Schengen at Copenhagen Airport

What is Schengen?

Schengen is a treaty providing for the free movement of persons travelling between the Schengen member states. While, in principle, passengers can travel between Schengen countries without showing their passport, control measures will be tightened for passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries. All passengers travelling into and out of the Schengen area must show their passport.

Which countries have signed the Schengen Treaty?

Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.

When did Denmark become a Schengen country?

Denmark implemented the Schengen system on 25 March 2001 together with the other Nordic countries. The remaining member states have already joined the system.

What does this mean for passengers?

For passengers, things have changed slightly since the Schengen Treaty was implemented. As usual, passengers must remember to bring their passports, to check in and to follow the signs to their departure gates.

A completely new feature, however, will be the introduction of a passport departure checkpoint for passengers travelling to non-Schengen states. These travellers will automatically pass a passport control checkpoint on their way to the departure gate. Passengers travelling between Schengen states will find it easier than they do today since they will no longer have to show their passport. However, it is worth remembering that passengers must still bring their passports: the Schengen Treaty does not exempt passengers entirely from showing ID when they travel. A passport is the only valid ID that Danes can use abroad, so the passport remains an essential element of travelling abroad.  

Design of the airport for Schengen purposes

Copenhagen Airport is designed so that Schengen and non-Schengen passengers can be kept separate. In practice, this means that a kind of border has been established inside each of the terminals – between a Schengen zone and a non-Schengen zone. Therefore,