Schengen Visa Policy: Who Needs A Schengen Visa?

List of countries whose citizens require a Schengen Visa to travel to Schengen countries, who is exempt from such requirements, where can you travel with a Schengen visa.

If you are from one of the countries below, you must apply for a visa before you travel to one of the Schengen States:

• Western Sahara
• Algeria
• Angola
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Belize
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Burkina Faso
• Myanmar
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cabo Verde
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• China
• Comoros
• Republic of the Congo
• Ivory Coast
• Cuba
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Djibouti
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• Vanuatu
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• 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
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Northern Mariana
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tonga
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Uganda
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

*Since the EU has partially abolished the visa-free travel agreement with Vanuatu, only Vanuatuan nationals holding ordinary passports issued before May 25, 2015, can enter the Schengen Area visa-free.

Who Can Travel to Schengen Without a Visa?

If you are from one of the following countries/territories, you can travel through Europe for up to 90 days without applying for a Schengen Visa:

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

Who Needs a Visa to Transit in Schengen?

If you are from one of the countries listed below, you must have a visa when passing through the international transit area of an airport in any of the Schengen States:

• Western Sahara
• Bangladesh
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Iran
• Iraq
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka

Citizens from the following countries need a visa only when transiting in specific Schengen States, as listed:

• From Angola To France
• From Armenia To Czech Republic
• From Bolivia To France
• From Cameroon To Greece, Spain, France
• From  Central African Republic To France
• From  Chad To Czech Republic, France
• From Congo To Greece, Spain, France
• From Côte d’Ivoire To Spain, France
• From Algeria To Czech Republic
• From Cuba To Czech Republic, Spain, France, Netherlands, Poland
• From Djibouti To Spain
• From Dominican Republic To Belgium, France
• From Egypt To Czech Republic
• From Gambia To Spain
• From Guinea Belgium To, Spain, France, Netherlands, Portugal
• From Guinea Bissau To Belgium, Spain, Netherlands
• From Haiti To France, Spain
• From India To Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France
• From Jordan To Germany
• From Lebanon To Czech Republic, Germany
• From Liberia To Spain
• From Libya To Czech Republic
• From Mali To Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France
• From Mauritania To Czech Republic, France
• From Nepal To Belgium, Netherlands
• From Niger To Czech Republic
• From Philippines To France
• From Palestinians To Belgium, Czechia, France, Spain
• From Sierra Leone To France, the Netherlands, Spain
• From Syria To Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
• From Togo To France, Spain
• From Yemen To Belgium, Czechia, France, Spain

Exemptions from Schengen Airport Transit Visa

You may be exempt from holding an Airport Transit Visa when travelling through Schengen if:

• You already have a valid Schengen visa.
• You have a valid residence permit issued by an EU or EEA Member State.
• You have a valid visa issued by an EU or EEA Member State, Canada, Japan or the United States.
• You have a valid residence permit issued by the Principality of Andorra, Canada, Japan, Republic of San Marino, or the United States.
• You are a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.
• You have a diplomatic passport.
• You are a flight crew member national of a contracting party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Do UK Citizens Need a Schengen Visa?

No, they do not. UK citizens can travel to any of the Schengen Area countries for up to 90 days in a 180-day period for tourism, business, and other short-term purposes.

Do Americans Need Visas for Europe?

American citizens do not need a visa to travel to Europe for up to 90 days within a 180-day period for tourism or business purposes. However, for long-term study or work, Americans do have to apply for the corresponding visa and/or residence permit.

Do Green Card Holders Travelling to Europe Need a Visa?

You cannot enter Europe without a visa if you have a Green Card. Even if you have a US Green Card, if you are from a nation that normally requires a Schengen Visa, you must apply for one before traveling.

Even though the Schengen States are not included, you can travel to Canada, Mexico, and several other European nations with your Green Card.

Do I Need a Schengen Visa if I Already Have a Residence Permit from a Schengen Country?

No, you do not. If you already have a residence permit issued by a Schengen State, then you are free to move to all other Member States without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Are Family Members of EU/EEA Citizens Exempt From the Schengen Visa Regime?

No, they do not. Non-EU family members (spouses, children) of EU/EEA nationals must have a valid Schengen Visa in order to travel with their EU/EEA national family member, unless they are from a visa-exempt country.

Marriage or familial ties to an EU/EEA national do not entitle you to visa-free travel to the EU.