There are a lot of things to consider when visiting other countries, especially if these countries are on a different continent. One of the biggest issues that American tourists or visitors have when planning to go to Europe and that is to know what are the limitations of their US passport in Europe. Truth is, there are some rules and things to know, but the answer is pretty simple and straightforward. First of all, any US citizen going to Europe will need a passport, the same as for almost all other destinations in the world. If they travel in a country that is in the Schengen agreement, once you arrive in a country with your passport, you will not need any visa to travel in the other Schengen countries.
Currently, there are 25 countries in this Schengen agreement and the most important destinations for American tourists are included. The other countries have their own regulations and everyone that intends to visit them should always check the special rules for their specific destination, as there are official websites that explain everything in detail. Referring to the length of stay for people travelling to Europe, there are also some limitations, the most important being that inside the Schengen area, US passport carriers will have a period of 90 days to stay within the area. Leaving for a brief period of time does not grant another 90 days and this is something that most people do not understand. These 90 days must be spent during a period of six months.
Another important regulation for the Schengen countries in Europe is that your US passports should be valid for at least 3 months past the date of your stay. So, for example, if you intend to stay for one month, the passport should be valid for at least 4 months from the date you arrive. It is pretty simple and anyone can check the validity of their passport. Other European countries might have different regulations and you should also check for particular rules and updates every time you want to travel to Europe. Again, there are official websites detailing each country regulations and you can also contact the US Embassy for your particular destination to find out the latest information regarding any US passport limitations in European countries.
