If you’re planning a family trip to Europe in 2025, chances are you’ve come across the term “Schengen Zone.” But what exactly is it, and why does it matter for your European adventure?
When we first planned to take our kiddos through Europe on our full-time travels in 2019, this was a new term for me. As Americans, sometimes we can get lazy about visa requirements. We are so blessed to have this magical American passport that seems to allow entry everywhere! However, if you are planning to stay ANYWHERE in the world for more than 30 days (sometimes less), it is always good to Google “visa requirements _____ (insert location)”.
I got lazy with this for our trip to India last summer, and we got stuck changing our flight at a large cost to us. I needed to apply in advance and didn’t know!
When it comes to Europe, the Schengen Region (or zone) is basically a grouping of what I call the “heavy-hitters” of Europe… most of the places you’ve probably dreamed about visiting.
Whether you’re dreaming of strolling through Parisian streets, exploring Salt Mines in Germany, or relaxing on a Portuguese beach (our favorite!), understanding the Schengen Region is key to smooth travel planning.
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The Schengen Region, or Schengen Area, is a zone of 27 European countries that have officially abolished border controls between them. Think of it as one giant travel bubble! Once you enter one Schengen country, you can freely move to others without going through passport control at each border.
I think of this like flying domestically within the USA. Isn’t it great that we don’t have to do border control when you fly from Colorado to California? That is basically what Europe has achieved with this bubble but between countries instead of states.
This agreement, named after the small town of Schengen in Luxembourg where it was signed in 1985, has revolutionized travel across Europe, making multi-country trips seamless for travelers and families alike.
As of 2025, the Schengen Area includes 27 countries, spanning most of Europe. Here’s a breakdown of the Schengen countries:
Top Tourist Destinations:
Other Schengen Countries:
However, not all EU countries are part of Schengen (looking at you, Ireland!), and some non-EU countries, like Norway and Iceland, are included.
Ok, so you’ve seen the list! Likely there are several countries you’d like to visit at once. And why not? The compactness of Europe makes that easy to do and you can immerse yourself into various cultures and languages within a few days.
If your trip is the standard 10-14 days, or even 30 days, you are good to go. Nothing to worry about. However, if you plan to stay 90 days or more in these countries, things can get a little complicated. Maybe you want to spend an entire summer break, or maybe you are taking a sabbatical year. Maybe you really love traveling to Europe and have various trips planned in the next six months that total to three months or more.
The reason for your travel also influences this entry requirement. Traveling as a tourist is best, but you can also travel for other reasons, such as a short language course (Bem-vindos ao Portugal!), medical tourism, journalism, and more. Between us, the less info you give the better when it comes to border control. As long as you are a tourist for part of your time, just say tourism!
My husband once visited a conference in Canada and made the mistake of saying his purpose of travel was business. He was detained for a couple of hours to try and explain his trip and for the authorities to decide if he needed a visa (basically to pay money)! If he’d simply said tourism, he would have had no problems.
Finding the Right Embassy:
Visa Application Costs:
Example for U.S. Citizens Staying Beyond 90 Days:
Pro Tip: Start your visa application well in advance (at least 3–6 months before your trip) to ensure you have enough time to gather documents and schedule an appointment.
One of the benefits of our Portugal D7 Visa is our ability to stay full-time in the Schengen Region! Once we completed our interview in Portugal after our arrival, we received our temporary visa cards. These cards are magic at border control. Sometimes, we are even encouraged to use the EU citizen line with these visa cards. While we are NOT EU citizens (yet!), our temporary visas classify us like we are. This can save major time as well.
We don’t need to prove our entry and exit dates because we have visas to Portugal, one of the member countries of the Schengen Region. This also means when we fly to other Schengen countries, we have no border control to deal with.
If you are already in the Schengen Region and travel within the region, you also will likely enjoy border control-free travel. No one will monitor how long you’ve been there or where you are going. It is when you go to LEAVE this region, such as flying back to the USA, that border control will make sure you abided by the terms of the Schengen Region. They will look for that entry stamp and calculate your time.
During our full-time travels, we had a hard time fitting all these amazing countries into just 90 days! We wanted to stay longer than was technically allowed and didn’t want to apply for a visa.
We found this obscure law which predates the Schengen Agreement from 1949 that is a bi-lateral agreement between the USA and France. Basically, if you are a US citizen, you can stay in France for another 90 days after your first 90 day stay in the Schengen Region (for a total of 180 days) as long as you then leave Europe to go home. We technically left for New Zealand, but you need to leave the continent. 🙂
You can read more about this on this Reddit post, but to summarize someone else’s homework, here is what one poster said:
“For example, France has a bilateral agreement that allows U.S. citizens to stay an additional 90 days beyond the Schengen limit. You can enter from any Schengen country, stay 90 days in France, and then fly home.
But the catch is you have to go home — you can’t go elsewhere. You have to leave Europe so you can’t use your time in France as a sneaky way to reset your Schengen clock.
Now, the France/U.S. rule is tricky. It’s based on a post-WW2 agreement that never was canceled. Multiple French consulates told me yes, they thought this law existed but couldn’t tell me where to find it. A few visa services told me I was crazy. One consulate told me it was possible but only with a long-term visa.
BUT, after many calls, the US, Canada, and UK French embassies told me that yes, this law does exist and that yes, this is still valid. Then they referenced me to the French national archives.
Well, we found the actual diplomatic papers that spell this out. It took us close to a year to find it but we did.
This is the note from the French government about it:
Hi,
There is a bilateral agreement between French and the U.S. by exchange letters (March 16-31 mars 1949), which allows American citizens to stay in France 90 days over 180 days, irrespective of the stays already made in other Schengen countries.
However, this agreement has been made before the Schengen agreement. Today, as there is no more border control between the Schengen countries, it is very difficult to determine how long a person has stayed in France and we heard that some people had troubles with the immigration police while leaving France.
Therefore, we recommend American citizens to respect the Schengen regulation which allows a maximum of 90 days on 180 days in the whole Schengen area.
Consulat général de France, Service des visas
4101 Reservoir Road, Washington DC, 20007
A follow-up to the London embassy gave me this response:
“Whilst the bilateral agreement you refer to has not officially been revoked, the French Border Police has sole authority on deciding whether to apply it or not, at the time of entering or exiting the Schengen area.”
So this is really a thing. And, while they don’t like you using it, it’s still the law. Just bring proof you stayed in France for 90 days! If you plan to use this rule, bring documentation as border guards may not be aware of it.”
We took the risk and DID stay in France an additional 90 days. To be totally honest, we even drove to Switzerland a couple of times for day trips and drove to Belgium for a two-week stay. As our time to exit France approached, I started to panic. Were we going to be OK? Would they ban us forever from Europe?
I started deep-diving into blogs and forums and found basically the same message: it completely depends on the border control individual when you leave. Many people end up staying past the 90 days allowed, and some have issues while others don’t. Mediterranean countries like Italy and Spain tend to be more lax, whereas Nordic and Eastern European countries are not.
I started praying very hard for a nice person at our border control and did have the France-US Bi-Lateral Document on my phone, ready to demonstrate to the border control officer. I went as far as booking a cheap hotel in France during our time in Belgium to show we had, in fact, been in France the entire time. (Don’t judge me!)
Thankfully, traveling with kids once again saved our bacon! As we approached the border patrol officer, I could tell he was already overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in our family. He took on that familiar glaze of “Why did I have to get them in my line?” and I figured we were going to be OK. He did ask how long we’ve been in France and the Schengen area, but we kept it a bit vague, referenced our entry, and like magic, a kid started to whine loudly about something. He stamped our passports and waved us on.
I tend to think about the worst-case scenario. You might be pulled aside for more questioning, so have your proof ready. Be kind and humble but firm that you’ve done your research and are trying your best to abide by laws you are aware of in regards to total time in the country. Plan extra time before your flight in case you need to answer any additional questions. And kids in tow is a bonus in this scenario.
Here’s a useful nugget for anyone planning extended adventures in Europe:
Did you know that Denmark, Norway, and Poland have special bilateral agreements with the United States? These agreements allow U.S. citizens to stay an extra 90 days in each of these countries, separate from the standard Schengen Zone visa rules. Pretty handy for stretching out your European travels, right?
For Denmark, the bilateral agreement functions just like the one with France. Interestingly, Denmark also extends this arrangement to citizens of Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea.
But here’s an important detail: you can only use the Norwegian or Danish bilateral agreement—not both. Time spent in Norway under this rule is counted as time in Denmark, and vice versa. So, plan wisely!
Poland’s bilateral agreement has a unique twist. To use it, you must enter and exit Poland from a non-Schengen country, where your passport will be stamped (think a direct flight from NYC to Poland). A great travel hack could look like this: spend 90 days in the Schengen Zone, hop over to the UK, and then fly directly into Poland for an extended stay. Poland’s rules are based on a 1991 agreement between the U.S. and Poland. (Fun fact: you can even check out the original agreement letter online, straight from the Polish government archives!)
If you’re dreaming of a longer European journey, these agreements might just be your golden ticket!
Coming in 2025, the European Entry/Exit System (EES) will change how non-EU nationals enter and exit the Schengen Area. This digital system will:
While the process should only take a few minutes per person, expect longer queues at borders during the initial rollout.
Starting in mid-2025, ETIAS will require non-EU visitors from 60 countries (including US, UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Australian citizens) to apply for travel authorization before arrival in Schengen countries. Basically, you must do this!!
This system was announced in 2024, but it got pushed off. From my perspective, it’s just a money-making scheme, but what can you do?
Note: ETIAS serves as a visa waiver for entry into the 23 EU member states and 4 non-EU Schengen countries. It is valid for 90 days within a 180-day period.
From 1 September 2024, the EU’s rules for liquids will be temporarily reinstated in some airports that had previously allowed passengers to carry liquid containers larger than 100ml.
Absolutely! For families, the Schengen Area simplifies travel logistics and creates opportunities for unforgettable multi-country adventures. From skipping extra border checks to enjoying smooth travel connections, the benefits are clear.
One of our favorite ways to experience Europe with the kids was traveling by Eurail. It allowed us to explore multiple countries seamlessly, hop on and off trains without the stress of airport security, and enjoy breathtaking views along the way. Eurail passes can be incredibly cost-effective for families, especially if you’re planning to visit several destinations. Plus, the flexibility of schedules and the excitement of train travel made it an adventure in itself for our little ones!
If you’re considering exploring Europe as a family, we can’t recommend train travel enough. It’s budget-friendly, kid-approved, and a perfect fit for the Schengen Zone’s open-border policy.
So, whether you’re planning a cultural tour through historic cities or chasing sunshine along the Mediterranean coast, the Schengen Zone, and perhaps a Eurail pass, makes your European travel dreams easier to achieve.
Happy travels, and see you in Europe in 2025!
Leslie,
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