Travel to Europe
– What you will need to know about travelling in the Schengen Zone
Canadians travelling to Europe’s Schengen countries will need to complete some additional paperwork prior to travel, starting in January 2021. The new requirement is called European Authorization and Information System (ETIAS).
The travel authorization will give pre-approval to enter the Schengen zone. What is the Schengen Zone and which countries are in it? is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. It is a great benefit to the many people who would otherwise have to cross borders to go to work each day. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement.
The Schengen Area consists of 26 states, including four which are not members of the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Currently the Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. In addition, there are 3 states that are not part of the Schengen agreement but still have open borders with Schengen countries; Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.
You will note that Ireland and United Kingdom are not part of Schengen agreement. Therefore, be sure to check before you travel whether any other authorization documents are required. Canadians can check here. Citizens of other countries need to check with their own Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
Here is more information on the Schengen visa – https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/
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