Travelling around the Schengen Area
Europe is a continent that is relatively small but with many independent countries. Under normal circumstances, travelling through multiple countries would mean having to go through visa applications and passport control multiple times. The Schengen zone, however, works somewhat like one country in this respect. As long as you stay in this zone, you can generally cross borders without going through passport control checkpoints again. Similarly, by having a Schengen visa, you do not need to apply for visas to each of the Schengen member countries separately, hence saving time, money and paperwork.
While most EU countries are also Schengen members, the two are not the same, and even some external territories of Schengen members are outside the Schengen area.
UnderstandThe Schengen Area is not the same as the European Union (EU). Not all EU countries are part of the Schengen zone and not all Schengen countries are part of the EU.
Visa and non-visa nationalsIf your status depends on the United Kingdom's former membership of the EU, Brexit has probably affected your rights.
Requirements for a visaIn general, if your nationality needs a Schengen visa for either business, tourism or family visits, you usually will need to procure the following documents (specific requirements vary slightly per embassy and…
Setting an appointmentVisas cannot be applied for at the border, nor at a "visa hub": you need to apply early enough, from your home country (or abroad, if there is no consular services in your country), with few exceptions.
Attending the appointmentIn general, personal appearance at the application centre is required; that is, an agent cannot lodge the application on your behalf.
After applyingIf you receive a Schengen visa, make sure you check to see the information is correct.
Length of stay and number of entriesThe 90 days in a rolling 180-day timeframe is a maximum per visit. This refers to those who can enter the Schengen area without the need to apply for a full Schengen visa.e.
Entering the Schengen AreaPassengers without an EU/EEA/Swiss passport travelling on a short stay have to go through the Schengen Entry/Exit system (EES).
Getting around the Schengen zoneOnce you are allowed into the Schengen zone, you can generally travel to any member state without having to go through formal passport control procedures again.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Travelling around the Schengen Area" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0