Tourists from the Baltic region barred at Polish border, sympathies are scarce
In the heart of September 2024, a young couple, Neda Amiri and her partner, were preparing for a family holiday in Poland with their three children. However, their holiday anticipation was short-lived at the border.
Neda Amiri and her family, it seems, had overlooked a crucial detail - the children's passports. This oversight, unsurprisingly, caused issues at the border. As they approached the Polish frontier, they were turned away due to Poland's introduction of border controls.
The family's predicament is not unique. Many Baltic Sea holidaymakers are finding themselves in trouble due to these border controls, a situation that has been ongoing since July 2025 and is expected to continue until at least October 2025.
These controls, while not a full closure or barrier-based, involve random inspections of vehicles and passengers, especially vans and multi-passenger vehicles, based on risk analysis by Polish border guards, supported by police and territorial defense troops. The Polish government justifies these measures as necessary responses to increased irregular migration attempts, particularly coming from Belarus into Poland, which puts pressure on border security.
Despite the primary focus on security concerns, these controls can cause delays or complications for travelers crossing these borders, including holidaymakers traveling around the Baltic Sea region. Influencer Neda Amiri was surprised as her group was pulled out at the border while others were waved through.
The family's plan involves Lukas driving back to Hamburg to retrieve the passports. In the meantime, Neda is spending the night alone with the children in the hotel. The internet, however, has shown little sympathy towards Neda Amiri's situation. Some find it quite irresponsible, stating that they always have their passports with them for emergencies. Others are making fun of the situation, stating that 'holiday' is not a 'special reason' and that the family should not expect state assistance for forgetting their passports.
The young couple is not alone in their predicament. The family heard from another family who had a similar experience that they can go to the federal police for help. The family hopes that the federal police will let them cross the border with appropriate justification.
Meanwhile, Germany and other neighboring countries have also extended or maintained border controls in response to migration and security challenges, which may compound travel complications in the Baltic Sea area. In parallel, the Baltic States themselves (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) are coordinating the lifting of border restrictions among themselves, but Poland’s controls at its borders with Lithuania and Germany remain in effect.
This situation arises due to Poland's reintroduction and extension of temporary border checks aimed at controlling unauthorized migration pressure from the east, affecting cross-border travel conditions. Neda Amiri had not realised that Poland has been conducting border controls since July 7th. The controls were introduced in response to Germany's tightened border controls since September 2024.
Neda's biggest challenge is keeping her nerve while dealing with the situation, as she is traveling with three children. The Instagram community, however, seems less concerned, with some finding the situation quite irresponsible. Yet, the family remains hopeful that they will be able to continue their holiday soon.
Neda Amiri and her family are struggling with travel complications due to Poland's border controls, as they had left their children's passports at home. Despite the ongoing controls since July 2025 and the lack of sympathy from some online, the family hopes to resolve the issue and continue their holiday.
