Travel + Leisure

UNITED STATES

147

The

Power

Rankings

All passports

are not created

equal. Here’s how

many countries

they can get their

citizens into,

visa-free.

GUATEMALA

98

INDIA

59

MEXICO

119

EGYPT

53

NORTH KOREA

44

CHILE

124

COSTA RICA

110

SOUTH SUDAN

28

HUNGARY

141

SRI LANKA

47

SOURCE:Passport Index

Currently, 59 countries around the world have forwarded a visa on arrival for Indian

passport holders, making international travel easier. Bolivia, Maldives, Guinea-

Bissau, and Madagascar are among those that give you the maximum stay on the

same visa; i.e, 90 days.

Tip|KEEP AN EYE ON EXPIRATION

Even with a valid passport, you can be

barred from certain countries, such as

Switzerland, that require travel documents

to be good for at least three months after

your planned departure.

I recently lost a lot of weight, and don’t look much like the

photo in my passport. Do I need to get a new one?

If you’ve gained or lost a lot of weight, had facial surgery,

been disfigured, or otherwise dramatically changed your

appearance, it’s wise to get a new passport, with a new

photo—or risk running into problems at the border. Log on to

passportindia.gov.infor more details.

Q&A

PASSPORT-FREE

TRAVEL IN EUROPE:

IS IT DEAD?

Terrorist attacks, a refugee crisis, and
fears about future security threats
may put an end to unrestricted travel
on the Continent.

Last November, hours after terrorists
launched a series of deadly attacks in
Paris, French president François Hollande
made a declaration: for security’s sake, the
country’s borders would be closed. It was
easier said than done—how do you shut
the hundreds of roads that enter France
from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, and
Switzerland?—and the government soon
clarifi ed, saying it would implement border
checks. Still, it was a pivotal moment for
Europe, most of which has been border-
free for more than 20 years.
Since the 1990s, 26 countries have
removed controls at their boundaries,
creating a zone known as the Schengen
Area. It was a boon to commerce and to
tourism; travelling around Europe became
as easy as passing between states in the
USA. But terrorist attacks and a wave of
migrants and refugees from the Middle East
and Africa have called all that into question.
In September, with an estimated 8,000
refugees per day entering Europe, Germany
implemented checks at the Austrian
border, inspecting cars on main highways
and stopping trains in an effort to control
the fl ow; the Netherlands started reviewing
passports on its German border. After
November’s attacks, checkpoints were
imposed between France and Belgium
indefi nitely. In early January, Sweden
started requiring travellers to show ID
when coming from Denmark, and Denmark
imposed checks on the German border.
The measures weren’t aimed at leisure
travellers, but canceled trains and, in
some cases, hours-long waits at highway
checkpoints took their toll.

Since then, the delays in Germany have

abated, says Jens Alberts, a spokesman

for the German Consulate General in New

York. And besides, he adds, travellers’ paths

are unlikely to overlap much with those of

refugees. Ilse van Overveld, a spokesperson

for the Dutch embassy, said there have not

been any signifi cant delays for fl ights to the

Netherlands. “I don’t think tourists will feel

any different today when they travel to the

Netherlands than when they were in the

country a year ago,” she says.

However, travellers are still likely to

be impacted at airports, train stations,

sporting events, and holiday gatherings,

and to see more of a law-enforcement

presence, says Scott Hume, associate

director of security operations at travel-risk

agency Global Rescue. Visitors should be

prepared for longer lines and more intense

scrutiny of documents.

Things could change quickly if another

attack occurs. And even if it doesn’t, policy

shifts may slow down travel. At press

time, the European Union was considering

beefi ng up its external border-control

force, called Frontex. Some politicians

were calling for the end of Schengen

altogether. Commentators for the Financial

Times, Der Spiegel, and others have

speculated that the end of a borderless

Europe may be upon us.

TRAVEL + LEISURE / MARCH 2016