Everything You Need to Know About the Schengen Zone

You may have heard about the Schengen zone, especially if you have traveled to Europe before (or are planning a trip to travel there soon!). But... what is it?

It's a good question as it's a truly unique agreement that benefits both participating countries and every person who travels in and out of them.

Not only does it allow for easy movement from one country to another, it also simplifies processes like visa applications.

In this guide, we're going to break down everything you need to know about the Schengen zone, including its member countries, travel requirements (such as Schengen visa insurance), and more, giving you a solid understanding of what it is.

What is the Schengen zone?

The Schengen area is a group of 29 European countries. These countries have decided to get rid of border checks between them, allowing travelers to go from member country to member country without having to go through passport control.

You can think of it sort of like traveling from state to state in the USA. There's no need to go through a border check, you simply pass through.

How does it work?

In order to enter the Schengen area, there are strict requirements for travelers with thorough border checks. Because of these strong requirements at the first point of entry, the entire area remains secure.

More than 425 million people, including EU citizens, non-EU nationals living in the EU, and visitors, benefit from this agreement for free movement.

When did it start?

The Schengen zone exists today thanks to the Schengen Agreement. This agreement was signed in Schengen, Luxembourg (sounds familiar, huh?) in 1985. In the beginning, there were far fewer countries in the area than there are today.

Today, there are 29 countries, with the possibility of more in the future. 

The Schengen zone isn't the same thing as the European Union. While there is a lot of overlap, they are two entirely different things. 

Which countries are in the Schengen zone?

The Schengen area has 29 members (so, 29 countries). Most of them are also in the European Union, but a few non-EU countries are also part of the zone (such as Norway and Iceland).

The current members of the Schengen area are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

While most EU countries are members of the Schengen area too, not all of them are. For example, Ireland and Cyprus are both in the EU, but they are not members of the Schengen zone. Ireland has chosen not to join, but Cyprus is actually in the process of joining.

The process to join the Schengen area is a lengthy one with detailed criteria to meet.

Which countries in Europe are not in the Schengen area? 

Most countries in Western Europe are a part of the Schengen area, but not all of them. Fewer countries in Eastern Europe are in the zone.

The following countries are not in the Schengen area:

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, the Faroe Islands (an autonomous territory of Denmark. Denmark is in the Schengen area), Greenland (also owned by Denmark), Ireland, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom (which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).

Schengen area “exceptions” 

There are a few countries that are "de facto" members of the Schengen area because of their geographical locations and/or relationships with surrounding governments.

Included in the Schengen area are:

Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.

Why isn’t the UK in the Schengen area?

It's a good question. The United Kingdom isn’t part of the Schengen zone, and it wasn’t before Brexit either. The UK has opted out of the Schengen agreement because it prefers to maintain its own border controls. To be a part of the Schengen area, countries have to agree to external border policies and collaborate closely.

The UK was in the European Union before, but since Brexit, they're even more distinct from the Schengen area. Visitors traveling between the UK and Schengen countries must go through border checks, as there isn’t free movement.

How the border works

When countries become a part of the Schengen area, there's a lot more to it than the absence of border checks for travelers passing through. Like hinted at above, there's a common set of rules that member countries have to agree to in order to be a member: and it's all about border management.

You might be thinking to yourself: the Schengen area. Is it a geographical area/region?

It isn't. The Schengen area includes many different countries all over Europe. Some have neighboring borders; one (Iceland) doesn't even share any physical borders with another Schengen country. Being in the Schengen area isn't about the geographical location of a country (though to be fair, they are all in Europe).

Travelers that enter the Schengen area from non-Schengen countries (such as the US or Canada for instance) have go through stringent external border checks. These border checks are agreed upon by all Schengen members.

It's not just border processes either. Schengen countries also cooperate when it comes to judicial matters and police. Legal authorities work together to prevent crime, particularly cross-border crime.

One big resource they lean on is a shared system called the Schengen Information System (SIS). SIS is a database that manages information about individuals, vehicles, and objects across all of the Schengen countries. This allows police in one country to look at a more detailed history of a person, vehicle, or item that has come into the zone and moved around, which helps solve crimes faster (among other things).

But for travelers, the most noticeable perk is the "border-control-free movement" from country to country. However, that isn't to say there will never be border controls within the Schengen area.

In fact, border controls can be temporarily reintroduced from time to time in specific countries - if there's a serious threat to public order or national security, for example. Efforts are always being made to reform and strengthen the area.

All in all, you can rest assured that even though there is free movement from one member country to another, the Schengen area as its whole is secure, thanks in large part to those external border policies.

Recent developments: Bulgaria and Romania have joined the Schengen area

As of March 31, 2024, Bulgaria and Romania became the newest members of the Schengen area.

After a quite thorough evaluation process, both countries met the criteria for joining. This includes agreeing to adhere to the Schengen rules on border control, Schengen issuance, local police cooperation, and implementing SIS technologies.

FAQs about the Schengen zone