Schengen

There are 27 European countries that fall under the schengen area. These are the so-called schengen countries. As a resident of the European Union (EU) you can travel freely within these countries. The control of persons is carried out at the external borders of the schengen area.

 

List of Schengen countries. These are the schengen countries

The composition of the European Union as of 1 January 2013: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, United Kingdom and Sweden. 

With the departure of the United Kingdom on 31-01-2020, the European Union consisted of 27 members again.

These EU countries do not belong to the schengen area

The EU countries Cyprus and Ireland are not Schengen countries. And the Schengen countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are not members of the EU.

These countries do not belong to the EU, but belong to the schengen area

 Liechtenstein; Iceland; Norway; Switzerland.

When do you not need a residence permit to travel to the Netherlands?

- You do not need a residence permit if you have the nationality of one of the following countries:

Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania , Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland.

- How do I apply for a short-stay Schengen visa for the Netherlands?