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Travelers can obtain a single visa allowing access and free movement between all 26 countries of the Schengen zone. If you’re visiting from overseas, use <anchor>Schengen Visa info</anchor> to see if you need a visa.
Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Travel to Europe?
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SchengenVisaInfo » Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Travel to the EU?

# Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Travel to the EU?

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Understanding who needs a Schengen visa is crucial for anyone planning to visit the Schengen Area in Europe.

This requirement depends on factors such as your nationality, passport-type, the nature of your trip to the Schengen countries, and specific agreements between countries. These factors collectively determine whether you are obligated to obtain a Schengen visa for your intended trip.

schengen visa policy map

According to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, nationals of the following countries must apply for a Schengen visa before travelling to the Schengen Area.

- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burma/Myanmar
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d´Ivoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu*
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe

\* The exemption from the visa requirement for all nationals of Vanuatu is suspended from 4 February 2023 to 3 August 2024.

Please note that if your home country is not on the list above, you will most likely find it in the list of countries that have a visa liberalisation agreement with Schengen . See below!

### Who Doesn’t Need a Schengen Visa?

You do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area for short stays if you are from the following countries:

- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- North Macedonia
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- UAE
- UK
- US
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
- 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 Categories

Nationals of the following countries can enter visa-free the Schengen Area but have special considerations due to the political and administrative situation in their countries:

- 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).

### Schengen Visa Need Assessment Tool

### Check if You Need a Schengen Visa

I am a citizen of:

Choose countryAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCubaDemocratic Republic of the CongoDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiGabonGambiaGeorgiaGhanaGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaMacauMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaOmanPakistanPalauPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesQatarRepublic of the CongoRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSão Tomé and PríncipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSri LankaSudanSurinameSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTürkiyeTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabweNoYes

I am travelling to:

Choose countryAustriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaNetherlandsPolandPortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenIcelandLiechtensteinNorwaySwitzerland

I am travelling from:

Choose countryAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzechiaDemocratic Republic of the CongoDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of the CongoRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSão Tomé and PríncipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTürkiyeTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Have you ever been denied entry into the Schengen Area?

YesNo

Do you hold a valid residence permit of ?

Yes, I am a legal residentNo, I am here on a short stay visa

## Can Anyone Be Exempted?

The following categories may be exempted from the visa requirement even if they are from the countries mentioned above:

### Holders of Diplomatic Passports

Diplomatic passport holders from visa-required countries may not always enjoy automatic visa exemption. Eligibility depends on both nationality and the specific Schengen destination. It’s crucial to verify visa status before travelling.

### Holders of Local Border Traffic Permit Issued by Member States

Nationals from visa-required countries holding a local border traffic permit issued by Member States according to Regulation (EC) No 1931/2006, can use their right under the local border traffic regime.

### Civilian Air and Sea Crew Members, Crew Members of Emergency and Rescue Missions

Civilian aircrew members need specific licenses from Annexes 1 to 9 of the Chicago Convention to be exempt from visas. Seafarers, on the other hand, require a Seafarer’s Pass for exemption. Keep in mind that exemption rules vary based on your nationality and the Schengen country you’re visiting.

### Intergovernmental Travel Document Holders

Holders of intergovernmental travel documents (e.g., UN Laissez-Passer, EU laissez-passer) may enter visa-free for official UN or EU-related work. This exemption varies depending on the visitor’s nationality and the specific Schengen destination. Travellers must present their national passport along with an official certificate verifying their travel’s official purpose.

### School Pupils

Students from countries without a visa agreement with the Schengen Area can enter without a visa if they live in visa-exempt countries. This applies when they are part of a student group led by a teacher visiting the Schengen Area. Whether they qualify depends on their nationality and the specific Schengen destination they plan to visit.

### Refugees/Stateless Residents

This exemption applies to refugees or stateless individuals legally residing in visa-exempt countries, provided they possess travel documents issued by the relevant authorities in that country. Exemption conditions may vary based on nationality and the specific Schengen country of visit.

### Armed Forces/NATO Travel

Members of the armed forces traveling on NATO or Partnership for Peace business and those with identification and movement orders under the 1951 NATO Agreement can enter visa-free when on official duties. The application of this exemption can vary based on the visitor’s nationality and Schengen destination.

## Do EU Residence Card Holders Need a Visa?

Those who carry a residence card issued by an EU country can enter the Schengen Area visa-free, regardless of nationality. This is applicable to all EU family members who are also residence card holders.

Please note that this is not applicable to residence card holders from other countries outside the EU (e.g., the US). If you reside in a visa-exempt country but hold a passport from a country without a visa agreement with Schengen, you will still need a visa.

## Do I Also Need a Transit Visa?

Citizens of the following countries need a transit visa for all Schengen countries regardless of whether they stay in the international transit zone:

- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka

Some Schengen countries have expanded this list to include more countries that need a transit visa, so make sure to verify this requirement prior to travelling.

## Do I Also Need to Register for ETIAS?

No, if you need a Schengen visa, you are not eligible to register for an ETIAS. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is applicable to only nationals of those countries that can enter the Schengen Area visa-free.

## What if I Have More than One Nationality?

If you have more than one nationality, i.e., you are a dual or multiple citizen, the visa requirement may differ depending on which passport you enter the Schengen Area with. For example, if you are also a national of a country that has a visa-liberalisation deal with the Schengen, then you do not need to apply for a visa— provided you use the passport of that country.

Example:

You are a dual citizen of the US and Egypt. If you enter the Schengen Area using your Egyptian passport, you need to apply for a Schengen visa. However, if you enter with your US passport, then you do not need a visa.

## Does a Visa Guarantee Entry?

A Schengen visa does not guarantee you entry. The ultimate decision rests with the border patrol officers, who may assess various factors before allowing entry.

In certain circumstances, such as security concerns, even with a valid Schengen visa, entry might be denied for safety reasons.

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