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What is a Schengen Visa?

Luxembourg is part of the "Schengen space", composed by the following countries having signed the "Schengen Convention"  on June 19, 1990 in a little village called Schengen in Luxembourg.

Having taken effect on May 26, 1995, it completes the agreement signed on June 14, 1985 aiming the progressive suppression of border controls between contracting parties.

A Schengen visa issued by an Embassy or Consulate of the following countries allows the holder to travel freely in all of these countries.

The introduction of the Schengen visa has simplified traveling in Europe. Internal border controls have disappeared and there are no or few stops and checks.

There are no longer any frontier controls at the borders between 22 EU countries. This is thanks to the Schengen rules which are part of EU law. These rules remove all internal border controls but put in place effective controls at the external borders of the EU and introduce a common visa policy. The full Schengen members are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden (but not Ireland and the United Kingdom) plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland (which are not EU members). Switzerland, the latest Schengen member, opened its land borders at the end of 2008 and its air borders at the end of March 2009.

Cyprus which joined the EU in 2004 and Bulgaria and Romania which joined in 2007 do not yet fully participate in Schengen. You will therefore need to present a valid passport or ID card to travel to those countries and to Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Before traveling to Europe (the Schengen zone), please check whether you need a visa by contacting the consulate of the country which is your main destination or the first point of entry. - For Luxembourg, see under VISA

There are countries whose citizen are exempted of Schengen visas, countries whose citizens must have a visa to enter Luxembourg (BENELUX) and there are countries whose citizens are subject to presenting a visa when entering some of the “Schengen countries”.

Please note that holders of a Schengen visa are still subject to immigration control upon first entry into a Schengen country and are therefore not guaranteed automatic entry even when they hold a valid Schengen visa.

The visa is the placing of an official stamp in the passport by the consulate of the country you want to travel to.
   
 Check to see if the citizens of your country must have a visa to enter the "Schengen space" + see the Visa Section .