Under what conditions can you travel in the Schengen Area and the EU?

If you are a citizen of a Schengen country, you can travel to other Schengen countries without having to undergo border control. You do not need a travel document to cross the borders between Schengen countries, although it is recommended that you carry a passport or an ID as you may need to prove your identity, e.g. when boarding a plane or at the request of the police.

You will also need a passport or an ID in the case that a Schengen country reintroduces temporarily inner-border protection and with it border controls.

When traveling to the remaining EU and EEA Member States (Cyprus and Ireland), you must present a valid ID or passport. Before traveling to countries outside the Schengen Area, please check first what documents you need to carry with you.

In serious and justified cases, an EU country can deny you entry  (in cases of breaches of the peace and public safety or health risks). You have a right to receive in writing the authorities’ decision explaining why you were denied entry, including information on how and until when to appeal.

What to do if you lose your passport?

If you lose a travel document, contact the nearest diplomatic mission of the country that emitted it. There, you will be issued an emergency travel document so that you can return. The purpose of this document is to enable you a one-time journey to the country that emitted the document.

Under what conditions can you travel in the Schengen Area and the EU?

As EU citizens’ family members, you can travel to other Schengen and EU countries with a valid passport. Citizens of the countries that are required to have a visa usually need a visa to be able to travel to the Schengen Area and the EU countries. However, if you hold a valid residence permit document of an EU citizen’s family member or a valid residence permit card of an EU citizen’s family member issued by the Czech Republic (a valid travel document), in certain cases, you can use them instead of a visa. In such case, you will travel like this:

• You can travel to and spend in other Schengen countries up to 90 days every 180 days. You do not need a visa even if traveling alone. You do not need to be in the company of your family member.
• You can travel to and spend in the EU countries outside the Schengen Area up to 90 days every 180 days provided that you travel in the company of the EU citizen or you follow them. If you are traveling alone, you must have a visa.

The day of entry is considered the first day of your stay and the departure day as the last day.

What to do if you lose your passport?

If you lose a travel document, you must contact the nearest diplomatic mission of the country that emitted it. There, you will be issued an emergency travel document so that you can return. The purpose of this document is to enable you a one-time journey to the country that emitted the document.

Children and minors generally need their own travel document to travel (a passport or an ID).

If a child – a third-country citizen – is at the same time an EU citizen’s family member, the same conditions for traveling within the EU and the Schengen Area apply to them as to the adult family members.