Travelling to Europe

Information for Canadians visiting or living in Europe.

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 3 months after your planned departure date.

Border officers will stamp your passport when you enter and leave the Schengen area. This stamp serves as proof of entry or exit and may be required during your travels. Missing stamps may cause problems during your trip or when leaving certain countries.

Stamping will continue during the EU Entry/Exit System 180-day transition period. After that, only the digital system will be used.

Some countries require you to register with authorities on arrival.

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

Learn more about temporary border controls. (European Union)

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

Entry/Exit System

The EU has introduced a new 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 started operations on October 12, 2025, and is gradually being introduced in phases across the external borders of Schengen-area countries over a period of 6 months. Some border points may initially collect only limited traveller information, while others will also record biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images. Full implementation is expected by April 10, 2026. 

The EES is gradually replacing the manual stamping of passports at border crossings. During the first 180 days after the EES is introduced, border officers will continue to stamp passports in addition to registering entries and exits digitally. Countries may temporarily revert to manual stamping if they experience technical or operational challenges during this period. Once the system is fully in place, only the digital system will be used.

The EES will also track overstays and denials of entry. As the system becomes fully operational, it will provide 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

Biometric registration at the border

When you arrive in a Schengen country with your Canadian passport, you may be asked to provide biometric data such as fingerprints and a photo of your face. This process will not be in place at all border crossings immediately as countries are introducing it in phases.

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 will review 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 3 years. If you return to the Schengen area within that time, you will not 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. Once the system is fully operational, it will automatically track entries, exits and overstays. During the transition period, 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 1 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

During the EES transition period, you are 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 visa

Because EES is being introduced gradually, border procedures may vary between countries and border points during the first several months of implementation.

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

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

European Travel Information and Authorization System

The EU is preparing to launch the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The exact start date has not yet been confirmed. Once in place, Canadians will need to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization before entering countries in the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

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

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 high commission or embassy 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 2 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 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

Learn more about the ETA. (Gov.uk)

Check our Travel Advice and Advisories for the United Kingdom.

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