Would-be immigrants arrive on a boat in the port of Italy’s southern island of Lampedusa

Europe’s borderless travel zone is under renewed strain after Italy handed temporary visas to thousands of African immigrants along with €500 to enable them to travel to neighbouring countries.

The German authorities are struggling to cope with the influx of homeless Africans who show no sign of leaving after their three-month visa expires despite being offered free travel back to Italy.

About 300 new arrivals have taken up residence in a park in the northern city of Hamburg while hundreds more are seeking shelter across the southern state of Bavaria thanks to the right to travel freely within the 26-nation Schengen zone on the Continent.

The German Interior Ministry believes that 5,700 homeless Africans have been given tourist visas by the authorities in Italy in