E.U States Allowing Visa free Travel-E.U Fam&Residence c

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:21 am

Creating a list of E.U countries that allow for Visa free travel for E.U family members who possess a valid residence card issued by a member state and traveling with family members.Please feel free to contribute with appropriate links from respective embassies and not from the Directives alone as we know many countries are a long way from implementing the Directives correctly.

1. Germany
http://www.dublin.diplo.de/Vertretung/d ... =Daten.pdf

[quote]If you are married to an EU-citizen but NOT to a German
citizen and your Garda Card is a â€œ4EUFamâ€

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:24 pm

4. Sweden
http://www.swedenabroad.com/Page____23300.aspx

According to the EU Directive 38/2004 family members of EEA nationals who are in possession of a British "Residence Card of a family member of an EEA national" or "Permanent Residence Card" do not need a visa for visits up to 90 days to Sweden and many other EU member states.

5. The Netherlands
http://www.netherlands-embassy.org.uk/passports/index.php?i=56

Webpage has detailled explanation with fotos and who and who cannot travel without a visa.

6. Italy
http://www.consmanchester.esteri.it/Consolato_Manchester/Menu/I_Servizi/Per_chi_si_reca_in_italia/

ATTENTION:

The EU Directive 2004/38/CE has been implemented in Italy. Therefore, for family members of EU citizens who do not have the nationality of a Member State, Residence Cards Permits will be deemed equivalent to short-stay visas and for short stay in Italy they will not need to apply to this Consulate for a SCHENGEN VISA.
Please note that your Residence Card should bear a clear reference to the fact that you are a family member of an EEA National.

If you have doubts about your status or the validity of your Permit, please contact us by mail (visti.manchester@esteri.it).

Please note that for long stays (above 90 days) for whatever purpose, all aliens are required to hold a visa, even if they are nationals of countries which do not require transit or short-stay visas.

7. Latvia
http://www.am.gov.lv/en/service/visas/EU/

Entry into to Latvia by citizens of Member States of the European Union, countries of the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation and their family members

Entry into Latvia and stay by citizens of Member States of the European Union, countries of the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation (hereinafter: "Union citizens") and their family members is regulated by Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 586 of 18 July 2006 "Procedure for Entry into Latvia and Residence by Citizens and their Family Members of Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation", with which Directive 2004/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and stay freely within the territory of the Member States is being implemented in Latvia.

Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 586 defines a "family member of a Union citizen" as:

* the spouse of a Union citizen
* the direct descendant of a Union citizen or his spouse who is under the age of 21 and is a dependant of the Union citizen or his spouse
* the direct relative of a Union citizen or his spouse in the ascending line, who is a dependant of the Union citizen or his spouse
* a person who is the ward of a Union citizen or their spouse and who has been part of a common household with the Union citizen in their former country of domicile

A Union citizen is not required a visa to enter or stay in Latvia. In order to enter Latvia, he/she is required a valid travel document such as a passport or personal identification document (ID card).

If a Union citizen wishes to stay in Latvia for a period of time in excess of 90 days counting from the first date of entry, he must register with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and obtain a registration certificate.

A family member of a Union citizen, being a person not exempted from the requirement for a visa, when crossing the external border of the Schengen area is entitled to enter and stay in Latvia for a period of up to 90 days from the first date of entry if he has:

* a valid Union citizen's family member residence permit issued by a European Union Member State
* a valid residence permit issued by a state signatory to the Schengen agreement
* a valid uniform (Schengen) visa for travel within the Schengen area
* a valid long-term visa for entry into Latvia issued by a competent Latvian institution

A family member of a Union citizen who submits documentation confirming a family relationship and travels together with the Union citizen, or who wishes to stay together with him in Latvia, does not require an invitation approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in order to apply for a visa.

If a family member of a Union citizen wishes to stay in Latvia for a period in excess of 90 days counting from the first date of entry, he must register with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and receive a registration certificate.

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:52 pm

This site from Delta Airlines though not completely accurate has some quick thumb rules...
http://www.delta.com/planning_reservati ... formation/

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:22 pm

8. Bulgaria
http://www.bulgarianembassy-london.org/ ... Itemid=158

Family members of EU citizen, who do not have the nationality of the EU Member State, are entitled to the same rights as the EU citizens, for their travel to Bulgaria. This only applies to those having permanent residence in an EU country (ILR) and travelling together, or going to Bulgaria to join their family member (s) who is (are) already in the country. Family members of the EU citizen should be in a position to present on request a Marriage Certificate or Birth Certificate, legalized and translated into the official language of an EU member country.

ensalmo · Post by **ensalmo** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:20 pm

I just like to stress that according to the EU Directive 2004/38/EC family members include Spouses, ascendant dependant of EU national and spouse in a possession of the Home Office EU family residence card.

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:29 am

archigabe wrote:Creating a list of E.U countries that allow for Visa free travel for E.U family members who possess a valid residence card issued by a member state and traveling with family members.

I think we should point out that this thread is relevant to those who live in a EU member country but outside Schengen. As far as I am aware residence permits issued by a Schengen member can substitute for a visa when travelling to another Schengen country. Is this right or are there still problems too?

JA13I · Post by **JA13I** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:30 pm

Romania

Richard66 · Post by **Richard66** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:39 am

I think we should point out that this thread is relevant to those who live in a EU member country but outside Schengen. As far as I am aware residence permits issued by a Schengen member can substitute for a visa when travelling to another Schengen country. Is this right or are there still problems too?

"A residence card is equivalent to a Schengen visa. If you have a Schengen country residence card you can travel anywhere and (as a family member) this includes Switzerland too, with or without the family member.

sham · Post by **sham** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:20 am

I have already asked this question in a different thread, i just want to have more opinions pleas.

the case: Non-EU national spouse of EU national, both residing in the UK.
I have a residence card as EU family member valid for 5 years.

i believe if I want to travel alone to a shengen state from the UK, i need to apply for a schengen visa....

on the application it says that you don't have to fill in some fields if you are EU family member and that you don't have to pay for the visa, does that only apply if we want to travel together? or can i have this arrangement even if i was travelling alone?

and what if i said that we are travelling together then i travel alone on the visa that has been given for free?

Richard66 · Post by **Richard66** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:05 pm

As I've said somewhere else, a Schengen visa is a Schengen visa: just because you're travelling without your EEA family member does not mean that your Schengen visa is "less valid" than a normal one. If you read the form it says you don't need to answer some questions if you are a family member: the fact you're travelling alone or not is not even mentioned. After all, according the the Directive, if you were travelling with your family member, no visa would be required: just a residence card.

sham · Post by **sham** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:04 pm

Thank you Richard for your clarification...just want to know...will the visa be free even if i am travelling alone?

giruzz · Post by **giruzz** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:00 pm

New one seems to be Denmark

http://www.amblondon.um.dk/en/menu/Cons ... orDenmark/

NATIONALS WHO DO NOT REQUIRE A VISA FOR DENMARK

You do NOT need a visa for Denmark for business, personal visits or tourism if you are:

a citizen of a Nordic country

a citizen of an EU country

a citizen of a country listed below

provided you are not going to stay longer than 3 months and you are not going to do any paid or self-employed work or
if you hold an EU Residence Card (in the UK a sticker in the passport). Please note that family members of a UK national will need a visa.

giruzz · Post by **giruzz** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:26 pm

It seems Malta just changed.... (20th of June 2008)

Travel rights for Third-Country Nationals
Third-country nationals may enter and travel within the European Union
provided they fulfil the entry conditions, among others to be in
possession of a valid travel document or a visa if required, for stays not
exceeding three months per six-month period.
Special rules apply to non-EU national family members of EU citizens,
with differing travel rights according to whether they are travelling with
the EU citizen or travelling alone. In addition, a valid residence permit
issued by an EU Member State applying the Schengen provisions can
permit a non-EU national to travel to other Member States in the
Schengen area without a visa.

http://www.foreign.gov.mt/images/files/ ... 202008.pdf

Richard66 · Post by **Richard66** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:16 am

As I mentioned before, Sham, A Schengen visa is a Schengen visa: It makes no difference ever, in no case, absolutely ever, no conditions apply, if you are a family member travelling alone or not.

Richard66 · Post by **Richard66** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:20 am

New one seems to be Denmark

http://www.amblondon.um.dk/en/menu/Cons ... orDenmark/

NATIONALS WHO DO NOT REQUIRE A VISA FOR DENMARK

Interesting: I also notice that they don't ask visas for Bulgaria and Romania. Has anyone told the Queen of Denmark that these two countries are now part of the EU?

vinny · Post by **vinny** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:20 am

See also Visiting the UK with 4EUFam card.

archigabe · Post by **archigabe** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:24 am

Just an update on Germany...While transiting through Frankfurt my Spouse and I had a few hours to kill so we thought we could use my Stamp4E.U fam card to get out of the airport for some time...surprise surprise, a couple of oafish immigration officers said my Irish residence card was no good and I should have had a German schengen Visa.When I explained that their embassy said that I did not need a visa with an Irish Stamp4E.U fam card, they said they didn't care what the embassy had said and that they had their own rules.

Finally after much argument, one of them went to check with a superior officer and said that they could issue me with a visa at the immigration desk for which I would have to wait there for a while...anyways we didn't see the point of waiting and caught our onward flight.

FYI, if anyone has similar plans, make sure you have the page from the German embassy printed off to show the immigration desk in Frankfurt.

Ako Dong · Post by **Ako Dong** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:34 am

Spain:

http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Embajadas/Du ... ublin.aspx

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:02 pm

Estonia:
http://www.estonia.gov.uk/news_events/news/aid-585

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:04 pm

This is a great idea and very informative. Well done!

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:23 pm

86ti wrote:Estonia:
http://www.estonia.gov.uk/news_events/news/aid-585

Adding to this, the Estonian embassy in London told my wife today in an email that she could also travel without the husband.

Richard66 · Post by **Richard66** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:51 pm

Good old UK, the ice becometh thinner and thinner under thy feet!

sham · Post by **sham** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:16 pm

I am Non-Eu, a family member of EU national ( with a EU family residence issued in the UK for 5 years).

We went both to Sweden (without a visa for me), we pretended that we are travelling separately to see if i could pass alone without my wife. Although the Swedish embassy in London had told me that i could travel alone (without the EU partner), the immigration officer asked for my wife and didn't stamp my passport ( which i though it didn't have to be stamped) until my wife came and said that we are travelling together. The immigration officer emphesized that in order to travel to Sweden my European wife should be travelling with me.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:34 pm

The immigration officer emphesized that in order to travel to Sweden my European wife should be travelling with me.

I think the rules are quite clear that where a non EEA family member is travelling alone they need to obtain schengen visa for such trip irrespective of any residence permits held. Someone correct me if wrong.

mym · Post by **mym** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:15 pm

sham wrote:The immigration officer emphesized that in order to travel to Sweden my European wife should be travelling with me.

He was wrong, you are allowed to travel to join your wife.

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E.U States Allowing Visa free Travel-E.U Fam&Residence c

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Re: E.U States that Allow Visa free Travel for E.U Fam

What about traveling alone...

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