Austria's Schengen Membership: What You Need To Know

The Schengen Area is a group of 29 European countries that have abolished border controls at their mutual borders. It includes all EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus, as well as several other European countries. Austria is indeed a part of the Schengen Area, along with Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Austria and the Schengen Agreement

Austria is indeed a part of the Schengen Area, along with 28 other European countries. The Schengen Area is a group of countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders. It was named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement and the 1990 Schengen Convention, both signed in the commune of Schengen, Luxembourg. The Schengen Agreement was signed by five members of the European Economic Community (Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) and was intended to turn these five nations into one common travel area by greatly reducing border checks between them. The Schengen Convention, signed by the same five nations, proposed to completely abolish separate internal border controls between them and introduce a common, unifying visa policy.

The Schengen Area, created in 1995, operates like a single state when it comes to international travel within its borders. While external border controls are still imposed on travelers entering and exiting the area, there are minimal internal border controls for Schengen member state citizens, negating the need for a visa. The Schengen Area includes all EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus. In addition to the EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are also Schengen states. The territories of four microstates (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City) are de facto included in the Schengen Area due to their small size and the difficulty of maintaining active border controls.

Border controls in the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area is a group of 29 European countries that have abolished border controls at their mutual borders. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement and the 1990 Schengen Convention, both signed in Schengen, Luxembourg. The Schengen Area functions as a single jurisdiction under a common visa policy for international travel purposes.

In normal times, Schengen countries have abolished most border controls between member states, meaning that Europeans and visitors do not need to present travel documents each time they enter a new country. However, external borders, ports, and airports are effectively entry points from outside the zone.

If you are entering the Schengen Area from outside, you will need to provide documents such as a valid passport issued within the previous 10 years, valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the Schengen Area. If you are not from a Schengen state or one with a visa-free travel arrangement, you will need a Schengen Visa or sticker. You may also be asked to justify the purpose of your visit and prove that you have sufficient funds for your stay. Checks may also be made to ensure there has been no alert issued against you in the Schengen Information System (SIS) and that you are not deemed a security threat.

The SIS is a database that allows security officials in member states to assess threats and security issues, including suspected criminals, individuals entering illegally, and missing people. The Schengen Borders Code (SBC) governs the operation of the Schengen Area's external borders. Upon entering the Schengen Area, EU citizens undergo a minimum check to establish their identity based on travel documents, while non-EU nationals are subject to more thorough checks. The travel documents of non-EU nationals are systematically stamped upon entry and exit from the Schengen Area.

The SBC allows member states to temporarily reintroduce border controls at internal borders in the event of a serious threat to public policy or security. This must be a last resort, exceptional measure, and for a limited time. The European Commission can issue an opinion on whether the actions respect the principle of proportionality but has no veto over measures.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of European countries implemented internal border controls to halt the spread of the virus. As a result, even many EU citizens were no longer automatically free to travel across borders. These restrictions have been loosened at times, although as of June 2021, many border restrictions on non-essential travel remained in place. The EU establishes risk levels via a traffic light system based on case rates in each state, with travel strongly discouraged to and from red areas. However, decisions on specific restrictions are ultimately made by member states. The EU and Schengen Area also have restrictions on non-essential travel from all but a select list of countries.

Visa requirements for the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area is a group of 29 European countries that have abolished border controls at their mutual borders. It is an area without internal borders, where citizens and non-citizens of the EU can travel freely without being subjected to border checks. The Schengen Area includes all EU member states except Ireland, Cyprus, and the overseas territories of France and the Netherlands. In addition, four non-EU countries—Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein—are also part of the Schengen Area.

The visa policy of the Schengen Area allows nationals of certain countries to enter without a visa for a short stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Nationals of other countries are required to have a visa to enter and, in some cases, transit through the Schengen Area. The specific requirements for entry depend on the traveller's nationality and the length of their stay.

For stays in the Schengen Area exceeding 90 days, travellers will need either a long-stay visa for a period of no longer than a year or a residence permit for longer periods. A long-stay visa is issued by a Schengen state and entitles the holder to remain in that state for more than 90 days but no more than one year. If the issuing state wishes to allow the holder to remain for longer than a year, they must issue a residence permit.

Third-country nationals who are long-term residents in a Schengen state may also acquire the right to move to and settle in another Schengen state without losing their legal status and social benefits.

In addition to the visa requirements, there are also entry conditions that travellers must meet to be allowed into the Schengen Area. These conditions include having a valid travel document, justifying the purpose and conditions of their stay, having sufficient means of subsistence, and not being considered a threat to public policy, internal security, public health, or international relations.

It is important to note that the visa requirements and entry conditions may vary for family members of EEA and Swiss citizens, as well as for individuals from specific countries that have bilateral agreements with Schengen states. Therefore, it is recommended to check the specific requirements for your nationality and intended length of stay before travelling to the Schengen Area.

The population of the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area has a population of more than 450 million people and an area of 4,595,131 square kilometres (1,774,190 sq mi). About 1.7 million people commute to work across an internal European border each day, and in some regions, these international commuters constitute up to a third of the workforce.

The Schengen Area encompasses 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders. Of the 27 EU member states, 25 are members of the Schengen Area. The two EU member states that are not part of the Schengen Area are Cyprus and Ireland. In addition to the member states of the European Union, all member states of the European Free Trade Association, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, have signed association agreements with the EU to be part of the Schengen Area. Moreover, the territories of four microstates – Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City – are de facto included in the Schengen Area due to their small size and difficulty of maintaining active border controls.

The Schengen Area operates as a single unified state, eliminating border chokepoints and enabling travellers to move between countries more freely and quickly. External border controls still exist for anyone entering or exiting the Schengen Area. Visitors from beyond the twenty-six Schengen countries must carry and present a valid visa in order to travel to and from any and all Schengen nations.

The size of the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area covers over 4 million square kilometres, with an area of 4,595,131 square kilometres (1,774,190 sq mi). It is the largest free travel area in the world, encompassing 29 European countries and a population of almost 420 million people.

The Schengen Area includes:

• 25 of the 27 EU member states. Cyprus and Ireland are the only EU member states that are not part of the Schengen Area.
• All members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
• Four European microstates: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City, which are de facto included due to their small size and the difficulty of maintaining active border controls.

The latest country to join the Schengen Area was Croatia, which became a member on 1 January 2023. Bulgaria and Romania are in the process of joining, with air and sea internal border controls lifted on 30 December 2023, and land border controls to be lifted on 1 January 2025.

The Schengen Area allows more than 400 million people to travel freely between member countries without going through border controls. It brings significant economic benefits and is designed to be the bedrock of the European Union and the single market as a whole.

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