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Summary: Information on Travel in Europe (EU member countries)

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Travel In Europe (EU Member Countries)

Travel throughout Europe has become much easier thanks to the European Union. It is possible to cross many of the borders within the EU with fewer delays and often without being checked. With many of the member states adopting the Euro, shopping for everything from food to clothes, train tickets and hotel bills is simpler as it forgoes the need for many different currencies.

Although there are fewer checks made on EU citizens, it is always best to have your passport or ID card when travelling in the EU as you may be required to prove your identity. Checks at internal borders are often carried out for national security purposes, usually for limited periods, so it’s best to be prepared.

You should ensure that any children travelling with you either have their own passport or ID card or are registered on your passport. It has not been possible to add a child to an adults passport in the UK since 1998. Children already included on their parents’ passport can continue to travel on this until the child reaches the age of 16, or the passport expires, whichever is sooner. Also, if you have to replace your passport that has a child included, they will now need to have a separate passport.

For EU citizens

Passport or ID card
There are no longer any frontier controls at the borders between 22 EU countries. This is thanks to the Schengen agreement which is part of EU law. The Schengen rules remove all internal border controls but put in place effective controls at the external borders of the EU and introduce a common visa policy. The full Schengen members are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden (but not Ireland and the United Kingdom) plus Iceland and Norway (which are not EU members).
Cyprus which joined the EU in 2004 and Bulgaria and Romania which joined in 2007 do not yet fully participate in Schengen. You will therefore need a valid passport or ID card to travel to those countries and to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
When entering or leaving the EU at the external borders you will need a valid passport or an ID card. You may, of course, need your passport when leaving the EU in order to enter the country of your destination.
Agreements with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland enable their nationals to be treated in the same way as EU citizens and to travel with just an ID card or passport in the EU.

Visa

You will not need a visa for travelling within the EU.

For non-EU citizens

Passport

You will need a valid passport.

Visa

There are 28 countries whose nationals do not need a visa to visit the EU for three months or less. These include Croatia (but not Turkey, which are both candidates for EU membership) as well as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. The list of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland differs slightly from other EU countries. If in doubt, check with the nearest consulate of any EU country.
If your visa is from a country fully applying the Schengen rules, it automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries as well. Moreover, if you have a valid residence permit from one of those Schengen countries, it is equivalent to a visa. You may need a national visa to visit non-Schengen countries.
Border officials in EU countries may ask for other supporting documents such as an invitation letter, proof of lodging, return or round-trip ticket. For the precise requirements contact the local consular services of the EU country in question.
Do not forget your travel, health and car insurance documents.
© European Communities, 1995-2008

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