Schengen Migration

The Schengen Visa was introduced to make travelling faster and easier between all the EU countries that signed up for the agreement. The benefits of pre-applying for a Schengen Visa mean that once any Schengen member country has issued a visa, the holder of that visa can move freely between member countries. This avoids the need to apply for multiple visas for the EU countries they intend to visit, reducing cost and paperwork. Those wishing to tour several European countries, either for business or pleasure, can benefit from the freedom of movement provided by the Schengen Treaty and Visa. Passport holders from countries that need a visa to enter Europe need to make their visa application before arriving in Europe. Once a visa is granted, the visa holder can enter and travel through all the countries within the Schengen area. As visa extensions can be complicated to obtain, we strongly advise travellers to plan their trip to stay within the original Schengen Visa timescale to remain compliant with all Schengen rules. Currently, a Schengen Visa permits the holder to stay within the Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any period of 180 days. To learn more about whether you need a Schengen visa and how to apply for one, you should first Apply for the Schengen Application Guide.