If you’re applying for a Schengen visa for the first time, knowing exactly which countries are in (and which are not) determines where you apply, where you can travel, and how long you can stay.
What Is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area is a zone of 29 European countries that have removed passport and border controls at their shared borders. Once you enter any Schengen country with a valid visa, you can move freely between all of them without going through immigration again.
The area is named after the village of Schengen in Luxembourg, where the original agreement was signed in 1985.
For visa holders, the practical effect is straightforward: one Schengen visa covers all 29 countries. You don’t need separate visas for France, Germany, Italy, and Spain if you’re visiting all four.
For more on how long your visa lasts and what the validity dates mean, see our guide to Schengen visa validity.
It’s important to understand that the Schengen Area is not the same as the European Union; some EU countries are not in Schengen, and some non-EU countries are.
Full List of All 29 Schengen Countries (2026)
As of 2026, 29 countries are full members of the Schengen Area.
The most recent additions are Bulgaria and Romania, which joined fully on 1 January 2025.
Here is the complete list, organised alphabetically:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria (full member since January 2025)
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland (non-EU)
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein (non-EU)
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway (non-EU)
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania (full member since January 2025)
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland (non-EU)
All 29 countries operate under a single Schengen visa policy. A short-stay visa issued by any of these countries allows you to travel across all of them within the 90-day limit in any 180-day period.
EU Countries That Are NOT in the Schengen Area
This is where first-time travellers often get confused.
Being in the European Union does not automatically mean a country is in the Schengen Area. Two EU member states currently sit outside:
- Cyprus — obligated to join Schengen but has not yet met all technical requirements. The country is working toward accession, with a Council vote anticipated by the end of 2026. Until it officially joins, your Schengen visa does not cover Cyprus.
- Ireland — has a permanent opt-out from the Schengen Area. Ireland maintains its own visa policy to preserve the Common Travel Area (CTA) with the United Kingdom, which has existed since 1923. Ireland requires its own separate visa.
What this means in practice: if you hold a Schengen visa and want to visit Cyprus or Ireland, you need to check whether you require a separate visa for each. Days spent in Cyprus or Ireland do not count toward your 90-day Schengen limit.
Non-EU Countries That ARE in the Schengen Area
Four countries that are not EU members are nevertheless full Schengen members. This surprises many first-time applicants, so it’s worth knowing:
- Iceland — joined the Schengen Area in 2001
- Norway — joined the Schengen Area in 2001
- Switzerland — joined the Schengen Area in 2008
- Liechtenstein — joined the Schengen Area in 2011
Your Schengen visa covers all four of these countries. A trip to Zurich, Oslo, or Reykjavik is covered under the same visa you’d use for Paris or Rome. Days spent in these four countries count toward your 90-day Schengen limit, just like days spent in any EU Schengen country.
How the Schengen Area Affects Your Visa Application
Knowing which countries are in the Schengen Area matters most at two key moments: when you apply for your visa and when you plan your travel dates.
Where to apply: you must submit your Schengen visa application at the consulate of the country that is your main destination — meaning the country where you’ll spend the most time. If you’re spending equal time in multiple countries, you apply at the consulate of the country you’ll enter first. For a detailed breakdown of how this works, see our guide to the Schengen first entry rule.
How long you can stay: a standard Schengen short-stay visa allows up to 90 days within any 180-day rolling period. This limit applies across all 29 Schengen countries combined — not per country. Spending 30 days in Spain and then 30 days in Germany means you’ve used 60 of your 90 days.
The European Commission offers a free short-stay calculator to help you check whether your planned dates fit within the limit. For more on how visa validity dates, entry dates, and stay limits interact, check our guide to Schengen visa validity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UK part of the Schengen Area?
No. The United Kingdom is not in the Schengen Area and never has been. You need a separate UK visa if required by your nationality.
Can I visit Cyprus with a Schengen visa?
Not automatically. Cyprus is not yet in the Schengen Area. Some nationalities can enter Cyprus with a valid Schengen visa, but this depends on Cyprus’s own entry rules — check with the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs before travelling.
Do Bulgaria and Romania require a separate visa now?
No. Since 1 January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania are full Schengen members. Your Schengen visa covers both countries, and days spent there count toward your 90-day limit.
Does the 90-day limit apply per country or across all Schengen countries?
Across all 29 Schengen countries combined. It doesn’t reset when you cross a border within the Schengen Area. Use the European Commission’s short-stay calculator to track your days.
Sources
- European Commission — Schengen Area Overview
- Council of the European Union — The Schengen Area Explained
- European Commission — Bulgaria and Romania Join the Schengen Area
- European Commission — Applying for a Schengen Visa
- European Commission — Short-Stay Calculator
- Citizens Information Ireland — The Schengen Area
- Cyprus Mail — Cyprus Schengen Entry Progress (April 2026)
