Schengen visa
All information about the Schengen visa, the Schengen area and Schengen history.
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The Schengen visa has enormous practical significance and is regulated in Section 6 of the Residence Act and the Visa Code . Unfortunately, applying for a Schengen visa can be extremely time-consuming and stressful (e.g., because no appointments are available or because it's unclear which documents are required). At the same time, the Schengen visa (e.g., in the form of a business visa ) has not only social but also economic significance. On this page, you will find all the necessary information and step-by-step guides for applying for a Schengen visa, helping you avoid the biggest legal pitfalls and ensure a smooth visa process.
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What is a Schengen visa?
The Schengen visa is a residence permit that allows entry and short-term stay in Germany . The Schengen visa is generally issued for up to 90 days. It can also be issued for a longer period, but this does not necessarily mean that a stay of more than 90 days is permitted. You can calculate whether the permitted 90 days have been exceeded using the European Commission's Schengen calculator .
Schengen visas can be issued for many different purposes . In most cases, the Schengen visa is issued for one of the following purposes:
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tourism
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Visitor visa (e.g. family members)
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Cultural and sporting events
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Trade fair visits
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Business trips
Depending on the type of Schengen visa, different requirements must be met and different documents submitted to the embassy. On this page, you will find all the information you need about the different requirements for applying for a Schengen visa.
Which countries are part of the Schengen area
The Schengen Area currently comprises 29 countries that have abolished border controls at their internal borders. These include almost all EU countries, such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands, with the exception of Ireland and Cyprus. The non-EU countries Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein also belong to the Schengen Area. Since March 31, 2024, Bulgaria and Romania have also been partially integrated – controls at air and sea borders have been lifted, but they remain in place at land borders.
The Schengen idea
The Schengen idea is based on the principle of granting people the same freedom of travel within Europe that had long been the reality for goods within the single market. While goods could circulate between EU member states without customs duties and border controls, travelers were still subject to national border controls. To end this inequality, five European countries joined forces in 1985 and created a new legal framework outside the then EC framework to abolish internal border controls. The political vision behind the Schengen area was to strengthen mobility, trust, and common security standards in Europe – a decisive step towards European integration.
Schengen Agreements
The path to today's Schengen Area was a milestone in European cooperation. The Schengen Agreement of 1985 and the associated Implementing Convention (SIA) of 1990 laid the foundation for control-free entry within the participating states. To ensure security despite open borders, a common information system (SIS) for law enforcement and investigations was introduced, and uniform criteria for visas and the residence of third-country nationals were defined. Since the common visa system came into force in 1995, the Schengen Area has grown continuously and now encompasses almost all EU states as well as some associated non-EU countries such as Norway and Switzerland.
The greatest legal progress came with the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999, which incorporated the Schengen acquis into EU law. The subsequent agreements of Nice (2001) and Lisbon (2007) further developed the system, for example by introducing majority voting in visa policy. Since then, Regulation (EC) No. 539/2001 has provided binding regulations on which third countries are permitted visa-free entry. This is supplemented by the Visa Code (EC No. 810/2009), which was updated in 2020. Special rules apply to countries such as Denmark, Ireland, and the former EU member Great Britain.
