If you are planning to travel to Europe, you probably already know that you need to get a Schengen Tourist Visa, but do you also know which countries are actually included in the Schengen Countries Area? If you don’t know which countries are included in the Schengen Countries Area, you can end up facing difficulties when crossing the borders of the different European countries, as not all European Union member states are a part of the Schengen Countries Area, and not all of the Schengen Countries are a part of the EU!
It seems this is only getting more confusing, but keep reading this article, and we will explain everything for you in simple terms!
It’s especially beneficial to know the Schengen Countries Area if you are a long-term traveler who wishes to travel for longer than the 90 days the Schengen Visa allows you. You can do this by leaving the Schengen Countries Area to visit another European country that is NOT a part of the Schengen Countries Area, and then return to the Schengen Countries Area again. By doing this, you consequently stop the counting of visa days in your passport, but you are still able to travel other countries in Europe. Countries that are not a part of the Schengen Countries Area include Ireland, United Kingdom, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia. However, double-check these countries before planning to “play around” with your allotted Schengen Visa days, because new countries join the Schengen Countries Area yearly, and Romania and Bulgaria are currently in the process of joining.
Remember that you will need both flight reservations for visa and valid hotel bookings for visa for your Schengen Tourist Visa Application. You don’t need to risk thousands of dollars on purchasing flights to submit with your visa application. At Schengen visa flight reservation you will find the simple solution to this very common problem; simply choose one of our services, like flight reservation for visa application, and you will receive a 100% authentic flight, hotel, train or bus reservation straight to your inbox in no time – ready to be used for your visa application! Check out how we can help you at Schengen visa flight reservation; we are one of the most trusted providers of this service, not to mention the cheapest!
What Are the Schengen Countries and What is the Schengen Countries Area?
Let’s start by getting explaining the differences between the EU and Schengen:
The European Union (EU) consists of the following countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Republic of Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
And the UK. However, as per the 2016 referendum in the UK, a 52 % favor of leaving the EU has resulted in the start of a British withdrawal from the European Union (also known as Brexit).
Other European countries currently not in the EU, are Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
These countries are, however, a part of the Schengen Countries Area.
Map of the Member States of the European Union:
Countries in the Schengen Countries Area (also known as Schengen Member States) are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland (not a European Union Member State)
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein (not a European Union Member State)
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway (not a European Union Member State)
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland (not a European Union Member State)
Below is a map of the Schengen Countries Area to make it easier:
- Blue Areas indicating the Schengen Area.
- Dark Orange Areas indicating Countries with open borders.
- Dark Grey Areas indicating Legally obliged to join.
Knowing the Schengen Countries Area Can Help You Stay Longer in The Schengen Area:
So why is it important to know the differences between the Schengen Countries Area and the EU Member States?
Because if you want to travel Europe, you most certainly have to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa. But this visa will not be valid in countries outside the Schengen Countries Area, which means you will have to research what visas you need to apply for if you want to visit any of the European countries that are not Schengen Member States.
However, on the bright side; you will be able to “extend” your Euro trip by leaving the Schengen Countries Area (and consequently “stopping the countdown” on your Schengen Visa), but still staying in Europe. Many backpackers and Euro travelers opt to travel the Schengen Countries Area for a while, before visiting for example the UK. You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months on a tourist visa, making it one of the best countries to visit in the middle of your Euro trip to make the most of your visit to Europe.
In this way, you are able to travel Europe for as much as a year, just make sure you do some planning and have some knowledge, and you are in for the Euro adventure of a lifetime, meeting new friends, making new memories, learning new languages and cultures.
Got visa questions? At Schengen visa flight reservation you can get FREE visa consultation via WhatsApp (+1 201-554-8735), as well as a range of low-cost services that will suit all your visa needs. Don’t risk your money on booking flights before your visa application is accepted. At Schengen Travel you can get authentic flight reservation for visa, hotel bookings for visa application, cheap, fast and secure. We handle everything from the booking to the cancellation, meaning all you have to do is tell us what dates you want the booking for, and we take care of the rest. Visit Schengen visa flight reservation for more information about our services!
Let us know if you liked our Detailed Guide on the Schengen Countries Area in the comments below, and if you are happy with our website and services, feel free to give us a Like on our Facebook Page or recommend us to your friends!