Sweden keeps border checks until May 2027 – government cites sabotage threat

Anyone travelling to Sweden should continue to expect possible checks at the border over the coming six months. On 5 November the Swedish government decided to keep controls at the country’s internal borders in place for a further six months. The new decision applies from 12 November 2026 up to and including 11 May 2027. Formally, it is not an extension but a reintroduction on new grounds.

A new decision rather than an extension

According to the Ministry of Justice’s press release, the decision takes effect when the previous one expires on 11 November. The government judges that there is a serious threat to public order and internal security. As the main reason, it points to the security situation following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: hybrid threats and hostile actors moving and operating within the Schengen area. The checks are intended to help the authorities identify incoming travellers who may pose a threat.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (Moderates) told the news agency TT that the concerns include a heightened threat of sabotage against Sweden and other EU member states. He referred to a recent warning from Sweden’s Security Service, Säpo.

Background: checks since November 2015

Sweden has controlled its internal borders without interruption since 12 November 2015, though on changing legal grounds. The legal basis is the Schengen Borders Code (EU Regulation 2016/399). Under it, such controls may initially last no more than six months and can be extended to up to two years if the reasons persist. Where new reasons apply, an entirely new decision with new deadlines is taken – which is the route the government has now chosen. According to SVT, Stockholm justified the controls in 2024 with organised crime.

Sweden is not alone: according to the government, France, Germany, Norway and Denmark have also reintroduced controls at their internal borders.

How the checks work

As before, the Swedish Police Authority decides where and how checks are carried out. The government stresses that controls should be limited to what is necessary to protect public order and security. The decision does not name specific checkpoints. According to SVT, the decision changes nothing in practice, as controls have been in place in various forms for years.

What this means for travellers and people in Sweden

For tourists, commuters and people moving to Sweden, the key rule remains: always carry valid identification. According to the Swedish Embassy in Copenhagen:

• EU and EEA citizens should always carry a valid passport or national identity card.
• Nordic citizens enjoy passport-free travel within the Nordic region but must be able to prove their identity and citizenship if checked by Swedish police – with a passport, national ID card or valid Nordic driving licence.
• Non-EU citizens holding a residence permit or Schengen visa must also show a valid passport. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), in use since 12 October 2025, also applies to them.

The former ID checks carried out by transport operators on buses, trains and ferries in the Øresund region have ended. On other ferry routes, however, ID checks remain common for maritime safety reasons. Anyone arriving via the Øresund Bridge or by ferry from Germany should allow a little extra time in case police carry out checks. For an overview of routes from Denmark to Sweden, see our guide From Denmark to Sweden: Øresund Bridge, Ferry and Train.

For people who already live in or commute to Sweden, nothing changes in everyday life. Whether Sweden will continue the controls after 11 May 2027 remains open; the government will have to decide afresh.

Sources

• Regeringen.se – Återinförd gränskontroll vid inre gräns (5 November 2026)
• SVT Nyheter – Regeringen förlänger gränskontroller i sex månader (5 November 2026)
• Swedish Embassy in Copenhagen – In- och utresebestämmelser (updated 21 October 2026)