1. Right to Travel: Visa-Free and Temporary Protection

Visa-free entry allows staying in Schengen countries for 90 days within 180 days. This 180-day period is a rolling window: each day of entry/exit is counted from the previous 180 days. This rule cannot be bypassed by moving between countries: the entire Schengen area is considered a single space.

Temporary Protection (TP — Temporary Protection)
Grants the right to legal residence, work, and social protection in an EU country.
✦ Important: the status is valid only in the country where it was issued.
✦ To travel to other EU/Schengen countries — you must have your ID card/temporary protection certificate and a passport. The minimum fine for missing any document is €20, and authorities may deport you to the country that granted protection or place you in a detention center.
✦ In most countries (e.g., Germany, Poland, Czechia), you can travel up to 90 days once every six months to other EU countries, but permanent residence and work are allowed only in the country providing protection.

Visa-Free Entry to the EU (Schengen) + ETIAS

Region	Countries	ETIAS Required (from 2025)
Europe	Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vatican, Georgia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine	Yes
Europe (Schengen, not in EU)	Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland	No (Schengen members)
Americas	Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Mexico	Yes
Americas (strong passports)	USA, Canada	Yes
Asia	Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Taiwan, Hong Kong (SAR), Macau (SAR), Brunei	Yes
Oceania	Australia, New Zealand, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu	Yes

Important points about ETIAS rules:

• Effective from 2025.
• Cost around €20 for persons aged 18–70 (under 18 and over 70 — free).
• Filled as an online form (security check similar to ESTA in the USA).
• Allows multiple entries within 36 months or until the passport expires.

2. Travel Documents

• Biometric passport (or passport + visa).
• Temporary protection document (if applicable).
• European standard insurance (coverage from €30,000).
• Proof of funds (cash/card).
• For car travel: driver’s license, vehicle registration, “Green Card” insurance.

Violations of Schengen stay rules (no visa/ETIAS or exceeding 90/180 days) are considered illegal stay. Consequences vary by country, but general points include:

Fines:

• Germany — up to €3,000
• France — €200 to €3,750
• Spain — €500 to €10,000
• Italy — up to €5,000

Sometimes fines are replaced by deportation.

Deportation (expulsion):

• You will be required to leave the Schengen area at your own expense.
• In some countries, deportation is enforced with police escort.
• Sometimes a “voluntary departure” period is granted (usually 7–30 days).

Blacklisting (SIS — Schengen Information System):

• Entry ban in Schengen can range from 6 months to 5 years (rarely up to 10 years).
• Applies in all Schengen countries, not just the one where the violation occurred.

Detention and stay in special centers:

• If you have no documents or refuse to cooperate, you may be placed in a special center for foreigners.
• Held until deportation (from several days to a few weeks).
• Conditions vary: in some countries reception centers, in others effectively prisons.

Migration record:

• Future visa applications will be more difficult not only for the EU but also the USA, Canada, the UK, and other countries.

Where deported:

• Usually to the country of citizenship (e.g., Ukrainian passport — sent to Ukraine).
• If you have a valid residence permit or right to reside in another non-EU country — you may be sent there.
• Sometimes airlines that brought you to Schengen are obliged to return the passenger at their expense.

Even 1 day of overstay is formally considered a violation.

In practice:

• If 1–2 days late and you leave voluntarily immediately, consequences are milder.
• If caught during a check (train station or airport) — higher chance of fine and entry ban.

If your passport/documents are stolen or lost in Schengen:

• Contact the police: file a theft/loss report. You will receive a police report.
• Contact the consulate/embassy: you can obtain:
  • Certificate of passport loss
  • Temporary passport (emergency travel document) to return home
  • Sometimes a new passport

Special points if documents are lost:

• At the hotel, show a copy of your passport + police report.
• Airlines accept temporary documents, but check the procedure in advance.
• Always keep a copy of your passport (photo on phone + paper copy).
• Keep documents separate from money.
• Buy insurance with an additional bonus — covers expenses if documents are lost.
• If documents were stolen with cards — block them immediately at the bank.
• Without a passport, you can stay in Schengen only with a temporary document + police report.
• Visa-free 90/180 days counts even without a passport.

3. Financial Rules on Entering Schengen

• Cash: up to €10,000 can be carried without declaration.
• Declaration: amounts above require written declaration.

Credit Cards:
✦ MasterCard and Visa accepted in all EU countries.
✦ American Express — limited (usually hotels and airports).
✦ Cards for temporary protection holders (bank accounts in Poland, Germany, France) work across the SEPA zone.

VAT Refund (Tax Free):
✦ Available in all EU countries, except the country of residence with residence permit/temporary protection.
✦ Minimum VAT refund:

• Germany — from €25
• France — from €100
• Italy — from €154

Minimum funds for Schengen entry (spot checks at border):

Country	Fund Requirements
France	€65/day (with booking) or €120 (without booking). €32.50/day if staying with acquaintances (certificate required)
Spain	€90/day, minimum €810 per trip
Italy	Up to 5 days — €269.60 (€212.81 per person for pairs); 6–10 days — €44.93/day (€26.33 for pairs); 11–20 days — €51.64 + €36.67/day (€25.82 + €22.21 for pairs); over 20 days — €206.58 + €27.89/day (€118.79 + €17.04 for pairs)
Germany	Approx. €45/day (often €100–120/day without booking)
Czechia	€40/day (up to 30 days). Over 30 days — ~€1,880/month
Estonia	€70/day
Finland	€50/day
Latvia	€14/day (up to 30 days). Over 30 days — minimum €740/month
Lithuania	€40/day
Malta	Usually €100–120/day
Portugal	€75 on entry + €40/day
Poland	Up to 4 days — minimum 300 PLN (€65). Then 75 PLN (€16)/day
Greece	€50/day, minimum €300 for trips up to 5 days
Romania	€50/day, minimum €500 for entire trip
Belgium	€45/day (if staying with acquaintances), €95/day (hotel)
Netherlands	€55/day

• All amounts calculated per person.
• For persons under 18 with parents — requirements may be lower or calculated for the family.
• Can be proven by cash, bank statements, cards, or traveler’s checks.
• Optimal to take at least €50–100/day + funds for return ticket.

See also: Abortion in Europe: Laws and Restrictions

4. What Cannot Be Carried Across the Schengen Border

• Weapons and ammunition (without special permits).
• Animals and plants without certificates.
• Products of animal origin (dairy, meat — from third countries).
• Medicines — only for personal use; sometimes a prescription is required.

Kingdom of the Netherlands: prohibition and liability under the “Opiumwet” law

• Any export or import of drugs, whether hard (List I: heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, etc.) or soft (List II: marijuana, hashish), is a criminal offense.
• When sentencing, the following are considered:
  • Quantity of the substance and category (List I or II)
  • Existence of organized activity
  • Specific circumstances of the case; the court may impose a penalty below the maximum or reach it in particularly severe cases
• Hard drugs (List I): import or export — up to 12 years imprisonment; in severe cases — up to 16 years.
• Soft drugs (List II): maximum penalty for large quantities — up to 4 years.

Application of the law outside the Netherlands:

• UK — up to 7 years for 619 g of cocaine
• Romania — up to 17 years for 2,900 ecstasy tablets

Within the EU:
Even if the check was not conducted in the Netherlands, it may be carried out in another country (Germany, France, Poland).

• Germany — possession of even 1–2 g of marijuana can lead to a criminal case, especially when crossing the border.
• Poland — up to 3 years for possession of any amount.
• Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Finland) — even traces of drugs in blood may result in imprisonment.

Outside the EU (e.g., transit to Asia or Arab countries) — very severe penalties possible: 10–15 years up to life imprisonment.

5. Alcohol and Tobacco: Import Limits

Alcohol (from non-EU countries):
✦ 1 l of spirits (>22%) or 2 l of wine/champagne or 16 l of beer

Tobacco:
✦ 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco

Driving under the influence:

Country	Blood Alcohol Limit ‰
Germany, Italy, Austria	0.5 (0.0 for beginners)
Poland, Czechia, Slovakia	0.2
Hungary, Romania	0.0
Netherlands, France, Spain	0.5
Sweden	0.2

Fines: from €500 (Germany) to €4,500 and license suspension (France).

6. Crossing Borders by Car

Mandatory equipment by country:

Country	Mandatory Equipment
All EU countries	Reflective vest, warning triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher
Germany	First aid kit DIN-13164, vests for all passengers
France	Breathalyzer, vests, warning triangle
Czechia, Poland	First aid kit, fire extinguisher, vest
Spain	2 warning triangles
Italy	Vest, triangle

Fines for missing equipment: from €50 (Italy) to €500 (France, Germany).

7. Low Emission Zones (LEZ)

• Germany: entry only with “Umweltplakette” (green sticker)
• France: Crit’Air system — 6 classes, no sticker fine €68–135
• Italy: ZTL in city centers, fine €100–300
• Netherlands, Belgium: diesel < Euro-4 banned, fines €150–350
• Spain: from 2025 — all cities >50,000 inhabitants

8. Parking

• Free — rare (usually outskirts)
• Paid: €1–3 per hour
• “Blue Zone” system — parking with ticket

Fines:

• Germany €10–55
• France €35–135
• Italy up to €300

9. Hotels and Reservations

• Booking via Booking/Hotels.com is often cheaper, but many accept card payment only.
• Cash payment possible in budget motels.
• In Germany and Austria, Kurtaxe (tourist tax) is mandatory — €1–3 per night.

10. Country-Specific Notes

• Germany: strict LEZ rules, free transport for refugees with temporary protection (limited).
• Netherlands: strict drug control, even possession can lead to fine or imprisonment.
• Belgium: LEZ in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent; high parking fines (up to €350).

See also: Russia is operating in Europe using sabotage methods

11. Prohibited Items for Export/Import

From the EU to third countries:
✦ Alcohol and tobacco — limited quantities
✦ Medicines — prescription required

Within the EU/Schengen: free movement of goods, except excise goods (alcohol/tobacco) — limits for personal use:

• Alcohol: 10 l spirits, 20 l wine, 90 l beer
• Tobacco: 800 cigarettes

12. Alcohol and Tobacco: Personal Allowances Recap

Alcohol (from outside the EU):
✦ 1 L of spirits (>22%) or 2 L of wine/champagne or 16 L of beer

Tobacco:
✦ 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco

Driving under the influence (BAC limits ‰):

Country	Limit
Germany, Italy, Austria	0.5 (0.0 for beginners)
Poland, Czechia, Slovakia	0.2
Hungary, Romania	0.0
Netherlands, France, Spain	0.5
Sweden	0.2

Fines: from €500 (Germany) to €4,500 + license suspension (France).

13. Border Crossing by Car

Mandatory equipment per country:

Country	Equipment Required
All EU countries	Reflective vest, warning triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher
Germany	First aid kit DIN-13164, vests for all passengers
France	Breathalyzer, vests, warning triangle
Czechia, Poland	First aid kit, fire extinguisher, vest
Spain	2 warning triangles
Italy	Vest, warning triangle

Fines for missing equipment: from €50 (Italy) to €500 (France, Germany).

14. Low Emission Zones (LEZ)

Country	Rules
Germany	Entry only with “Umweltplakette” (green sticker)
France	Crit’Air system — 6 classes; no sticker fine €68–135
Italy	ZTL in city centers, fine €100–300
Netherlands, Belgium	Diesel < Euro-4 banned, fines €150–350
Spain	From 2025, all cities with >50,000 inhabitants

15. Parking

• Free parking — rare (usually outskirts).
• Paid: €1–3 per hour.
• Blue Zone system — parking with a ticket.

Fines:

• Germany €10–55
• France €35–135
• Italy up to €300

16. Hotels and Reservations

• Booking via Booking.com/Hotels.com is usually cheaper, but many accept card payment only.
• Cash payment is possible in budget motels.
• In Germany and Austria, Kurtaxe (tourist tax) is mandatory — €1–3 per night.

17. Country-Specific Notes

• Germany: strict LEZ rules; free public transport for refugees with temporary protection (limited).
• Netherlands: strict drug control; even possession can lead to fines or imprisonment.
• Belgium: LEZ in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent; high parking fines (up to €350).

18. Prohibited Items for Export/Import

From the EU to third countries:
✦ Alcohol and tobacco — limited quantities
✦ Medicines — prescription required

Within the EU/Schengen: free movement of goods, except excise items (alcohol/tobacco) — personal use limits:

• Alcohol: 10 L spirits, 20 L wine, 90 L beer
• Tobacco: 800 cigarettes