A bloc of 29 European states that have abolished internal border controls, allowing visa-free movement between them for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
The Schengen Area is a passport-free travel zone established by the 1985 Schengen Agreement. As of 2026 it comprises 29 states: 25 EU members (all except Ireland and Cyprus) plus four EFTA countries — Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Romania and Bulgaria joined full Schengen by land border in 2025.
A Schengen visa or a passport that grants visa-free Schengen access allows the holder to spend up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the entire area. Days are aggregated across all Schengen states — not refreshed when crossing internal borders.
For investment-migration purposes, Caribbean CBI passports (St Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia) all carry visa-free Schengen access. Vanuatu lost Schengen visa-free in 2022.