Visiting Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

VISA/PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

Australian and New Zealand passport holders planning a holiday to any of the 27 Member States of the EU do not require a visa if their stay is no longer than 90 days in a six month period within the EU.

VISA and PASSPORT enquiries should be directed to the relevant Member State Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as conditions vary from country to country.

Passports

All passports are still issued by the country of origin - for instance, if you think you may be eligible for a British passport, you will need to contact either the British High Commission or one of its Consulates.

Many people ask about an EU passport - however, this term is a misnomer.  Passports are issued by the Member States themselves but there is a common format for their passports. European Union (EU) member state passports have standardised layouts and designs, although the photo page can be at the front or in the back of the booklet and small differences in design indicate which Member State is the issuer. Ordinary EU member state passports are burgundy-red, with the words "European Union" written in the national language or languages (e.g. Dutch, French, Finnish, Maltese) on the front, below which is the official name of the country, the national seal, and the word for "passport", in the respective language(s), can be found at the bottom.

Please contact the relevant Member State Embassy/Consulate/High Commission (list below with contact details from the Department of Foreign Affairs website)

Visiteurope.com : the new European Tourism Portal

Planning to go on holidays or on business to a European country? Looking for events and adventure or for wellness and relaxation? Interested in local craft and gastronomy or do you simply want to know more about one of 34 European countries?
Europe is a never-ending journey and it begins at http://www.visiteurope.com/ the brand new European Tourist Destinations Portal, financed by the European Commission.

Daylight Saving Times in the European Union

in 1996 the European Union (EU) standardized an EU-wide "summertime period." The EU version of Daylight Saving Time runs from the last Sunday in March through the last Sunday in October.

For 2007-2010 summer time periods will begin and end on the following dates at 1.00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time:-

EU Visitors to Australia - Travel Information

Useful information on holidays/visas/citizenship can also be obtained from the Southern Cross Group, an international non-profit advocacy organisation which speaks on behalf of the some 820,000 Australians who live overseas. The Group tries to work for changes to existing law and policy where these adversely impact the Australian expatriate community. New information (20 June 2003) on changes in UK working holiday visa conditions for young Australians is now available on their website at http://www.southern-cross-group.org/uk_visas_immigration/working_holidaymakers.html

Scholarships

Please see our Education section for information about studying in the EU. The individual member states also offer many different scholarship opportunities.

Contact the individual Member State Embassies (list of contact details) for further details, or in the case of the UK, the British Council as follows:

Suite 401/203 New South Head Road
PO Box 88,
Edgecliff NSW 2027
Tel: (02) 9326 2022
Fax: (02) 9327 4868
Email: enquiries@britishcouncil.org.au
Website: http://www.britishcouncil.org.au

Please also see (Frequently Asked Questions - Europa website)