Who needs a Schengen Visa?
After the signing of the Schengen Convention in Luxembourg in
1990, among the 22 European Union member states and the 4 EFTA member states,
the concept of free movement started being implemented just 5 years after,
allowing the population of the certain member countries to travel freely and
start a life in any of them countries.
Schengen Area nowadays covers most of the European Countries
with an exception made for the United Kingdom and the countries that are soon
to be part of this agreement as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Ireland.
Although not members of the European Union, the following countries like
Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein are also part of the Schengen
zone enjoying the same freedom of movement policy as the others.
In case of any individual threats, irrespective of
nationality the competent authorities are prone to conduct a police check at
any international border or border area however they are not equivalent to
border control checks. Otherwise, any person regardless of nationality (always
a citizen of the Schengen Zone member countries) is able to cross the
international borders without any border checks.
However, regarding the non-members of the Schengen Area there
is a mandatory visa requirement to enter the Schengen Zone for some countries.
The countries whose citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa in order to
enter one of its member countries are listed in the following section.
The citizens of the countries of the Schengen Zone as well as
the citizens of the countries that don’t need a visa to enter the Schengen zone
are however not allowed to reside in the traveling destination for the time
desired without any other legal permission.
The amount of days permitted to stay in any of the Schengen
zone countries doesn’t exceed 90 days/ three months every half a year needless
of the travel reasons. Also, you got to bear in mind that the fact that you are
able to obtain a Schengen visa to enter and reside for the certain amount of
time in a Schengen area doesn’t apply to working or studying in that country.
There are however
exceptions regarding the Airport Transit Visa for certain individuals. In case of the following terms, the nationals
of the above mentioned countries are not obliged to obtain an airport transit
visa:
If the person holds a residency permit from a Schengen member
country, a valid Schengen Visa for short stays or long stays.
If the person holds a
residency permit from countries such as, Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or
the USA that guarantees the persons whereabouts.
If the person holds a valid Schengen visa or a valid visa for
entering one of the EFTA countries as well as Canada, Japan or the United
States, even if they are returning from those certain countries after using
this visa.
If the person is a family member of e EU citizen (close
family only)
If the person holds a diplomatic passport.
If you are a family
member of an EU/EEA national it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t need a
visa in order to enter the Schengen zone. It only means that the procedures on
obtaining a visa will be alleviated and faster. Still, in order for this to
apply you have to meet certain standards such as:
You have to be a first degree family member of the EU/EEA
citizen (husband or a child under 21years old).
You have to join the EU/EEA citizen in the travel destination
or the residing country within the Schengen Area and have proof of that.
In the case of citizens with more than one nationality the
visa requirements depend on the passport he/she chooses to travel with. If you
chose to travel with a passport of a nationality that requires a mandatory visa
you will have to obtain one even if you are in possession of a passport of one
of the Schengen member countries but you are not willing to use it for any
reason.
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