Travel documents for non-EU nationals
Passport, entry and visa requirements
If you are a national from a country outside the EU wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a valid passport and possibly a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU and it must have been issued within the last 10 years. This means your travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years the day you enter the EU on condition that it is valid until the end of your stay plus an additional 3 months.
Children and minors must have their own passport and visa, if required. You may also have to produce other supporting documents to border officials upon arrival such as an invitation letter, proof of lodging, return or round-trip ticket. For the exact requirements contact the embassy / consulate of the EU country you are intending to visit.
EU visa rules and the Schengen area
The EU has a common set of visa rules which apply to short stays (that is up to 90 days in any 180-day period) and for transit through international transit areas of airports in the Schengen area. These rules apply in 29 European countries: 25 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden as well as 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Collectively these countries make up the Schengen area.
Warning
EU visa rules do not apply Cyprus and Ireland. These countries issue visas under their own national rules. Check the embassy / consulate for more information on entry requirements and how to apply for a visa for one of these countries.
If you have a valid visa or residence permit issued by one of the Schengen area countries (see above) you may also use it for travel to Cyprus. However, visas or residence permits issued by Cyprus are not valid for travel to countries in the Schengen area. Check the specific rules that apply if you have a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen.
Travelling within the Schengen area
Once you have crossed the external Schengen border and border guards have verified that your documents satisfy the entry requirements, you will not be subject to further checks when travelling within the Schengen area. In exceptional circumstances, Schengen countries may introduce temporary checks at their internal borders, find more detailed information and the list of countries which currently have these controls in place. If you plan to travel to or transit these countries, make sure you have your passport and other supporting documents with you.
Applying for a short stay visa in the Schengen area up to 90 days in any 180-day period (Schengen visa)
Depending on your nationality you may need a visa. There are also a number of countries whose nationals are exempt from visa requirements for stays of 90 days or less. If you need a visa, you must apply to the consulate, embassy (or in some cases via an external service provider) of the country you are visiting before you travel. Read more about how to apply for a Schengen visa and the documents you need to submit. Your Schengen visa automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries (see list above). However, you may need a visa to visit countries that are not part of the Schengen area.
Note that the list of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to Ireland differs slightly from other EU countries.
Entry refusal
As a non-EU national, if you don't fulfil the entry conditions set out in the Schengen Borders Code, an EU or Schengen country may refuse you entry. Under these rules you must have a:
- valid travel document
- visa (if needed, except if you hold a valid residence permit or a valid long stay visa)
- justification for the purpose and specifics of your stay (including proof of sufficient financial means)
These rules also cover any alerts in the Schengen Information System, which could, if present, cause your entry and stay to be refused on the grounds of a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any EU or Schengen country.
If you have been refused entry, you have the right to appeal this decision. Your appeal will be handled in accordance with national law in the country where you were refused entry. Howerver, launching an appeal does not automatically suspend the decision to refuse entry.
See also:
Travel documents for non-EU family members
Travel documents for UK nationals and their family members residing in an EU country