if i have schengen visa (netherlands previlege of the stay permit without visa required, actually)and wanna do travelling to Poland and Czech Rupublic and other eastern europe and maybe russia too

do i still need the visa for those nations??

anyway,

i'm currently in berlin and wanna make the road trip to the east side

anybody has suggestions?

thx.

You'll certainly need a visa for Russia. I'm not sure about Poland and the Czech Republic. Although they're now in the EU, I don't know whether they've signed up to Schengen. Also, beware that some Eastern European countries are not in the EU, e.g. Bulgaria and Romania.

Cheers,

Scouse.

You'll certainly need a visa for Russia. I'm not sure about Poland and the Czech Republic. Although they're now in the EU, I don't know whether they've signed up to Schengen. Also, beware that some Eastern European countries are not in the EU, e.g. Bulgaria and Romania.

Cheers,

Scouse.

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New entrants to the EU actually have no choice but to sign up to Schengen. It's like the Euro - they joined after it existed, so don't have an opt-out, however, like the Euro, they're not in it immediately on joining the EU. I believe they'll start to join Schengen in 2007 once their data handling systems are linked in with the other Schengen countries.

Assuming you're on a Thai passport, you'll need a visa for Poland and the Czech Republic, unless you feel like waiting for them to join Schengen...

Edited April 19, 200521 yr by bkk_mike

I and my girlfriend (Thai citizen) just returned from trip to Poland. Yes, she had to get Polish visa. The process was fairly simple although she had to show a round trip ticket and prove of health insurance. We took care of everything in Polish consulate in BKK...

The Schengen area is different to the EU common travel area. Any one who holds a passport issued by an EU member state can travel to any other EU member state without restriction. If you are a non EU citizen having a visa for one member state (e.g. the UK) does not necessarily mean that you do not need a visa for another (e.g. Poland).

The Schengen agreement has nothing to do with EU membership. The 15 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries except Norway and Iceland are European Union members. If you have a valid Schengen visa issued by one of these countries then you can travel to any other as well.

Letting those old east block 3rd world countries join EU is like letting Mexico and India join the USA. Crazy!

Big difference being that people actually want to join the EU, whereas no one wants to join the USA, and some want to leave. Ask any Hawaiian (native, that is)

The Schengen agreement has nothing to do with EU membership.

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Joining Schengen is a requirement of all new EU members. When they are ready - they're in... - they have no opt-out.

And saying it's nothing to do with the EU ignores the Treaty of Amsterdam. The Council of Europe took over from the Schengen committee in administering the Schengen area in 1999.

http://www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l33020.htm

Norway and Iceland joined Schengen by default when Denmark, Finland and Sweden joined, as the 5 countries already had a passport union. But Norway and Iceland are part of the EEA anyway (EU-lite - their citizens have right of free movement in the EU, and can work without visas, etc.)

thanks here everybody!

anyway,

i just can't wait so last weekend i tried driving to poland then it ended up that i only hung up at the border of frankfurt oder!!

the polish police was very kind,

he said that even poland is now counted in as the European Union membership, but Schengen visa is other thing (eh?!)

all i could do was just making some shots and said hello&goodbye to the spree!!!

ps. germany geographic (incredibly) rocks!

Edited April 27, 200521 yr by Girlfrombar

Letting those old east block 3rd world countries join EU is like letting Mexico and India join the USA.  Crazy!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Big difference being that people actually want to join the EU, whereas no one wants to join the USA, and some want to leave. Ask any Hawaiian (native, that is)

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Turkey is COMINGGGG!!!! (into the EU!?)

Thailand will be next then!