Visa policy of the Schengen Area

[12] Expulsion on public health grounds must relate to diseases with 'epidemic potential' which have occurred less than 3 months from the person's date of arrival in the member state where entry is sought.[59] Even though a school pupil fulfilling all of the above conditions is exempt from having to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen Area and Cyprus, he or she is nonetheless required to have a valid travel document.[81] Nationals of the following 12 countries are required to hold an airport transit visa (ATV) when transiting through any airport in the Schengen Area or Cyprus, even if they remain airside:[82] However, nationals of the above countries are exempt from airport transit visas if they hold a visa or residence permit for an EU single market country, Canada, Japan, United States or the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a residence permit for Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or the United Kingdom, a diplomatic passport, are family members of an EU single market national, or are flight crew members.If the applicant's country of nationality is considered not to be cooperating on the readmission of irregular migrants, the visa fee may be increased up to EUR 180, except for children under age 12.[93][94] The general lack of competition for visa outsourcing contracts, which are dominated by companies such as VFS Global, BLS International and TLScontact, has also been blamed for the poor service.[150] However, if the individual requesting a Schengen visa at the border falls within a category of people for which it is necessary to consult one or more of the central authorities of other Schengen states, they may only be issued a visa at the border in exceptional cases on humanitarian grounds, on grounds of national interest or on account of international obligations (such as the death or sudden serious illness of a close relative or of another close person).[152] Schengen visas are only issued on travel documents of UN member states, Kosovo, Palestine, Taiwan, Vatican City, the Order of Malta, and certain international organisations (Council of Europe, EU, NATO, Red Cross, UN).In 2017, the EU adopted a regulation to establish an Entry/Exit System (EES) to record electronically the entry and exit of third-country nationals to and from the Schengen Area in a central database, replacing the manual stamping of passports.[183] ETIAS is expected to process the vast majority of applications automatically by searching in electronic databases and then provide an immediate response but, in some limited cases, it may take up to 30 days.[14] Since the adoption of this policy, full reciprocity has been achieved with all Annex II countries except the United States, which, as of 2025[update], requires visas from nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania.[191] In November 2014, the Bulgarian government announced that it would not ratify the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership unless the United States lifted visa requirements for its nationals.Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States require an electronic authorisation before travel, similar to the EU's own planned ETIAS.[202][203] In general, third-country nationals staying more than 90 days in the Schengen Area as a whole or in Cyprus require either a long-stay visa for less than a year or a residence permit for longer periods.[211] Nationals of some 'Annex II' countries (such as Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States) that had entered into visa waiver agreements with individual Schengen states before they implemented the Schengen agreement are permitted to stay for an additional period of time, above and beyond the typical maximum stay limit of 90 days within 180 days imposed on visa-free 'Annex II' nationals.[212] Other passport holders mentioned below also enjoy extended visa-free stays in certain countries, above the framework of the Schengen visa exemption of 90 days in any 180-day period: Argentine, Chilean, Costa Rican, Israeli, Malaysian, South Korean and Uruguayan nationals are permitted to spend an extra 3 months per 6-month period visa-free in the Czech Republic, regardless of time spent in other Schengen countries.[212] Canadian, Chilean, Israeli, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean, South Korean and United States nationals are permitted to spend an extra period of 3 months visa-free in Denmark.[222] Argentine, Costa Rican, Israeli, Japanese, Panamanian, South Korean, United States and Uruguayan nationals are permitted to spend an extra 90 days visa-free in Latvia.[223] Argentine, Australian, Brazilian, Bruneian, Canadian, Chilean, Costa Rican, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduran, Israeli, Japanese, Malaysian, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Singaporean, South Korean, United States, Uruguayan and Venezuelan nationals are permitted to spend an extra period of 3 months visa-free in Norway.[224][225] Argentine, Chilean, Costa Rican, Honduran, Israeli, Japanese, Malaysian, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Singaporean, South Korean, United States and Uruguayan nationals are permitted to spend an extra period of 3 months visa-free in Poland.[228][229] The Netherlands exempts visitors from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, United States and Vatican City from holding proof of sufficient funds and return tickets.[242] Romania requires visitors from Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine to hold a medical insurance covering the period of stay.Romania also exempts visitors from Australia, Canada, South Korea and the United States from holding proof of sufficient funds and return tickets.It grants visa-free entry to all Schengen Annex II nationalities, except for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Dominica, East Timor, Georgia, Honduras, Kosovo, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palau, Peru, Serbia and Venezuela.Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area and maintains freedom of movement with the United Kingdom in addition to with EU and Schengen countries.[244] The British overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia has open borders with Cyprus and follows the visa policy of the Schengen Area, but requires permits for stays longer than 28 days per 12-month period.[247] Overseas France and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have individual visa policies that are mostly aligned with the Schengen Area, with some exceptions and additions.2 Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Russia and the partially recognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia each span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.

Schengen Area entry stamp issued at Oslo international airport

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