Who needs to apply for a Schengen visa depends on one’s nationality and country of origin. Most of the people from non-EU countries need to apply for a Schengen visa when they want to travel to any of the 29 Schengen member states.
On the other hand, citizens of more than 60 countries can travel to a Schengen country without a Schengen visa for up to 90 days in 180 days. It is always better to check first depending on your nationality if you need a visa to travel to Schengen countries or not.
You must also know if you are to transit through a Schengen country you need a visa for this purpose. Currently, there are 12 countries whose nationals also need a visa even for transit purposes through Schengen states.
Citizens of which countries need a Schengen Visa?
You must apply for a Schengen visa for freedom of movement in the region if you are a citizen of one of the following countries:
List of countries whose citizens need to apply for a Schengen visa
| Afghanistan | Gabon | Oman |
| Algeria | The Gambia | Pakistan |
| Angola | Ghana | Papua New Guinea |
| Armenia | Guinea | Palestinian Authority |
| Azerbaijan | Guinea-Bissau | Philippines |
| Bahrain | Guyana | Qatar |
| Bangladesh | Haiti | Russia |
| Belarus | India | Rwanda |
| Belize | Indonesia | Sao Tome And Principe |
| Benin | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
| Bhutan | Iraq | Senegal |
| Bolivia | Jamaica | Sierra Leone |
| Botswana | Jordan | Somalia |
| Burkina Faso | Kazakhstan | South Africa |
| Burma/Myanmar | Kenya | South Sudan |
| Burundi | Kosovo | Sri Lanka |
| Cambodia | Kuwait | Sudan |
| Cameroon | Kyrgyzstan | Suriname |
| Cape Verde | Laos | Swaziland |
| The central African Republic | Lebanon | Syria |
| Chad | Lesotho | Tajikistan |
| China | Liberia | Tanzania |
| Comoros | Libya | Thailand |
| Congo | Madagascar | Timor-Leste |
| Cote D’Ivoire | Malawi | Togo |
| Cuba | Maldives | Tonga |
| Dem. Rep. Of Congo | Mali | Tunisia |
| Djibouti | Mauritania | Turkey |
| Dominican Republic | Mongolia | Turkmenistan |
| Ecuador | Morocco | Uganda |
| Egypt | Mozambique | Uzbekistan |
| Equatorial Guinea | Namibia | Vietnam |
| Eritrea | Nepal | Yemen |
| Ethiopia | Niger | Zambia |
| Fiji | Nigeria | Zimbabwe |
| North Korea | Northern Marianas |
Citizens of countries that need a transit visa for Schengen countries
Citizens of the following 12 countries need a transit visa if they are traveling through a Schengen country:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Congo (DRC)
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
Citizens of which countries do not need a Schengen Visa?
Nowadays, more than 60 countries (some require special passport requirements) around the world can enter Europe’s visa-free zone without the need to obtain a visa in advance and stay there for 90 days over six months.
Lits of countries whose citizens do not need a Schengen visa
| Albania* Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia Bahamas Barbados Bosnia and Herzegovina* Brazil Brunei Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica El Salvador Georgia Grenada Guatemala Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong S.A.R*** | Israel Japan Kiribati Macao S.A.R*** Malaysia Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Montenegro* Nauru New Zealand Nicaragua North Macedonia Palau Panama Paraguay Peru | Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent Samoa Serbia* Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Korea Taiwan** Timor Leste Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States of America Uruguay Vanuatu Venezuela |
** Taiwan: Visa-free rules apply only if their passport contains an identity card number.
*** Hong Kong & Macau: Visa-free rules apply only to holders of a “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” and “Região Administrativa Especial de Macau” passport.