggers subside.

What Travelers Should Expect In The Months Ahead

For now, tourism demand to Europe and the United States remains robust, and there is little sign that stricter checks are significantly depressing bookings. Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal all continue to rank among the world’s top destinations, while U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando remain magnets for leisure and business visitors alike. Nonetheless, industry professionals advise travelers to adjust expectations and build more flexibility into their plans.

Practical steps include allowing additional time at border crossings where internal Schengen checks are in place, carrying passports or national identity cards at all times when moving between European countries, and keeping supporting documents handy, such as accommodation confirmations, return tickets and proof of funds. Non‑EU visitors should be prepared for biometric capture at their first Schengen entry point and check whether EES is already operating at their chosen airport or port.

Those planning trips to the United States in late 2025 and beyond are urged to budget for higher visa costs and carefully review their online presence before applying. While officials insist they do not expect applicants to sanitize their histories, they advise against last‑minute deletions or changes that might appear suspicious. Prospective students, in particular, are being told to start visa processes earlier than in previous years to account for potential delays linked to enhanced digital screening.

As Italy joins Finland, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, France, Ireland and more than thirty other European countries in enforcing tougher travel conditions, and as Washington accelerates its own shift toward deeper digital vetting, the era of frictionless, lightly policed international travel looks increasingly distant. For millions of travelers, the new reality is one of higher stakes at the border, more intrusive questions about their movements and online lives, and a premium on preparation long before they reach the airport check‑in counter.