Do I Need a Schengen Visa to Enter Europe?

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KEY POINTS

• Enhanced Access

  Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2024 increasing membership to 29 countries.

• Diverse Visa Options

  From tourist to transit visas, the Schengen system offers a range of options tailored to your needs.

If you are travelling to Europe, you may need a Schengen visa to enter your destination country.

What is the Schengen Area?

It is an area without internal borders and guarantees the free movement of 425 million EU citizens. It allows EU citizens, non-EU residents, and visitors to the EU to travel freely and safely within the EU.

In March 2024, Bulgaria and Romania became the latest Member States to join the Schengen Area. Membership now includes the following 29 countries:

EU States	Non-EU States
Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden	Iceland Liechtenstein Norway Switzerland

What is a Schengen Tourist Visa?

It is a short-stay visa that allows you to visit and stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

It is not intended for stays exceeding 90 days in a 180-day period, employment, establish a business, trade, or profession.

What other types of Schengen Visas are available?

In addition to the tourist visa above, we highlight the following visas options:

Business Visa

This visa allows you to travel to Schengen countries for things like meetings, conferences, or contract negotiations.

You are permitted to engage in business activities; however, you are not allowed to enter into an employment contract or receive any form of compensation during your stay.

Student Visa

This visa allows you to attend an educational institution in a Schengen country. Your period of residence is typically limited to the duration of your academic program.

Work / Employment Visa

This visa allows you to reside in a Schengen country for employment purposes. You may require employer sponsorship and the visa will typically have limited duration.

Transit Visa

There are two primary types of transit visas that permit passage through a Schengen country enroute to your final destination.

Type A permits transit through an airport in the Schengen Area but does not permit leaving the airport.

Type B typically permits a limited stay of up to 5 days within the Schengen territory while travelling to your final destination outside the Schengen territory.

What personal information is required to obtain a Schengen Visa?

You will need to provide the following:

Passport

Your passport is a key document, and its expiration must be at least three months after your return from the Schengen Area. Factor in the cost and timing of renewing your passport, if required, and integrate this into the process below for obtaining a Schengen Visa.

Photo

A digital photo of your head and shoulders that is less than six months old.

The photo must meet several requirements including brightness, contrast, paper quality, color neutrality, eyes open, face square to the camera, no shadows, no reflections, eyes clearly visible through glasses, no head coverings except for religious reasons (bottom of chin to top of forehead must be visible), and more.

Travel Insurance

You will need to show proof of insurance that includes emergency medical, hospitalization, and repatriation.

Financial / Accommodation

You may need to disclose the purpose of your stay, proof of financial resources to support your stay, your local accommodation, proof of ties to your home country, and confirmation of a return flight home.

Other

You may need to submit fingerprints and other pertinent documents including a birth certificate, marriage certificate, trip itinerary, and more. The list of documents is at the discretion of the Consulate office and subject to change.

TIP

Keep your visa related documents handy during your travels, you may need to produce them at border crossings.

Where do I submit my visa application?

You should submit your application to the Consulate of the country you will be visiting.

If you will be visiting multiple countries, submit your application to the country in which you will be staying the longest. If the stay in each country is of equal length, you need to apply to the country you will enter first.

How long does it take?

You can only apply for a visa three months before your trip commences. Although the respective Consulate may decide on your application within 15 days, such timing can vary and may exceed 60 days.

We recommend applying for your visa as soon as practically possible, being cognizant of the 3-month window mentioned above and any statutory holidays in your destination country.

What does it cost?

Typically, you can expect to pay the following:

• 80€ Adults

• 40€ Ages 4-12

• 35€ Applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus

• 60€ Cabo Varde

Do you need a Schengen Visa?

Not all foreigners are required to obtain one of the visas above. The following table highlights selected countries and their visa requirements:

Country	Visa
	Required	Not Required
North America
United States		•
Canada		•
Mexico		•
South America
Columbia		•
Venezuela		•
Brazil		•
Argentina		•
Chile		•
Peru		•
Bolivia	•
Ecuador	•
Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda		•
Bahamas		•
Barbados		•
Bermuda		•
British Virgin Islands		•
Cayman Islands		•
Cuba	•
Dominica		•
Dominican Republic	•
Jamaica	•
Puerto Rico		•
Saint Lucia		•
Saint Vincent		•
Turks and Caicos Islands		•
U.S. Virgin Islands		•
Europe
Schengen countries (above)		•
United Kingdom		•
Ireland		•
Ukraine		•
Moldova		•
Serbia		•
Belarus	•
Asia
Japan		•
Taiwan		•
South Korea		•
Malaysia		•
United Arab Emirates		•
Israel		•
Russia	•
China	•
Hong Kong		•
Macao		•
India	•
Turkey	•
Saudi Arabia	•
Most other countries	•
Australia & New Zealand		•
Africa
All countries	•

You can use this Interactive Map to determine the visa requirements of your country.

Security / Information Sharing

The participating countries utilize the Visa Information System to exchange visa data with a focus on data related to short-stay visa application decisions. The Schengen Information System allows the exchange of information related to criminals, non-permitted visitors, missing persons, and stolen property.

In late 2024, the Entry/Exit System is scheduled for implementation and is an automated IT system for registration for travelers from outside the Schengen Area.

In 2025, the European Travel Information and Authorization System is schedule for implementation and is a system for the identification of security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As you embark on your journey to Europe, whether for business, studies, or leisure, familiarizing yourself with the Schengen visa requirements and regulations is critical. Bon voyage, and may your travels be filled with enriching experiences and unforgettable moments!

As proof of travel insurance is required for a Schengen Visa, we invite you to read access our related free resources: