The Schengen Area



There are 25 different countries in the Schengen Area.  Not all countries in the European Union are part of the Schengen Area.  The two countries that are part of the EU but not part of the Schengen Area are the United Kingdom and Ireland.



Does European Union = Schengen Area?



No.  There are two EU countries that are not part of the Schengen Area (the UK and Ireland), so they do not follow the Schengen visa’s rules. 

There are also countries in the Schengen Area that are NOT part of the EU.  For example, Iceland and Norway are part of the Schengen Area, but are not part of the EU.  These countries are part of the Schengen Area because they signed the treaty agreeing to the Schengen Area rules.

Schengen Visa Basics

Do Schengen Visa Rules and Requirements Apply to the Territories of Schengen Area countries?

No.  Some Schengen countries have territories outside of Europe.  For example, Aruba is a territory of the Netherlands.  But Schengen rules do not apply to Aruba.  This is the case with all Schengen countries- if they have territories outside of Europe, Schengen rules do not apply to those territories.



 

What Is the Schengen Area?

The Schengen Area is an area made up of 25 different countries in Europe.  A person who has been given a Schengen Visa can travel throughout those 25 countries freely.  This means a Schengen Visa holder can cross the borders inside of all the Schengen Area without having to get a visa for each country.

 

How Are Schengen Visa Rules Enforced?

When a person tries to come into the Schengen Area from outside of it, he must show that he has a Schengen Visa.  The country where he enters the Schengen Area will check his Visa, and then he will be allowed into that country as well as all the other Schengen countries.  He does not have to have his Visa re-checked every time he crosses the border of one Schengen country into another.

If you are a citizen of any of the countries  in the European Economic Area, you will be allowed to enter the Schengen Area. You must show a (valid) identity card or a passport that is less than 5 years old (it can be valid or expired if it is a passport).

 

What If I Am Not a Citizen of One of the EEA Countries?

If you are not a citizen of one of the countries that make up the European Economic Area (listed above), you will have the following restrictions on entry to a Schengen country:

• You must show documents that show the purpose of your visit if you are asked to
• You must show documents that explain or prove the conditions of your visit to the Schengen Area
• You must show proof that you have enough money for your whole trip in the Schengen Area, plus enough money to get back to your home afterwards
• Certain people have an alert out on their name and will be refused entry into the Schengen Area
• Your Visa will say how long you are allowed to stay, but that period of time cannot be more than 90 days in a 6-month period.

 

Are Citizens of Certain Countries Allowed Into the Schengen Area Without a Visa?

Yes.  Citizens of some countries (the Schengen countries have a list of which nationalities are allowed in without a Visa) are not required to get a Schengen Visa.  They can go anywhere in the Schengen Area for 90 days at a time.  Of course, there are rules about these 90 day periods.  If you are from one of the countries exempt from needing a Visa, you can stay in the Schengen Area for one 90-day period out of each 6 month period since you first entered the Schengen Area.

 

How Do the Government Officials of Schengen Countries Know When I Entered the Schengen Area?

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They know because they stamp your passport with the date you first arrived.  The date that is stamped in your passport is the beginning of the first period of 6 months that Schengen rules refer to.  During this period of 6 months, you can only stay 90 days in the Schengen Area.  After you have spent 90 days, you must leave the Schengen Area until the rest of that 6-month period is over.​

 

What Happens If My Passport Doesn’t Have an Entry Date Stamped In It?


If you are in the Schengen Area, or trying to leave it, and government officials see that you do not have a stamp showing the date you entered the Schengen Area, they can assume that you are not following the rules regarding how long you are allowed to stay.  This could mean you would be forced to leave the Schengen Area.  However, if you can show proof that you were outside the Schengen Area (not inside it), you might be able to convince the government officials that you don’t have a date stamp because you weren’t in the Schengen Area.