Free travel areas




Certain neighbouring countries may agree to fully or partially abolish border controls between them.

Central America-4 Border Control Agreementedit

The Central America-4 Border Control Agreement abolishes border controls for land travel between El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. However, this does not apply to air travel.

Commonwealth of Independent Statesedit

The Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS, is an organisation composed of former members of the Soviet Union, whose members eliminate many trade and visa related border controls.

Union State of Russia and Belarusedit

The Union State of Russia and Belarus is a supranational union of Russia and Belarus (two CIS members), which eliminates all border controls between the two nations. However, each country continues to maintain its own visa policies, thus resulting in non-citizens of the two countries generally being barred from travelling directly between the two.

Western Europeedit

The two most significant free travel areas in Western Europe are the Schengen area, in which very little if any border control is generally visible, and the Common Travel Area (CTA), which partially eliminates such controls for nationals of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Between countries in the Schengen Area, and to an extent within the CTA on the British Isles, internal border control is often virtually unnoticeable, and often only performed by means of random car or train searches in the hinterland, while controls at borders with non-member states may be rather strict.

  • Irish border at Killeen (within CTA) marked only by a metric speed sign, as the Republic of Ireland uses the metric system whilst British road signs use imperial units

  • Sign often found at crossings from the Republic of Ireland into the North.

  • Open Schengen Area border crossing between Germany and the Netherlands

  • Open Schengen Area border crossing at the France-Monaco border (was open long before Schengen started)

  • Open Schengen Area border crossing at the Swiss-Lichtenstein border (was open long before Schengen started)

  • Open Schengen Area border crossing at the Slovenian-Italian border, with abandoned rain shelter.

Greater Indiaedit

India and Nepal maintain a similar arrangement to the CTA and the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Indians and Nepalis aren't subject to any migration controls in each other’s countries and there are few controls on land travel by citizens across the border.

India and Bhutan also have a similar system. The border between Jaigaon, in the Indian state of West Bengal, and the city of Phuentsholing is essentially open, and although there are internal checkpoints, Indians are allowed to proceed throughout Bhutan with a voter’s ID or an identity slip from the Indian consulate in Phuentsholing. Similarly, Bhutanese passport holders enjoy free movement in India.

Whilst not as liberal as the policies concerning the Indo-Nepalese and Indo-Bhutanese borders, Thailand and Cambodia have begun issuing combined visas to certain categories of tourists applying at specific Thai or Cambodian embassies and consulates in order to enable freer border crossings between the two countries. The policy is currently in force for nationals of America and several European (primarily EU and GCC) and Oceanian countries as well as for Indian and Chinese nationals residing in Singapore.

Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangementedit

The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is not a free travel area. However, citizens and Australian permanent residents receive free indefinite visas with work rights at immigration control points in airports and sea ports.

The arrangement came into effect in 1973, and allows citizens of each country to reside and work in the other country, with some restrictions. Other details of the arrangement have varied over time. From 1 July 1981, all people entering Australia (including New Zealand citizens) have been required to carry a passport. Since 1 September 1994 Australia has had a universal visa requirement, and to specifically cater for the continued free movement of New Zealanders to Australia the Special Category Visa was introduced for New Zealanders.

Gulf Cooperation Counciledit

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, allow each other's citizens freedom of movement in an arrangement similar to the CTA and to that between India and Nepal. Such benefits are partially suspended for Qataris as a result of the Saudi-led blockade of the country.

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