Schengen Visa

About the Schengen Visa

The Schengen Visa (technically a Uniform Short-Stay Visa or Type-C Visa) allows holders to travel freely across the 27 Schengen Area member states for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. It is issued by the member state that is either the sole or primary destination of the visit.

The Schengen Area is not identical to the European Union — four non-EU countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) are members, while some EU states (Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania) operate separate border regimes. All 27 Schengen states apply the Schengen Borders Code and recognise each other's visas.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) — a separate pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationalities — is a distinct system from the Schengen Visa. ETIAS affects those who currently travel to Schengen without a visa, not those who require a Schengen Visa.

Key facts

• Validity: up to 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180-day rule)
• Issued by: the member state of primary/sole destination; valid across all 27 Schengen states
• 27 Schengen member states include EU and non-EU countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
• Type-C (short-stay) visa is distinct from Type-D national long-stay visa (issued individually by each state)
• Applications typically filed through the issuing state's embassy or visa application centre (VFS Global, BLS International, etc.)
• ETIAS (for visa-exempt nationals) is a separate system — distinct from the Schengen Visa

Recent Schengen Visa news

News coverage of Schengen Visa policy changes will appear here as articles are published.

Related visa types

• UK Electronic Travel Authorisation — Pre-travel authorisation for non-visa nationals entering the UK — mandatory for eligible nationalities from 2024.