Europe
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have abolished checks at their shared internal borders and operate a common short-stay visa and shared external-border rules. For travellers, this means short stays are governed by shared Schengen rules — the Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) for those who need a visa, the ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, and the Entry/Exit System (EES) at the external borders — with a limit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Long stays (more than 90 days, for example to work, study or live) are different: they are handled nationally by each individual country under its own long-stay visa (Type D). This hub is the shared reference for the short-stay rules that apply across the Area; for a specific country’s long-stay routes, use that country’s own hub.
Key facts
This hub covers the shared short-stay rules for the Schengen Area. Whether you need a visa, and what applies to you, depends on your nationality and the purpose and length of your stay. Long stays (over 90 days) are national — the long-stay visa (Type D) is issued by each individual country under its own rules, so use that country’s hub for those routes. Always confirm what you need with the official European Commission guidance before you travel or apply.
Schengen visas
- Schengen Visa (Short-Stay, Type C)<p>The uniform short-stay visa valid across the whole Schengen Area, for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.</p>
- Airport Transit Visa (Type A)<p>A visa that lets you connect through the international transit area of a Schengen airport during a stopover, without allowing you to leave that area.</p>
- National Long-Stay Visa (Type D)<p>For stays over 90 days. Unlike the short-stay visa, the Type D visa is NOT uniform — it is issued under each country’s own national procedures.</p>
Related guides
Official sources