Schengen Treaty

An agreement signed by a number of European countries that states that if a person secures a visa from one member country, they may use a Schengen Visa to enter all other member countries. Border posts and checks have been removed between the states which form the Schengen area.

A total of 31 states, including 27 European Union states and four non-EU members (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), are subject to all or some of the Schengen rules, and 24 have fully implemented them so far.

The United Kingdom and Ireland did not sign up and retained a right to opt out of the application of the rules after their conversion into European Union law.