European passport

A European passport is a passport issued by a member country of the European Union to its citizens. European passports share common design featurescite web|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:41981X0919:EN:HTML|title=Resolution of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities, meeting within the Council of 23 June 1981] such as the burgundy coloured cover, the use of the words "European Union" (before 1997: "European Community") in 12 of the EU official languages on the first page, as well as common security features and biometrics. [Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States] Some EU countries also issue non-European passports to people whose citizenship of that country does not make them citizens of the European Union (e.g., British Overseas Territories citizens, British National (Overseas)). [ [http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/about-history-burgundy.asp Non-European lookalike passports] , UK Passport office]

Common design features

Since 1980s, the European Union member states have started to harmonise the following aspects of the designs of their passports:

Overall format

*Paper size B7 (ISO 7810 ID-3, 125 mm × 176 mm)
*32 pages (this number is given on the bottom of the last page)
*Colour of cover: burgundy red

Cover page

Information on the cover, in this order, in the language(s) of the issuing state:
*The words "European Union" (before 1997: "European Community")
*Name of the issuing state (similar typeface as "European Union")
*Emblem of the state
*The word "Passport"

First page

Information on the first page, in some of the official languages of the European Union:
*The words "European Union"
*Name of the issuing state (similar typeface to that of "European Union")
*The word "Passport"
*Serial number (may also be repeated on the other pages)

Identification page

Information on the (possibly laminated) identification page, in the languages of the issuing state plus English and French, accompanied by numbers that refer to an index that lists the meaning of these fields in all official EU languages::

Following page

Optional information on the following page (not available on all EU passports)::

Remaining pages

*The following page is reserved for:
**Details concerning the spouse of the holder of the passport (where a family passport is issued)
**Details concerning children accompanying the holder (name, first name, date of birth, sex)
**Photographs of spouse and children
*The following page is reserved for use by the issuing authorities
*The following page carries the index that translates the field numbers into the official languages of the EU
*The following pages are reserved for visa
*The inside back cover is reserved for additional information or recommendations by the issuing state in its own official language(s)

Visa-free travel

Although member states issue their own passports, the EU countries in the Schengen area have a common visa policy. The EU is also working to achieve visa mutuality, respective to all member states. For example, today all EU passport holders are allowed to visit Mexico under the same conditions. The same is true for Canada save for Bulgarian and Romanian visitors; however, the visa requirement for those countries is expected to be removed in the near future.

It is a political goal of the European Union to achieve freedom from visa requirements for citizens of the European Union at least in such countries the citizens of which may enter the Schengen area without visa. To this end, the European Commission negotiates with third-countries, the citizens of which do not require visas to enter the Schengen area for short-term stays, about the abolishment of visa requirements which exist for at least some EU member states. The European Commission involves the members state concerned into the negotiations, and has to frequently report on the mutuality situation to the European Parliament and the Council. [ [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/consleg/2001/R/02001R0539-20070119-en.pdf Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement] , 15 March 2001.] The Commission may recommend the temporary restoration of the visa requirement for nationals of the third country in question.

The European Commission has dealt with the question of mutuality of the abolishment of visa requirements towards third countries on the highest political level. With regard to Mexico and New Zealand, it already has achieved complete mutuality. With respect to Canada, the Commission has achieved complete mutuality but for Bulgaria and Romania. With respect to the U.S. it suggests to examine the effects of new legislation enacted there, but reserves itself “the right to propose retaliatory measures”. [ [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0533en01.pdf Third report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on certain third countries' maintenance of visa requirements in breach of the principle of reciprocity] , Commission of the European Communities, COM (2007) 533, 13 September 2007.]

All European Union citizens may visit the following countries without previous visa arrangements:

Africa

*flagcountry|Canary Islands
*flagcountry|Ceuta
*flagcountry|Madeira
*flagcountry|Melilla
*flagcountry|Morocco
*MYT
*REU
*SYC
*ESH [Oficially no regulation present, "de facto" visa-free (same rules as for Morocco)]

Americas

*flagcountry|Argentina
*ARU
*VGB
*flagcountry|Chile
*flagcountry|Costa Rica
*flagcountry|El Salvador
*GUF
*GRL
*GLP
*flagcountry|Guatemala
*flagcountry|Honduras
*MTQ
*MEX
*ANT
*flagcountry|Nicaragua
*flagcountry|Paraguay
*TCA
*flagcountry|Uruguay
*flagcountry|Venezuela

Asia

*flagcountry|Brunei
*flagcountry|Hong Kong
*flagcountry|Macau
*flagcountry|Malaysia
*flagcountry|Singapore
*flagcountry|South Korea

Europe

*flag|European Union unlimited access
*ISL unlimited access
*LIE unlimited access
*NOR unlimited access
*CHE unlimited access
*ALB 1 month
*AND 90 days
*BIH 90 days
*HRV 90 days
*FRO 90 days
*GEO 90 days
*GIB 90 days
*flag|Guernsey unlimited access
*flag|Isle of Man unlimited access
*flag|Jersey unlimited access
*flag|Kosovo 90 days
*MKD 90 days
*MDA 90 days
*MCO 90 days
*MNE 90 days
*SMR 90 days
*SRB 90 days
*UKR 90 days
*VAT 90 days

Oceania

*COK
*PYF
*NCL
*NZL 90 days
*TKL
*WLF

Gallery of EU passports

Issues related to the European Passport

* Budapest Declaration on Machine Readable Travel Documents

References