The Schengen Area
30 European countries with shared border controls. Understand the rules, limits, and your rights.
30 countries with no internal border controls. Max stay: 90 days per 180-day period for non-EU visitors. One visa/ETIAS covers all Schengen countries. Entry + exit days both count as full days.
- Countries
- 30 Schengen
- Max Stay
- 90 days in 180
- Coverage
- One visa/ETIAS
- Day Count
- Full days
29 countries, one travel zone
From the Arctic Circle in northern Norway to the southern tip of Greece — once you're inside the Schengen Area, internal borders disappear. The blue-and-yellow stars flag is the visual shorthand for this shared travel zone, although Schengen and the EU are not the same club: countries like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland are in Schengen without being EU members, while Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU without being in Schengen.
What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area is a zone of 30 European countries that have abolished internal border controls, allowing free movement of people. Once you enter any Schengen country, you can travel between all of them without additional border checks.
The 90/180 Day Rule
Non-EU visitors can stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day rolling period. This applies whether you need a visa, ETIAS, or neither. Both the entry and exit days count as full days.
Use our free Schengen Calculator to track your days.