What is the Schengen Area?

Schengen Area? Could Someone Explain Please?

• Okay so I was looking up random stuff on wikipedia and I cam across the Article "The Schengen Area" and I'm a bit confused. Could someone explain what it is. I was thinking it meant all countries involved didn't need passports when travelling between Schengen Area countries but I wasn't sure if that was right? :| Heres the link if anyone wants to look at it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

• Answer:

  The Schengen Area is a border-less travel zone in Europe. It means that foreigners who have once entered and who have a valid visa or a passport of a country which exempts from the visa requirement may freely travel to the other 25 countries without the need to get another visa or to pass immigration provided that their visa does not have any territorial limitations. EU-Citizens residing in Schengen countries in general do not need to pass immigration controls in order to travel to other Schengen countries. However they are still required to hold appropriate travel documents which are: • the passport, or • the national ID card. Citizens of Schengen countries which do not issue national ID cards to their citizens (Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Norway) still need their passports to travel to other Schengen countries, although there are no regular immigration controls. http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/policies/borders/borders_schengen_en.htm .. http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/eu-citizen/index_en.htm .. Added: It also covers air travel; there are no governmental passport controls for flights between Schengen countries; the airlines however are obliged only to transport people who hold proper travel documents.