Travelling in Europe and the Schengen area

Travelling in Europe. If you are a third-country national you may enter and travel through the territories of the Member States that apply Schengen rules. For a maximum time span of three months, you have to fulfil the entry criteria. They are listed in the Schengen Acquis, ie you:

• are the holder of a valid travel document;
• have a short-stay visa if one is required;
• are able to prove the purpose of your travel;
• possess enough resources to support yourself for the time span for which you plan to stay and for your return;
• hold a travel insurance policy;

Moreover, you must not be included in the Schengen Information System “Deny Entry” list. And no Schengen Member State must regard you as a threat to its public order or its national security.

Stay longer than 3 months

Please note that if you intend to stay longer than three months, you will need a long-term visa or residence permit for a specific country. Each country sets its own requirements in this regard.

On the basis of the Schengen Agreements’ Acquis, instead of a visa, holding a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State and a travel ticket will be sufficient. Thus, a third-country national who shows his passport and a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State is entitled to enter the territory of another Schengen Member State for a short stay without anyvisa requirement.