Travelling to Europe

Information for Canadians visiting or living in Europe.

On this page

• The Schengen area
• Other European countries

The Schengen area

The Schengen area includes 29 European countries that have common entry and exit requirements to remove the need for internal borders. It allows travellers to move freely between these countries without needing to go through border checks or get separate visas.

Schengen area countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

There are typically no border controls between member countries of the Schengen area.

However, countries can reintroduce border controls in exceptional circumstances. In such cases, you may need to show your passport and other travel documents.

Learn more about border crossing in the Schengen Area. (European Union)

Entering and exiting the Schengen area

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after your planned departure date.

To replace the practice of manually stamping passports, the EU Entry/Exit System digitally records entries, exits and refusals of entry. When crossing the border, you must provide biometric data, including facial images and fingerprints.

Some countries require you to register with authorities on arrival.

Check our destination-specific Travel Advice and Advisories for details.

Learn more about temporary border controls. (European Union)

Learn more practical information for Canadian travellers. (Delegation of the European Union to Canada)

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

The EU is preparing to launch the ETIAS. The EU will announce the specific date several months prior to its launch.

Once the system launches, the EU has indicated there will be a transitional period of at least six months, followed by a grace period, before full mandatory enforcement begins.

Once in place, Canadians will need to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization before entering Schengen-area countries or Cyprus for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU strongly advises travellers to get this travel authorization before buying tickets or booking accommodations. An ETIAS will link electronically to your passport and will be valid for three years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

The ETIAS is not yet live. Be cautious of fraudulent websites claiming to sell ETIAS authorizations. Only apply through the official EU ETIAS website once the system is launched.

Dual citizens

Always bring your European and Canadian passports.

If you’re a Canadian-European dual citizen, you should carry and travel with your valid European passport when visiting Europe. Entering the Schengen area with your European passport ensures you aren’t processed as a foreign tourist under the digital Entry/Exit System. This allows you to avoid short stay limits and biometric data collection at the border.

Once the ETIAS system launches, you will be required to travel with your valid European passport if you are a citizen of a participating country or Ireland. This passport is necessary to enter any country requiring an ETIAS, and you will be exempt from the ETIAS regardless of any other nationality you hold. If you’re planning a trip, check your travel documents early to ensure you have the correct valid passports before the new system takes effect.

If your European passport is expired or cannot be used, you must apply for a new one or renew it with that country’s closest embassy or consulate before you travel. Otherwise, you won’t be able to travel to the participating countries requiring the ETIAS.

You also need to carry a valid Canadian passport to return to Canada by air. This applies even if the country you’re travelling from requires you to carry your European passport or if you’re only transiting through Canada. If you leave your Canadian passport behind in Canada, it can cause travel delays and result in additional costs to acquire urgent temporary travel documents.

Learn more about the ETIAS (European Union)

Emergence of unofficial ETIAS websites (European Union)

Find a foreign representative in Canada

Find information for Canadian dual citizens travelling or living outside Canada

Entry/Exit System 

The EU uses a digital registration system called the Entry/Exit System (EES). It registers all non-EU nationals, including Canadian citizens, travelling to countries in the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

The EES is fully operational across all Schengen countries. The EES replaces the manual stamping of passports at border crossings with digital records of entries and exits. Countries may temporarily revert to manual stamping if they experience technical challenges.

The EES will also track overstays and denials of entry. The system provides increasingly reliable information about traveller movements and possible overstays. Biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial images, will also be collected. Each country decides who can enter or exit through its borders, and the Government of Canada cannot intervene if you do not meet a destination’s entry or exit requirements. 

What to expect

Be prepared and give yourself extra time at the airport and between connecting flights. Make sure your travel insurance covers trip interruption in case of missed connections.

Biometric registration at the border

When you arrive in a Schengen country with your Canadian passport, you will be asked to provide biometric data such as fingerprints and a photo of your face. This process is in place, but because countries can temporarily shut the system down, procedures may vary.

You don’t need to do anything before your trip; this will happen when you arrive.

Use self-service kiosks

If you have an ePassport, you can use a self-service kiosk at the border. After using a kiosk, you will still need go through border control. 

A passport control officer reviews your information and may ask further questions before deciding whether to grant or refuse access to the country.

Your digital data

Your biometric data (fingerprints and a photo of your face) will be stored for three years. If you return to the Schengen area within that time, you don’t have to provide your information again.

Learn more about the EES. (European Union)

Visas

Canadians can visit Schengen area countries without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you leave and return in the same 180-day period, your previous stay will count toward the 90-day limit.

This 90-day allowance remains in place now that the EU has introduced its EES. The system automatically tracks entries, exits and overstays. Travellers are still responsible for tracking their travel days. Overstaying could lead to fines, deportation or future entry bans.

Border officers make the final decision on whether you may enter or remain in a country, and the Government of Canada cannot intervene if you do not meet the entry or exit requirements of your destination.

Some countries allow Canadians to stay beyond the 90-day limit under specific conditions. For example, you may need to remain in one Schengen area country and not travel to others during the extended period.

If you want to stay longer than 90 days in a country that doesn’t allow extensions of stay, you must apply for the appropriate visa before you travel.

Learn more about the EES. (European Union)

Calculate your stay

The EES automatically calculates the duration of your stay and logs any overstays. However, you’re still responsible for tracking your travel days.

You can use the European Union’s short-stay calculator to track your days:

• The 180-day period is counted backward from today’s date
• Your 90 days include all stays in the Schengen area during the last 180 days
• If you exceed 90 days, you must leave until enough time has passed for you to re-enter, or apply for a long-stay visa

Note that the remaining stay shown in the official EES online tool does not reflect any time spent in the Schengen area that began before April 10, 2026. If you travelled to Europe before this date, you must track your previous trips manually to ensure your calculation is accurate.

Even if your biometrics are not collected at the border, you’re still registered in the EES. You must respect the short-stay limits to avoid problems.

Check our destination-specific Travel Advice and Advisories for information on visa requirements and possible extensions of stay.

For more information, contact the embassy or consulate of the country (or countries) you plan to visit.

Other European countries

Some European countries are not part of the Schengen area.

These countries have their own border rules:

Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Ireland, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Check our destination-specific Travel Advice and Advisories for rules.

Contact the embassy, consulate or high commission of the country or countries to which you are travelling for visa information.

United Kingdom electronic travel authorisation

Most Canadians are required to have an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the United Kingdom. You must apply before travelling, using the same passport you will travel with.

Your ETA is valid for two years. You can travel to the United Kingdom as many times as you want during that time. If you get a new passport, you will need to apply for a new ETA.

You do not need an ETA if, for example, you:

• are transiting through an airport in the United Kingdom without passing through border control
• are a dual citizen travelling on a British, Irish or British overseas territories citizen passport
• have a visa or permission to live, work or study in the United Kingdom
• live in Ireland, and you are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

Find the full list of where you do not need an ETA. (Gov.uk)

Be cautious of fraudulent or overpriced websites offering ETAs. Only apply through the official UK government website to ensure your ETA is valid.

Check our Travel Advice and Advisories for the United Kingdom.

Related links

• Request emergency assistance outside Canada
• Registration of Canadians Abroad
• Dual citizens
• Factsheet: What is Schengen? (European Union)
• Schengen, borders and visas (European Union)