New: memberships with ongoing adviser support after your visa.See memberships
Book a consultationBook
Contact us
Book a consultation

Legal · Regulatory

Schengen Area

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.

Definition

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.

Latest insights and guides

See all insightsSee all guides

Plan your next step

Compare live programmes on eligibility, timelines and family rules, check where you qualify, then read the country guides before you book a paid 60-minute consultation.

  • Browse live programmes

    Residency and citizenship by investment programmes that are currently open, with the qualifying routes for each country.

  • Compare programmes

    See two or more programmes side by side: investment routes, processing stages, family inclusion and residence rules.

  • Check your eligibility

    Answer a few questions about your nationality, family and goals to see which programmes may fit.

  • Read the country guides

    Plain guides to each programme: requirements, documents, due diligence and the steps from application to approval.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see this term in practice?

Follow the related programme and guide links on this page to see how the term applies to live programmes.

Who can explain how this applies to me?

An adviser can explain how the term affects your application. Book a consultation or send us a message.

What is investment migration?

Investment migration is the legal process of obtaining citizenship or residency in a foreign country through a qualifying financial contribution — such as a government fund donation, real estate purchase, or business investment. Programmes are offered by sovereign governments and are fully legal, internationally recognised, and increasingly common among UHNW and HNW individuals and families.

What is the difference between residency and citizenship by investment?

Residence by investment gives you the right to live in a country; citizenship by investment makes you a national with a passport and full civic rights.

Residence permits usually need renewing and may carry stay requirements, while citizenship is generally permanent. Many families combine the two to cover different needs.

Explore further

Programmes, guides, insights and tools related to this page.

Book a consultationPricing