Do You Need Proof of Funds When Traveling?

TTT - Proof of Funds
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Jenn: Hey everyone, welcome back to Travel Tip Tuesday with the Travel Mug Podcast. I am Jenn, and I'm here with my partner in podcasting, Meggan. How are you today, Meggan?

Meggan: I am good, thank you. We're heading into midweek. The weather's getting better. I mean, that's what we can ask for.

Jenn: Exactly. So I swear the thing about travel is that you're Always learning something. I feel like I'm really well informed. I feel like I have a good grasp on what's going on. And then I hear something that I literally hadn't even considered. And that is what happened a few weeks ago when someone posted in a Facebook travel group that I'm in about Spain requiring a proof of funds upon entry.

And I was like What?

Meggan: Pardon?

Jenn: pardon, I had never heard of this. So I went off to the old Google machine to see what I find out, and this is what I found out. So this can apply to any country in the Schengen area, which is a group of 27 countries in Europe, where you can travel freely once you enter them.

You can travel freely without border checks. So, one of the things that border control can ask you when you enter the Schengen area is for proof of funds or means of substance, which I was like, food? Substance? No.

Meggan: you want a snack?

Jenn: So, according to Article 5, Section 3 of the Schengen Border Code, quote, means of substance shall be assessed in accordance with the duration and the purpose of the stay and by reference to average prices in the member states concerned for board lodging in budget accommodations Multiplied by the number of days stayed, so they can ask you for, uh, an amount of money per day that you're supposed to be there.

Meggan: Oh.

Jenn: So, how can you prove it? According to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs European Union and Cooperation website, they say, Financial means can be accredited by presenting cash, traveler's checks, and credit cards accompanied by a statement from the bank account, an up to date bank statement, or any other means that accredits the amount available as credit on the card or bank account. I think translation there was a little bit difficult, but anyway. Letters from the banks or online bank statements are not accepted.

Meggan: So are you saying I could take my phone out and log into my online banking and then show them the old checking account?

Jenn: sounds like it, but then it also says online bank statements are not accepted. So it's very Confusing.

Meggan: you want me to prove it?

Jenn: I know, like nobody, nobody I know is traveling with a physical copy of a bank statement. I don't even get a physical copy of my bank statement.

Meggan: Never heard of her since the 90s

Jenn: Right? So I think that this probably happens more if you don't have a, um, exit ticket. If you don't have something, they're like, uh, suspecting that you're going to try to stay and you don't have the means to support yourself, something like that. I mean, obviously they don't ask about this all the time, or we would hear about it more often. Um, I do know someone who was traveling solo to the U S from Nova Scotia and they made her prove that she had access to funds and they were questioning her on how she was able to afford the trip. So it definitely can happen.

Meggan: and that's probably because she was solo.

Jenn: Yes, exactly. So, I guess there's probably a couple of red flags out there that might prompt them to ask you these questions, but have you ever heard of anybody being, having to prove that they had money?

Meggan: I mean, I know some people aren't watching this video, they're just listening, but my face the whole time has said, I, I, no, I've never heard of this before and I didn't need it to worry about, frankly.

Jenn: Yeah, and I think it might be, You know, we're Canadians, we do have a passport privilege that maybe they just assume that most people that are traveling from a country like Canada can afford to, um, sustain themselves while they're traveling there, but, I don't know, it's, it's interesting, and it's definitely something to keep in mind, like they might, they probably won't ask, but they could ask, so, and I mean, if you can't prove it, they're not going to let you in.

Meggan: No, I mean and it is something like exactly like you said something that's good to know may never happen to you They probably do assume why would you not want to come back to Canada? I can give you some grocery reasons that I wouldn't want to come back to this country But yes, like we do have passport privilege. That's probably part of it, but it's good good information to have.

Jenn: Yeah, for sure. So that's it. That's all we have for this week's Travel Tip Tuesday. Thank you so much for tuning in. Let us know if you've ever been asked this before. We'd, um, be really interested to hear about your experience. , you can find us on Instagram and Facebook at Travel Mug Podcast and on our website, TravelMugPodcast. com. Until next time, we'll see you again soon. Bye!

Meggan: Bye