Schengen space Information and news about Schengen countries

In Strasbourg, the EU parliament has voted to allow Swiss foreigners with a residence permit to travel through Schengen countries without applying to a visa.

At the moment, a Turkish or Serbian resident wanting to travel home for the holidays by road would have to cross Austria or Italy, thus applying for a special transit visa from the revelent consulate or embassy. With this change, permissions to cross Schengen countries will be granted for five days.

This measure is temporary until Switzerland joins the Schengen accord, at the earliest in 2008. This will allow tourists who had a apply for a Schengen visa to request a Swiss visa also and systematic identity checks on the borders will be abandonned.

In 1985, France, Germany and Benelux countries signed Schengen agreements, allowing them to open their internal borders, on a boat located in the water near the village of Schengen (Luxembourg). Schengen agreements started in application in 1990.

Then, some other countries joined the borderless club:

Italy joined the group on November 27th, 1990, followed by Spain and Portugal on the 25th of June, 1991. Then, Greece joined Schengen space (November 6th, 1992). Austria joined Schengen just after it joined the EU, on April 28th, 1995.