Schengen

I applied my Schengen visa today at the Portugal Embassy. I'm going to Netherlands, Malta, Italy and Portugal, I'll stay the longest in Portugal. They didn't seem to know anything about Malta at all(I asked for 2 entries because even though Malta is now in Schengen, it only applies to land borders and seaports. Airports will work from March 29. I'm flying into Malta a few days after that so I thought I would make sure by having 2 entries for Schengen visa as Thai citizens can enter Malta with a Schengen visa for a few years now). I wonder if there's any official site on Schengen that I can print out an article on the new 9 countries that joined Schengen in Dec 07 and that the airport will work from March 29? I cehcked out http://www.eurovisa.info/BackgroundInfo.htm and it doesn't even list the new 9 countries yet.

Thanks.

sawasdee khrap, you enterprising single kunying Thai. Greetings from BKK now, also had the rain yesterday?
As for your question: this date of 29/3 is not fixed, but as many airports will need to get partly rebuilt to distinguish between Schengen and non, some will finish earlier, some not. I think EU has set 29/3 as final deadline. If you use search on this thread, responder BJOERN from Denmark seems to be the real expert and has wirtten something in FAQ on it. or Google for european union, and then click on+on and it should be somehwere. I'll try to find it for you if I have some time left here in this internetshop. and good luck in this year of the rat, krap.

Malta IS part of Schengen. They will CHECK your passport at airports until some date - probably 29-3, but you are NOT leaving Schengen and only need a one-entry visa to get back to the old Schengen countries. Just get your Schengen visa and you are OK.

For info på print: try the homepages of the embassies/immigration department of the countries you will be visiting.

Edited by: Bjoern

sawasdee krap, nong sao, later I realised this same answer #2 is right: even if they still check passports, they will not stamp you ''out=awk'' of Schengen if you fly whithin. thus it should be allright. enjoy your new travels and please tell us soething after you may have discovred to help others too. khrap.