Europe visa

Most of Europe's countries belong to the Schengen Area, a borderless travel zone of 29 countries where a single entry document covers the entire region. The Schengen Area includes most EU member states, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Notable European destinations outside the Schengen Area, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Cyprus, have their own separate entry requirements.

Citizens of many countries outside the EU can visit the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a traditional visa. If that applies to you, you currently need no prior authorization to travel. However, from late 2026, a new online pre-travel permission called ETIAS will be required before boarding.

If your nationality requires a visa to enter the Schengen Area, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa before your trip. This covers short stays for tourism, business, family visits, and transit.

Regardless of whether you need a visa or not, all non-EU travelers are now subject to the EES (Entry/Exit System), which has been in operation since October 2025. EES is not a visa: it is a biometric border registration that replaces passport stamping. You do not apply for it in advance, it happens at the border on arrival.

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)

• Multiple entries: yes.
• Validity: 3 years.
• Maximum visit: 90 days within any 180-day period.
• Requirements: valid passport.
• Eligible countries: all nationalities currently eligible for visa-free entry to the Schengen Area. Includes the US, most South American countries, European countries that are neither EU nor Schengen members and Asian countries like Singapore or Japan, among others.

Learn more about ETIAS

Schengen visa

• Multiple entries: single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry (depending on the consulate's decision).
• Validity: up to 5 years.
• Maximum visit: 90 days within any 180-day period.
• Processing time: up to 15 days, 30-60 days in complex cases.
• Eligible countries: all nationalities not eligible for visa-free entry to the Schengen Area.
• Requirements:
  • Valid passport
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs
  • Travel itinerary and confirmed return ticket
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Travel insurance covering the entire Schengen Area (minimum €30,000 coverage)
  • Proof of funds
  • Proof of employment or enrollment

All you need to know about the Schengen Visa

EES (Entry/Exit System)

The EES is a digital border registration system that has replaced the physical stamping of passports across the Schengen Area. It applies to all non-EU travelers on short stays, whether visa-exempt or visa-holding. Registration takes place automatically at the border on arrival, there is no application to submit in advance.

On your first entry after EES, you will be asked to provide a facial image and fingerprints at passport control. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting. Once registered, subsequent crossings are faster as your biometrics are verified against your stored record. You can also pre-register voluntarily before departure using the EU's official "Travel to Europe" mobile app.

• Who it applies to: all non-EU, non-Schengen nationals.
• Who is exempt: EU and Schengen Area citizens, Irish citizens, long-stay visa holders and residents of Schengen countries.
• Data retention: 3 years.