Hello
I am a military dependent (spouse) of a USAF. I am not a US Citizen but i am a Resident card holder. We are currently stationed in Germany and are looking forward travelling around europe , my concern is would i need a visa if i go to nearby countries? or my green card will do? aside from that i also hold a sofa visa stamp from germany. Any info is greatly appreciated, thanks!

you should check with your base family support office, they will be expert in all such issues.

Meantime there is no reason why you can't travel throughout Europe (Schenge countries), you are already within Europe and so you are inside the visa contol zone.

It depends on your nationality & where in Europe you intend going

But GENERALLY legal residents of the US can travel to Western European countries without the need for a visa

If your travelling is in other SCHENGEN countries then unless you are flying the odds are that no-one will be checking your passport for visas

i think this will depend on which country this person is from. if he7she under normal circumstances would need a tourist visa to get into the other countries, then i doubt his u.s papers will help.

however, he/she must have legal papers to be in germany, which may, or may not roll him over to other schengen states.. this may be a military special case, and restrictive for non-americans/no matter how legal you are at the facility and usa.

only his/her own embassy, base personnel and german immigration can know.

I was stationed in Germany when my wife only had a green card. We had no problem travelling to other countries on the continent. There is no visa control between western european countries. You drive across borders and may never realise it. If you are going to fly, check on line with the embassy of the country you are flying to see if you are required to get a visa based on your country of citizenship.

"You drive across borders and may never realise it."

Or in the case of the Swiss Army, you march across without even realising it - LOL!

I think Sherm99 has hit the nail on the head. If you are traveling by car, then there's probably no issue at all. But the visa requirement is entirely dependent on your nationality and citizenship; it has nothing whatsover to do with your green card status. Permanent U.S. residents are NOT NECESSARILY ALLOWED to travel to Europe without a visa. For example, if you are Filipino or Mexican, then you ALWAYS need a visa to travel to Europe. However, if you are traveling to another Schengen state, then you are legally allowed to do so because of your German visa and don't require another visa. Most of the countries in Europe belong to Schengen, but not all.

1. Mexicans NEVER need a visa to enter Schengen or Britain on a normal business or holiday trip.

2. Mrscha's position has nothing to do with how she's travelling. She has a visa for Germany, which is normally valid for other Schengen countries. It isn't valid for non-Schengen countries, such as Switzerland, Poland or the Czech Republic - if Mrscha needs a visa for these countries.

She needs to check each non-Schengen she intends visiting country separately: she may be lucky enough to drive across to Switzerland without encountering a border control, but she would still be there illegally if Switzerland requires a visa from her, and you're very unlikely to drive into German neighbours like Poland or Czech without hitiing a manned border.

All of which said, it's perfectly possible mrscha has a nationality (like Mexican) that doesn't need a visa for short trips to non-Schengen Europe anyway - and that the German visa is for a long stay, and Mrscha wouldn't have needed one for a few days in Germany. Only Mrscha can determine that for sure.

FlannerUK is, of course, absolutely correct about Mexican citizens not requiring a visa to enter any Schengen country. And the other advice is good. It's easy enough to check with the web site of any Schengen country to see if a visa is required, and that's what I'd suggest mrscha do. I'm a strong proponent of not trying to skirt national laws with regard to tourism. In this post-9/11 world, you want to make sure you aren't cutting any corners.

Call the consulate (or embassy if near Berlin) of the countries you want to visit and explain your specifics, including your nationality and permits for the US and Germany. They will be happy to give you the information you are looking for.

If she is a military dependent, she does not have a visa, just orders authorizing her to travel to Germany. Mrscha falls under the status of forces argeement. The rules are different under the "SOFA". It is better to be safe then sorry when traveling.

Mrscha, as a USAF dependent there are resources on the base that will help answer your question. You should start with the Family Support Center, and if they can't help, should be able to direct you to someone who can.

hello mrs cha...i've read that you're a permanent resident holder too. I have question regarding going back to US after being station to germany. I have heard that we can apply for early naturalization if our spouse (USAF) get stationed oversease. We have only a month left before we leave for Germany. Did you file the I- 131 reentry permit to go back here in the USA? thanks and I am looking forward for your response.

Whether you'll need a visa to visit specific countries should really depend on WHAT PASSPORT you hold.

judithc0830, I don't understand why you are asking this question on Fodor's when there are experts on each military base who can help you. A response to your question on this board, although well meaning, may mislead you.

As I said to mrscha, you can speak to Family Support, Military Personnel, Legal Office, etc. Keep asking until you get a satisfactory answer. If they don't immediately know the answer, they can find out, even if it means going to higher headquarters. Your husband's first sergeant may also be able to help if you get the runaround. Insist on getting an answer to your question, preferably in wrtiting.