Latest news with #EU-countries
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
UK passport warning for travel to 29 countries
Holidaymakers have been warned they could risk being turned away from flights UK passport holders are being warned that if they don't meet a certain criteria when travelling to one of 29 countries, they could find themselves in hot water. The Foreign Office has directed people to the site, Your Europe, if you're travelling to the Schengen area. But what is the Schengen area? It is hailed as a cornerstone of European integration, beginning in 1985 when five European nations agreed to gradually eliminate border checks between them. Soon, more countries began to join, enhancing the principle of free movement. It allows Europeans to live, work, study or retire anywhere within the EU whilst tourists and businesses can also enjoy the advantages of simplified travel. Which countries form the Schengen area? The EU applies a unified set of visa rules for short-term stay - up to 90 days within any 180-day period - as well as for transit through international airport transit zones within the Schengen Area. These rules apply in 29 European countries - 25 of which are in the EU and 4 non EU-countries. These include: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Iceland Liechtenstein Norway Switzerland They warn: "EU visa rules do not apply in Cyprus and Ireland. These countries issue visas under their own national rules." You can check the embassy / consulate for more information on entry requirements and how to apply for a visa for one of these countries. If you have a valid visa or residence permit issued by one of the Schengen area countries, you may also use it for travel to Cyprus. The travel experts further warn that "visas or residence permits issued by Cyprus are not valid for travel to countries in the Schengen area." You must check the specific rules that apply if you have a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen. Before travelling, ensure your passport meets the entry requirements or face being turned away - and your holiday ruined. Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU and it must have been issued within the last 10 years Your Europe explained: "This means your travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years the day you enter the EU on condition that it is valid until the end of your stay plus an additional 3 months." "Children and minors must have their own passport and visa, if required. You may also have to produce other supporting documents to border officials upon arrival such as an invitation letter, proof of lodging, return or round-trip ticket. For the exact requirements contact the embassy / consulate of the EU country you are intending to visit", they add. If you don't live within the EU, and you don't fulfil the entry conditions set out in the Schengen Borders Code, an EU or Schengen country may refuse you entry, Your Europe warns travellers. Under these rules you must have a: valid travel document visa (if needed, except if you hold a valid residence permit or a valid long stay visa) justification for the purpose and specifics of your stay (including proof of sufficient financial means) You can dispute the decision though if this happens. The experts explained: "If you have been refused entry, you have the right to appeal this decision. "Your appeal will be handled in accordance with national law in the country where you were refused entry. However, launching an appeal does not automatically suspend the decision to refuse entry."
Local Sweden
09-04-2025
- Health
- Local Sweden
OPINION: 'Abolishing track changes could have serious consequences for Swedish healthcare'
Sweden's union for registered nurses is urging the government to reconsider scrapping the so-called 'spårbyte' immigration path, its deputy chair writes in an opinion piece for The Local. Advertisement Sweden is facing a growing shortage of registered nurses and other healthcare professionals. Despite this, the government has implemented changes which make it more difficult for qualified professionals to remain in the country. The decision to abolish 'track changes' (spårbyte) – an immigration path which let rejected asylum seekers switch to a work permit as long as they met the conditions – means that individuals who are already working and contributing to Swedish healthcare are forced to leave the country just to apply for a new work permit. This decision could have serious consequences for healthcare and must be reconsidered. Skilled healthcare professionals leaving Swedish healthcare would particularly impact the areas of women's reproductive health, scientific laboratory analyses and radiology, key sets of knowledge to diagnose and treat diseases, as a large number of the staff in those areas are trained professionals born in non EU-countries. One example is nurse Hamid, who has worked in Swedish healthcare for six years. His contributions have been invaluable. Now, due to the new legislation, he is being forced to leave the country. Hamid told The Local: 'I worked as a nurse during the Corona pandemic when many people were afraid for their lives, I took the risk of catching Corona in the hospital, I got Corona, I helped the Swedish society and now that the pandemic is over, they are telling me and my family that you have to leave! Where should we go? We have roots here after six years!' Advertisement READER INSIGHTS: In a situation where there is a dire shortage of registered nurses, it is unreasonable to expel competent professionals. We need more nurses like Hamid – not fewer. If Sweden continues to enforce restrictive policies that drive away experienced healthcare workers, we risk exacerbating an already strained healthcare system, leading to longer waiting times and reduced quality of care for patients. Within the EU, Vårdförbundet (The Swedish Association of Health Professionals), a trade union and professional organisation of four registered health care professions, is clear in its stance: free movement as one of EU's pillars is fundamental, and it should be possible to seek work in our professions without unnecessary obstacles, and in line with the requirements and intentions. Sweden has historically benefited from international expertise in its healthcare sector, and maintaining a welcoming approach to skilled professionals is crucial. When it comes to labour migration from countries outside the EU, it is equally important to ensure that recruitment is conducted in an ethical and sustainable manner. It is crucial to follow WHO guidelines, and we believe that recruiting from countries with an already strained healthcare system is wrong. At the same time, we must optimise the competence that already exists in Sweden and provide support to health professionals that are on their way to obtaining a licence to practise in our country. Advertisement READ ALSO: The recent changes in migration policy, such as the increased work permit salary threshold, affect different professional groups in different ways. For members of the Swedish Association of Health Professionals, who are university educated and have salaries above the new threshold, the immediate impact is limited. However, the broader effects on the healthcare workforce could be significant. If assistant nurses and healthcare aides find it harder to meet the new requirements, their departure from the workforce could place greater pressure on nurses, midwives, radiology nurses and biomedical analysts, among other professions. These changes risk creating a ripple effect that leads to an increased workload, greater stress, a higher risk of burnout for those remaining in the professions and ultimately even injuries. Swedish healthcare is already struggling from staff shortages, and implementing policies that make it even harder to retain qualified workers is counterproductive. Instead, we should be looking at solutions that strengthen our healthcare workforce. This includes ensuring that the work permit process is efficient, transparent, and fair. Expelling competent professionals who have already demonstrated their ability to contribute to Swedish healthcare does nothing to solve the underlying challenges facing the sector. We need policies that ensure the health system has access to the competence required to provide patients with the care they are entitled to. The government must consider how these changes impact not only individuals but also the healthcare system and society as a whole. Advertisement The government must take responsibility for the consequences of these changes. It is unreasonable for skilled nurses and other healthcare professionals who are already working in Sweden to be forced to leave due to rigid regulations. The Swedish Association of Health Professionals urges the government to reconsider the decision to abolish the track change and instead pursue policies that strengthen the healthcare sector's skills supply. Sweden needs a long-term strategy to attract and retain healthcare professionals – one that acknowledges the valuable contributions of foreign-born workers rather than creating obstacles for them. Instead of restricting those who are already here and making a difference every day, we should be working towards a system that recognises their efforts, supports their continued employment, and ensures a sustainable future for Swedish healthcare. The above opinion piece was written by Jani' Stjernström, deputy chair of The Swedish Association of Health Professionals
