When it comes to traveling to the European Union (EU), there are varying visa requirements depending on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Here’s a breakdown of who needs a Schengen Visa to enter the EU and who doesn’t:
Citizens of Countries Requiring a Schengen Visa
The following nationals must obtain a Schengen visa to enter any member country of the Schengen Area:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Cote D’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Dem. Rep. Of Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Türkiye
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Citizens of Countries Needing an Airport Transit Schengen Visa
Certain nationals require an airport transit visa to change planes at an airport in a Schengen Area country. The countries subject to this requirement include:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Congo (DRC)
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
However, some exceptions apply. Those nationals are not obliged to obtain an airport transit visa if:
- They hold a residency permit from a Schengen member country.
- They hold a residency permit from countries like Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino, or the USA, guaranteeing their whereabouts.
- They have a valid Schengen visa or a valid visa for entering one of the EFTA countries, Canada, Japan, or the United States, even if they are returning from those countries after using this visa.
- They are close family members of an EU citizen.
- They hold a diplomatic passport.
Citizens of Countries Exempt from Schengen Visas
The following countries do not require a Schengen visa to enter any member country of the Schengen Area for tourism or business purposes:
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong S.A.R*
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macao S.A.R*
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan**
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Visa-free regime applies to citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Serbia only if they are holders of biometric passports. ** Visa-free regime applies to holders of passports issued by Taiwan only if their passport contains an identity card number.
Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China:
- Hong Kong (Visa-free regime applies only to holders of a “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” passport).
- Macao (Visa-free regime applies only to holders of a “Região Administrativa Especial de Macau” passport).
British citizens who are not nationals of the United Kingdom (British Nationals (Overseas):
- British Nationals (Overseas)
- British Overseas Territories Citizens
- British Overseas Citizens
- British Protected Persons
- British Subjects
Other Scenarios
- Citizens of visa-exempt countries must remember that their stay in the Schengen zone is limited to 90 days (three months) every six months, regardless of the reason for travel. Additionally, visa-free travel does not permit working or studying within the Schengen Area.
- If you are a family member of an EU/EEA national, it does not automatically exempt you from needing a visa to enter the Schengen zone, but the visa application process may be expedited. You must meet certain standards, including being a first-degree family member (spouse or child under 21) of the EU/EEA citizen and having proof of your relationship.
- Lastly, when holding multiple nationalities, the visa requirements depend on the passport you choose to travel with. If you select a passport that requires a mandatory visa, you must obtain one, even if you have a passport from one of the Schengen member countries that you do not wish to use.
- For travelers with a D visa allowing them to reside in a Schengen area, their stay is limited to 90 days within a 180-day period, even if they hold a residency permit in a specific country. A valid reason is required to obtain a D visa.
