Final Word from Thursday, December 20, 2007
Everyone knows that cross-border travel will become easier for Czechs and other EU citizens as of midnight tonight, when the CR joins Schengen, but what Schengen means for non-EU nationals isn't so commonly known. According to an interior-ministry brochure, only third-country nationals with valid residence permits in the CR will be able to travel within the broader Schengen as of tomorrow. Those with Czech visas will need to swap the Czech visa for a Schengen visa before satisfying their travel urge. No border controls doesn't mean freedom on movement for them. Americans and others without a visa obligation will need to leave the entire Schengen area every 90 days to extend their short-term stays. It will soon become clear that although Schengen brings obvious benefits to all Czechs, the benefits to third-country nationals very much depend on a person's particular circumstances.[Czech Republic European Union Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein residency]