In a month, my second attempt to go to Amsterdam. Hopefully it'll be a completely different experience from last time, when I was refused entry because of a stupid stamp. With any luck, there won't be passport check at all.

http://www.zurich-airport.com/dokume...engen_area.pdf

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Airports declared Schengen-compliant

Air passengers will no longer have to show their passports when flying between Switzerland and other countries belonging to the Schengen area as of March 29.

The Justice Office said on Tuesday that experts from Schengen countries had approved measures taken by the airports at Zurich, Geneva and Basel to ensure they comply with the rules for internal flights.
Under the rules, systematic checks are only carried out on travellers leaving or entering the Schengen area, which now has 25 member states.
Approval has been granted in time for the new summer timetable.
Switzerland officially joined the Schengen area last December. The Schengen agreement makes travel between member states easier, while stepping up cross-border police cooperation and tightening external controls.
Switzerland, Iceland and Norway are the only members that do not also belong to the European Union.

http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/S...74268000&ty=st

Happy Holiday Season and a good weekend.

I presume if travelling to the UK or the Republic of Ireland we still need passports because they are not a part of Schengen? It's just we are still EU, may cause confusion. I suppose I'll find out next time I fly.

Hi

I have a question here, we are planning to visit Italy for a tour. My spouse will join me in two days on dependant permit. Can we able to travel to Italy with the passport or do I need to wait for my family L-card. We are from Non-EU country.

They stamping its mentioned single entry.

Thanks in advance.

Hello

Sorry I cannot reply to this properly, as I do not know.

Hopefully someone else is more knowledgeable.

Have a nice sunday

Hopefully this means the double security at Frankfurt to get the Zurich flight will fall away...

And there wasn't. Schengen makes flying so much easier. If you only have hang baggage, landing to leaving the airport literally takes 10 minutes. After last year's ordeal and preparing for the worst, my reaction was, "What? That's it?"

so with my F permit, i am planning a trip to italy for june. all i need to have, based on this thread (and what i can understand) i just need my US passport as well as my swiss visa/residency card?

i was under the impression that i was able to travel freely in the schengen countries with just my US passport and my work visa.....

i will take a train to milan but want to fly to rome from there....hopefully i will not encounter any problems! i will be past my '90' days from entering europe.

also, i never exited switzerland and re-entered on the work visa....

i am sure it will be another case of 'learn as i go' eh?
thanks!

I have a quick question.

I am a non-EU (Indian) working in Switzerland on B permit. I have that old style (paper based) B permit, not the new style (credit card format).

Do I need to change this to travel to any Schengen country? I am planning to go to Germany next month?

Many thanks for your reply

No you dont need to change the permit. The old one will be OK

So far as I understand you need official proof of your residency in Switzerland. An F permit is a refugee permit so it may be restricted in some ways.

Marton

How in the world are you an American citizen with a F (refugee) permit?

Please don't take it offensively, I am just genuinely curious as to how such a situation is possible.

the family i work for work for the BIS bank in basel which, to my understanding, is a diplomatic bank who issued me or sponsored me my visa. i had nothing to do with the application process. all i did was sign some forms as a 'domestic servant' which still make me chuckle...i got here end of february and had to meet with someone in geneva who gave me this credit card ID thing.

indeed when i heard this was for refugees i was a little surprised thinking i could have just gone through regular application channels to obtain a work permit here....

i should probably write to this liason in geneva and ask about the travel issue. i have only been traveling in switzerland, germany and france and so far have not been asked for any ID...but i always carry my passport just in case.

because of the swiss integration into schengen, do any NON EU citizens need a schengen visa to travel within the schengen countries?

i keep reading and i feel like i am going in loops with the information.

i have written to my pal in geneva who issued my work permit.....i am curious to see what he has to say about the F status and travel.

it's very odd to think i am a refugee!

got this from my contact in geneva...there are more than one type of F status in Switzerland.

There seems to be a confusion regarding "visas". You are talking about "F" stay-permits (stay permits are the equivalent of a US Green card). These stay-permits are indeed intended for refugees and asylum seeker and are issued buy the Interior Ministry (= homeland security in the US). This is not what you have.

You were issued with an "F" Legitimation card of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is different. This card allows you to stay and work in Switzerland as long as you are employed by international civil servants. It also allows you to travel freely in "Schengen" states without a visa (if you would need one - depending on your nationality). Most of the western European States are part of the Schengen agreement - including all the States bordering Switzerland - but Great-Britain, for example isn't. Anyway, I doubt that you need a visa to enter GB as a US citizen, but I'm not sure (if you plan on going there, check with their Consulate).

Ah, alrighty. Travel away.

I thought whole F permit for a US citizen thing was a little far-fetched.

i did as well....glad i asked! woo hoo for traveling! it's half the reason i took the job here!

Off topic, but just to clarify.

Switzerland has granted provisional protection ( F permit ) and full protection ( B permit ) to US nationals as well as those from Japan and other first world nations, although this is rare. Likewise, US has granted to one known Swiss national full protection.