A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that lets you travel across 29 European countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you live in the UK but do not hold a British passport, or another passport that is visa-free for Europe, you will usually need one before you travel, and you must apply through the consulate of the country that is your main destination. This guide explains who needs a visa, what it costs, how to apply and how long it takes.

What is a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa, officially a short-stay or Type C visa, is a single visa that covers the whole Schengen Area, a zone of 29 European countries that have abolished passport checks at their shared internal borders. Once you hold the visa, you can travel freely between those countries without applying for a separate visa for each one, as long as your total stay does not pass 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa is for short visits such as tourism, visiting family and friends, or short business trips. It does not allow you to live or work in Europe, and for a stay of more than 90 days you need a long-stay national visa from the specific country concerned. The United Kingdom is not part of the Schengen Area, so the rules for travelling from the UK to Europe changed after Brexit, and the visa is now a routine part of travel planning for millions of UK residents who do not hold a British passport.

Do British citizens need a Schengen visa?

No. British citizens do not need a Schengen visa for short visits. GOV.UK states that holders of a full British citizen passport can travel to the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism, visiting family and friends, and some business activities. The same 90-day limit applies, and visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards it. Your passport must also meet two conditions: it must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the Schengen area, and it must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. GOV.UK warns that if you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to three years. The rules for working in a Schengen country are different, and a visa or permit may be needed even for a short work trip, so check the entry requirements for your destination on GOV.UK before you travel.

Who needs a Schengen visa in the UK?

Whether you need a Schengen visa depends on your passport nationality, not on where you live. If you are legally resident in the UK but hold a passport from a country that is not on the EU visa-exempt list, you will normally need a Schengen visa for any trip to the Schengen area, however short. That includes many long-term UK residents, including people with settled or pre-settled status, indefinite leave to remain, or a work or student visa, because UK residence alone does not remove the visa requirement. You apply in the UK because that is where you are legally resident, and you apply to the country that is your main destination. If you are visiting several countries, that means the one where you will spend the most time, or the first one you enter if the stays are equal. If you are unsure whether your nationality needs a visa, check the European Commission guidance or the website of the consulate of your destination country before booking anything, because the answer depends on your passport, not your UK immigration status.

Which countries does a Schengen visa cover?

A Schengen visa covers 29 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, 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. Not every EU country is in the Schengen Area, and some countries in the area are not in the EU. Ireland and Cyprus are EU members but are not in Schengen, so time spent there does not count towards your 90-day Schengen limit, and they have their own entry rules. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are in Schengen but are not EU members. The 90-day limit applies across the whole area combined, not 90 days per country, so a fortnight in France followed by a fortnight in Spain uses 28 of your 90 days.

How much does a Schengen visa cost?

The standard Schengen visa fee is set by the EU and is the same whichever country you apply to. Adults pay 90 euros, and children aged 6 to 12 pay 45 euros. The fee was last increased on 11 June 2024 and remains current for 2026. Some categories of applicant, such as close family members of EU citizens, may have the fee waived. On top of the visa fee, the visa application centre that receives your application usually charges its own service fee, which varies by country and provider. For example, the BLS centre handling Spain applications in the UK charges 14.85 pounds per application. The fee is paid when you attend your appointment, and it is not refunded if the visa is refused, so it is worth checking the checklist for your destination carefully before you submit.

How to apply for a Schengen visa from the UK

Most Schengen countries in the UK do not take applications directly at the embassy. Instead, they use an outsourced visa application centre, and the company differs by country: Germany and France use TLScontact, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal use VFS Global, and Spain uses BLS International. The steps are the same in outline for every country. First, work out which country is your main destination and find its visa centre for the UK. Second, complete the application form, following the official instructions for that country, and gather your documents. Third, book an appointment at the visa application centre, creating an account on the provider website if needed, and be aware that appointment slots can fill up weeks ahead in peak season. Fourth, attend the appointment in person, hand in your documents and passport, give your fingerprints and pay the fee. Fifth, wait for the decision, which you learn when your passport is returned to you. You can submit your application up to six months before your trip, and you should lodge it at least 15 days before you travel. Applying early is the safest option, because appointment availability and extra checks can both add weeks.

What documents do you need?

Every application needs a passport valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, a completed application form, a passport-style photograph, travel medical insurance, and supporting documents covering the purpose of your trip, your money, your accommodation and your plans to return home. The insurance should cover at least 30,000 euros of emergency medical costs, and a GHIC card alone is not a substitute for it. You will also usually need proof of your legal residence in the UK, such as your eVisa share code or residence document, and recent bank statements showing you can support yourself during the trip. The exact checklist varies by country and by the purpose of your visit, so use the checklist published by the consulate or visa centre for your destination rather than a general list. Applicants aged 12 and over give fingerprints at the appointment, and the fingerprints are stored so that later applications within five years may not need a new set. If your circumstances change after you apply, or the consulate asks for more documents, respond quickly, because delays can push the decision past your travel date.

How long does a Schengen visa take?

Under the EU Visa Code, a decision is normally made within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. In individual cases that need a closer look, or where more documents are requested, the period can be extended to up to 45 days. Some consulates count the period in working days, and in peak season the wait can be longer, with Spain's BLS centre warning that decisions were taking at least four weeks at busy times. The 15-day minimum before travel is a floor, not a target, so if you leave your application to the last fortnight you are taking a real risk. The safest approach is to apply as soon as the six-month window opens, especially if you are travelling in the summer, when appointment slots at the busiest centres can be booked up six to ten weeks ahead.

What is the 90/180 rule?

The 90/180 rule is the limit on short stays in the Schengen Area. You may spend up to 90 days in the area within any rolling 180-day period. The 180 days are not a fixed calendar block: on any day, you look back over the previous 180 days and count how many of them you spent in Schengen, and that total must not pass 90. The day you enter and the day you leave both count as full days. The European Commission publishes a free short-stay calculator that lets you check your trips against the rule before you travel. Overstaying can have serious consequences, including a ban on re-entering Schengen countries for up to three years, so keep a record of your trips and check the calculator before booking a longer stay.

What about EES and ETIAS?

Two new systems sit alongside the visa rules. The Entry/Exit System, known as EES, is the EU digital border register that records the fingerprints and facial image of non-EU travellers on short stays, replacing routine passport stamps. It began a phased rollout on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational at external Schengen borders since 10 April 2026. If you need a Schengen visa, your fingerprints are already taken when you apply, and the EES record is created when you cross the border. The other system, ETIAS, is a separate online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, including British citizens. It is not yet in operation, no applications are being accepted, and no start date has been announced, so there is nothing to apply for or pay today. Ignore any website that offers to sell you an ETIAS now: the only official EU travel site ends in europa.eu.

Can I work or study on a Schengen visa?

A short-stay Schengen visa does not give you the right to work in Europe, and it does not cover long-term study. Short business trips, such as attending meetings or a conference, are usually permitted, but taking up employment, even for a few weeks, needs the right national visa or work permit from the country concerned. If you plan to study for more than 90 days, or to work, apply for the long-stay national visa for that country instead. The requirements and fees are set by each country, and the process is separate from the Schengen short-stay route. If you are unsure which route fits your plans, check with the embassy of the country where you will spend most of your time, because travelling on the wrong visa can lead to refusal of entry at the border.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Schengen visa if I have settled status in the UK? Settled status proves your right to live in the UK, but it does not change the visa requirement, which depends on your passport nationality. If your nationality needs a visa, you still need one.

Can I apply for a Schengen visa if I have just moved to the UK? You need to be legally resident in the UK when you apply, and the consulate may ask for evidence of your residence, such as your eVisa. Physical biometric residence permit cards expired on 31 December 2024 and have been replaced by eVisas.

How early can I apply? You can lodge an application up to six months before your trip, and you should apply at least 15 days before you travel. In practice, apply as early as you can.

What happens if my visa is refused? The consulate will give the reasons for the refusal, and you can usually appeal or submit a new application. The visa fee is not refunded, so check the checklist carefully first.

Rules change, and the position described here reflects the official guidance available on 10 November 2026. Before you book travel or pay any fee, check the entry requirements for your destination on GOV.UK and the website of the relevant consulate or visa application centre, and read the GOV.UK entry requirements for Germany and the Schengen visa guide for UK residents for the full detail.