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Old 10-04-2012, 12:09 PM
 
Location: MO->MI->CA->TX->MA
7,022 posts, read 14,430,512 times
Reputation: 5569

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I've been told that no passport is required to cross boundaries between Schengen countries (in theory.) However, during my stay in Europe a few years ago, the border guards checked passports anyways. This happened maybe about 10% of the time. Every time, I was on a train and the border guards boarded and asked for passports. No big deal since I carried mine around as identification as a tourist.

I remember having my passport checked crossing the border between Spain and France (and on my return trip crossing the same border) as well as between Germany and the Netherlands.

I'm curious what's the official stance on checking passports when crossing internal Schengen borders?
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Old 10-04-2012, 07:27 PM
 
Location: The Netherlands
282 posts, read 960,357 times
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It has never happened to me, I dont know why they checked your passport in the Schengen area, maybe they just wanted to confirm that the name on the train ticket is yours? Weren't you going through Andorra on the French-Spanish border? haha
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Old 10-04-2012, 08:21 PM
 
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
5,921 posts, read 13,807,972 times
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<<<Every time, I was on a train >>>

I have not been asked for my passport in that area for umpteen years, but you did mentioned, you were *on the train*, where I seldom used the train today, to go from one country to another.

It could be what the above poster mentioned ?
Did they also asked to see your train ticket ?
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Old 10-05-2012, 07:30 AM
 
Location: MO->MI->CA->TX->MA
7,022 posts, read 14,430,512 times
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No, they were border guards checking passports.

This was in 2008, long after these countries joined the Schengen zone.
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Old 10-05-2012, 07:36 AM
 
Location: Europe
1,652 posts, read 3,475,456 times
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When I go to UK for example, I have an extra passport control (or Identity card) I suppose for Americans is passport as it is not the EU. But yeah, they do an extra control.
When I move to one country to other inside the EU I just use the Id Card to go into the plane and take the boarding card.
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Old 10-05-2012, 07:50 AM
 
Location: Monnem Germany/ from San Diego
2,296 posts, read 3,112,993 times
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I have to cross the border to France often and have been asked for my passport once, never been checked anywhere else but almost every county does some ramdom checking.
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Old 10-05-2012, 12:54 PM
 
Location: the dairyland
1,222 posts, read 2,271,969 times
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It happened to me, too, once when I was on a train from Belgium to Germany and wondered the same thing. I think it has to with the fact that in most European countries you are required to carry your ID with you at all times. After all, there are people who are not within the Schengen Area legally which requires some ID checks at times. As a US Green Card holder you are also required to carry your GC with you all the time to prove that you're a legal resident.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Catbelle View Post
When I go to UK for example, I have an extra passport control (or Identity card) I suppose for Americans is passport as it is not the EU. But yeah, they do an extra control.
When I move to one country to other inside the EU I just use the Id Card to go into the plane and take the boarding card.
The UK is not part of the Schengen area, all EU citizens have to ID themselves when entering it, too.
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