Right of abode

The right of abode refers to an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular country. A person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there without restriction.

EU, EEA, and the Schengen treaty

Citizens of the European Economic Area (the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and Switzerland enjoy the freedom to travel and work in any European Union country without a passport or visa, although transitory dispositions may restrict the rights of citizens of new member states to work in other countries.

Related Topics:
European Economic Area - European Union - Iceland - Liechtenstein - Norway

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However rights to reside in another EU/EEA state are not absolute. In particular they can be refused to those who depend on social assistance, and those who commit crimes may be deported.

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Schengen Treaty

Furthermore, countries that have signed and applied the Schengen treaty (a subset of the EEA) do not implement border controls between each other, unless exceptional circumstances apply. The EEA countries (with the exception of the UK and Ireland) and Switzerland have signed Schengen treaty. Switzerland and the ten new members states have not yet implemented it.

Related Topics:
Schengen treaty - EEA

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As a consequence of the above, for instance, a French citizen may travel to the United Kingdom, another EEA member state, and then freely live and work in that country. However, since the UK has not signed the Schengen treaty, he can be required to present an ID card when entering the UK. However, this requirement applies to British citizens as well. On the other hand, when Switzerland applies the Schengen treaty, the French citizen will be able to travel to Switzerland without being stopped at the border.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - ID card

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However, many European countries require all persons to carry an identity card or passport and proof of nationality is normally required to take up residence in any member state. Thus, while the Schengen Treaty facilites the movement of persons across frontiers, it makes no substantive difference to residence rights.

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