Who doesn’t need a Schengen Visa?

_{Written by Axel Strauss
Published 11.10.2023}

With hundreds of millions of entries each year, Europe is the most visited continent on the planet. And if you’ve ever been and/or are planning to go, chances are you’ve heard of the Schengen Visa. But there’s also a chance that you might not actually need one. And AXA can help you figure that out below.

• Which European countries require a Schengen visa (and how do I get one)?
• Which European countries don’t require a Schengen visa?
• Nationals of which countries can enter the Schengen Zone without a visa?
• Do UK residents need a Schengen visa?
• What about ETIAS? 
• I don’t need a Schengen Visa — do I still need travel insurance? 

Which European countries require a Schengen visa and how do I get one?

First off, some things to know in case you do need a Schengen Visa. While being the world’s second-smallest continent, Europe is actually home to roughly 50 different countries. The internet tends to argue about the exact number, but what’s certain is that a total of 27 of these countries are part of the Schengen Zone. And as such, they require most visitors to have a Schengen Visa to enter their borders.

There are four basic types of Schengen Visa, and they’re pretty self-explanatory: business, work, student, and — the most common one — short-stay (aka the “tourist visa”). If you’re planning more than one trip to the Schengen Zone, you can also choose a multiple-entry visa. And if you happen to have a partner living, working, and/or studying in the Schengen zone, you have a few different options too.

The costs of the Schengen Visa are universal (80€ in most cases), and some countries are a lot easier to get a Schengen visa for than others.

Fortunately, AXA can help you both figure out whether you need a Schengen visa and apply for one in no time! We even have a step-by-step guide on how to fill out the application form.

Which European countries don’t require a Schengen visa?

As for the European Schengen visa-free countries, there are a total of 16 of them.

Four of these are members of the European Union (but not the Schengen Zone), and only two are actually in continental Europe. They are:

• BULGARIA
• ROMANIA
• CYPRUS
• IRELAND.

And 12 more countries — mostly in Eastern Europe — are currently neither members of the EU nor included in the Schengen agreement. They are: -

• ALBANIA
• ARMENIA
• AZERBAIJAN
• BELARUS
• BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
• MACEDONIA
• MOLDOVA
• MONTENEGRO
• RUSSIA
• SERBIA
• UKRAINE
• and the U.K. (but more on the U.K. below).

But while you can visit the European countries above without a Schengen Visa per se, they do — for the most part — impose their own various border controls and travel restrictions. So it’s best to double-check with your destination country’s official embassy website as to what those are.

NOTES:
The microstates of San Marino, Monaco, and Vatican City are also not official members of the Schengen Zone. However, all three are considered ‘de facto’ inside the area. In other words — unless you qualify for Schengen visa exemption (don’t worry, more on that below too), you’ll need to apply for one.

Meanwhile, the overseas territories of France (i.e., French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, St Pierre and Miquelon, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, and Wallis and Futuna Islands) and the Netherlands (i.e., Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten) are subject to bilateral arrangements between the countries concerned. You can learn more about the visa requirements for visiting overseas French territories here and for the Netherlands' overseas territories here.

Nationals of which countries can enter the Schengen Zone without a visa?

While there are over a hundred nationalities that do need a Schengen Visa (such as India, the UAE, Pakistan, and so on), you do not need to apply if you are a passport holder of one (or more) of the following countries:

• ALBANIA
• ANDORRA
• ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
• ARGENTINA
• AUSTRALIA
• BAHAMAS
• BARBADOS
• BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA3
• BRAZIL
• BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
• CANADA
• CHILE
• COLOMBIA
• COSTA RICA
• DOMINICA
• EL SALVADOR
• NORTH MACEDONIA
• GEORGIA
• GRENADA
• GUATEMALA
• HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY STATE)
• HONDURAS
• ISRAEL
• JAPAN
• KIRIBATI
• KOSOVO* (*Kosovo passport holders should be exempt starting in 2024)
• MALAYSIA
• MARSHALL ISLANDS
• MAURITIUS
• MEXICO
• MICRONESIA
• MOLDOVA
• MONACO
• MONTENEGRO
• NEW ZEALAND
• NICARAGUA
• PALAU
• PANAMA
• PARAGUAY
• PERU
• SAMOA
• SAN MARINO
• SERBIA
• SEYCHELLES
• SINGAPORE
• SOLOMON ISLANDS
• SOUTH KOREA
• ST KITTS AND NEVIS
• ST LUCIA
• ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
• TAIWAN
• TIMOR
• LESTE
• TONGA
• TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
• TUVALU
• UKRAINE
• UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• UNITED KINGDOM
• URUGUAY
• VENEZUELA

As well as the Special Administrative Regions (aka S.A.R.s) of the People's Republic of China:

• HONG KONG
• MACAO

And, of course, if you already happen to be a national of one of the 27 Schengen member states — you also won’t need to apply for a Schengen Visa.

Do UK residents need a Schengen visa?

Anchor 4 No, at least not in 2023 (and for the foreseeable future). While it’s true that Brexit has greatly reshaped the relationship between the UK and Europe, as a British citizen, you still don’t need a visa for the Schengen Zone as long as the duration of your stay does not exceed 90 days (within any 180-day period).

Meanwhile, If you hold a UK Student Visa (aka Biometric Residence Permit, aka a BPR), being able to travel with it to Europe is not necessarily guaranteed and depends on your destination country and your particular situation. In other words, a British passport is your best bet to travel visa-free.

But you can learn more about Schengen travel requirements for both British nationals and British residents via the Official Website of the EU, as well as the UK Government’s Official Website.

How long (and what for) can I go to the Schengen Zone without a visa?

Visa-free, you can stay in (and travel throughout) the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days during any 180-day period.

And there’s a lot you can do in the Schengen zone. You can visit for business meetings and conferences, short-term studies, or journalistic and media purposes. You can see some friends or family and/or attend various cultural and sporting events. Or you can just go for some good old-fashioned tourism and sightseeing. Just make sure you don’t overstay the 90 days.

What about ETIAS?

Anchor 5 Chances are you’ve also heard of ETIAS at this point too. The European Travel Information and Authorization System — a new system of requirements for entering Europe — is something the European Union has been working on for years. However, as the years go by, ETIAS keeps getting postponed. The latest online estimates have 2025 as the year it should go into effect. In the meantime, AXA can help you learn more about ETIAS here.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
While AXA continuously strives to bring you the latest regarding travel requirements to Europe, again — it’s best to always double-check with your destination country’s official embassy website. You can also consult the official website of the European Union — including their full lists of the countries above (some of which have a few important footnotes to them).

I don’t need a Schengen Visa — do I still need travel insurance?

Anchor 6 While having the proper travel insurance is one of the requirements for the Schengen visa, you are not obliged to have it if you can travel visa-free. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it.

Quality travel insurance not only provides you with peace of mind, but it also means you have proper 24/7 medical (and other) support if something goes wrong during your Eurotrip.

And that’s where AXA can help too. We offer you and your family three comprehensive travel insurance plans to choose from: Low-Cost, Europe Travel, and Multi-Trip. Our plans cover you in all 27 Schengen countries (and beyond), have no age restrictions, and can be purchased online in a matter of minutes. And our travel insurance certificate — accepted by all Schengen embassies and consulates — can be downloaded and printed instantly too.

In short, an AXA travel insurance plan guarantees that you and your family are in good hands — wherever in the Schengen zone you may be, and whether you need a visa to be there or not.

Related Articles:

• How safe is Europe to visit?
• How to choose the best Schengen travel insurance
• How to apply for a Schengen Visa from the U.S.
• How long does it take to get a Schengen visa?