Before you go
Documents you will need
Passport or identity card
Thanks to the Schengen Agreement, most EU countries have removed controls at their internal borders.
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are also in the Schengen area, although they are not in the EU. This means, for example, that you can go skiing in Switzerland without having to show your passport when crossing the border from the EU.
Border controls within the Schengen area can exceptionally be reintroduced for a limited period if there is a serious threat to public safety or security.
When travelling to or returning from EU countries that are not part of the Schengen area, you will need to present a valid passport or ID card. Everyone crossing the EU’s external borders, including EU citizens, is subject to systematic checks against relevant databases.
Even if you don’t need a passport for border checks within the Schengen area, you will need to carry a valid travel document (your passport or ID card) when travelling in the EU because it may be required for identification or security purposes. Children must have their own passport or ID card. Be aware that the only valid ID is one obtained from your national authority.
Before travelling outside the EU, check what documents are required by the non-EU country you are planning to visit.
Visa
You will not need a visa when travelling within the EU.
Note: Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are treated as EU citizens for the purposes of travel and entry into EU countries, since these four countries are part of the Schengen area.
Passport
You will need a valid passport.
Visa
Citizens from more than 100 countries require a visa to visit the EU. The list of countries whose citizens require visas to travel to Ireland differs slightly from other EU countries.
You can apply for a visa at the consulate or embassy of the EU country you plan to visit (or the one that is your main destination). If you hold a Schengen visa you can travel to all the Schengen countries. If you have a valid long-stay visa or residence permit issued by one of the Schengen countries, you can stay for up to 90 days in other Schengen countries. You may need a national visa to visit the non-Schengen EU countries.
There are more than 60 countries and territories whose citizens do not need a visa to visit the EU for up to 90 days. In mid 2025, visitors from these countries will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation. The new system will increase security and avoid delays at the border for travellers.
EU and Schengen area countries
EU Country
Population: 9.1 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: austria.info
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 11.8 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitflanders.com visitwallonia.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 6.4 million
Part of the Schengen area**
Currency: BGN
Official tourism page: bulgariatravel.org/en
Time zone: GMT +2
Non-EU Country
Population: 8.8 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: CHF
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 0.9 million
Not part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitcyprus.com
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 10.8 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: CZK
Official tourism page: czechtourism.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 84.4 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: germany.travel
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 5.9 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: DKK
Official tourism page: visitdenmark.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 1.4 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitestonia.com
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 10.4 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitgreece.gr
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 48.1 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: spain.info/en/
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 5.6 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitfinland.com
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 68.1 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: france.fr/en
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 3.9 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: croatia.hr/en-gb
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 9.6 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: HUF
Official tourism page: visithungary.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 5.2 million
Not part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: discoverireland.ie
Time zone: GMT +1
Non-EU Country
Population: 0.4 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: ISK
Time zone: GMT
EU Country
Population: 58.9 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: italia.it/en
Time zone: GMT +1
Non-EU Country
Population: 0.04 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: CHF
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 2.9 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: lithuania.travel/en
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 0.7 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitluxembourg.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 1.9 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: latvia.travel/en
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 0.5 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitmalta.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 17.8 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: holland.com
Time zone: GMT +1
Non-EU Country
Population: 5.5 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: NOK
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 36.8 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: PLN
Official tourism page: poland.travel
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 10.5 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: visitportugal.com
Time zone: GMT
EU Country
Population: 19.1 million
Part of the Schengen area**
Currency: RON
Official tourism page: romania.travel/en
Time zone: GMT +2
EU Country
Population: 10.5 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: SEK
Official tourism page: visitsweden.com
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 2.1 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: slovenia.info
Time zone: GMT +1
EU Country
Population: 5.4 million
Part of the Schengen area
Currency: EUR
Official tourism page: slovakia.travel/en
Time zone: GMT +1
Total population 1 January 2023. Source: Eurostat (online data code demo_gind).
(**) Controls at internal land borders not yet lifted for Bulgaria and Romania.
A map containing data on the Member States of the European Union and the Schengen area countries.
The European Union is comprised of 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
All EU countries are part of the Schengen area, with the exceptions of Cyprus and Ireland. Although Bulgaria and Romania have joined the Schengen area, controls at internal land borders have not yet been lifted. The non-EU countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are also part of the Schengen area.
Austria has a population of 9.1 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit austria.info.
Belgium has a population of 11.8 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitflanders.com and visitwallonia.com.
Bulgaria has a population of 6.4 million, uses the Bulgarian Lev (BGN), and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit bulgariatravel.org/en.
Croatia has a population of 3.9 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit croatia.hr/en-gb.
Cyprus has a population of 0.9 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitcyprus.com.
Czechia has a population of 10.8 million, uses the Czech Koruna (CZK), and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit czechtourism.com.
Denmark has a population of 5.9 million, uses the Danish Krone (DKK), and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitdenmark.com.
Estonia has a population of 1.4 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitestonia.com.
Finland has a population of 5.6 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitfinland.com.
France has a population of 68.1 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit france.fr/en.
Germany has a population of 84.4 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit germany.travel.
Greece has a population of 10.4 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitgreece.gr.
Hungary has a population of 9.6 million, uses the Hungarian Forint (HUF), and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visithungary.com.
Iceland has a population of 0.4 million, uses the Icelandic Króna (ISK), and is in the GMT zone.
Ireland has a population of 5.2 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT time zone. For tourism information, visit discoverireland.ie.
Italy has a population of 58.9 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit italia.it/en.
Latvia has a population of 1.9 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit latvia.travel/en.
Liechtenstein has a population of 0.04 million, uses the Swiss Franc (CHF), and is in the GMT +1 time zone.
Lithuania has a population of 2.9 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit lithuania.travel/en.
Luxembourg has a population of 0.7 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitluxembourg.com.
Malta has a population of 0.5 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitmalta.com.
Netherlands has a population of 17.8 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit holland.com.
Norway has a population of 5.5 million, uses the Norwegian Krone (NOK), and is in the GMT +1 time zone.
Poland has a population of 36.8 million, uses the Polish Złoty (PLN), and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit poland.travel.
Portugal has a population of 10.5 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT zone. For tourism information, visit visitportugal.com.
Romania has a population of 19.1 million, uses the Romanian Leu (RON), and is in the GMT +2 time zone. For tourism information, visit romania.travel/en.
Slovakia has a population of 5.4 million, uses the Euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit slovakia.travel/en.
Slovenia has a population of 2.1 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit slovenia.info.
Spain has a population of 48.1 million, uses the euro, and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit spain.info/en/.
Sweden has a population of 10.5 million, uses the Swedish Krona (SEK), and is in the GMT +1 time zone. For tourism information, visit visitsweden.com.
Switzerland has a population of 8.8 million, uses the Swiss Franc (CHF), and is in the GMT +1 time zone.
What can you bring with you?
If you enter the EU from a non-EU country, you can bring with you goods free of value added tax (VAT) and excise duties for personal use within the limits set out below. The same applies if you come from territories where EU rules on VAT and excise duty do not apply.
There is a higher or lower limit on the amount of tobacco you can bring into the EU depending on the country, so check the customs rules of the EU country you are visiting.
| Tobacco (*) | Alcohol | |
|---|---|---|
| Higher limit | Lower limit | 1 litre of spirits or undenatured alcohol (ethyl alcohol) or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine (**) and |
| 200 cigarettes or | 40 cigarettes or | |
| 100 cigarillos or | 20 cigarillos or | |
| 50 cigars or | 10 cigars or | 4 litres of still wine and |
| 250 g tobacco | 50 g tobacco | 16 litres of beer |
(*) Each amount represents 100 % of the total allowance for tobacco products. You may combine any of these, but you must not exceed the total limit. For example: 100 cigarettes (50 % of allowance) + 50 cigarillos (50 % of allowance) = 100 % of total allowance.
(**) For spirits and fortified or sparkling wine, each of these amounts represents 100 % of the total of the allowance, which you can split. For example, you can bring half a litre of spirits and 1 litre of fortified wine – both represent half of this allowance.
Travellers under the age of 17 cannot make use of these tobacco and alcohol allowances.
If you are travelling from one EU country to another via a non-EU country (e.g. Switzerland) you will need to check the customs rules of that country.
- Up to a value of €430 for air and sea travellers
- Up to a value of €300 for other travellers.
Some EU countries apply a lower limit for travellers under the age of 15, but it may not be lower than €150.
There are no general restrictions on carrying meat or dairy products when travelling within the EU. However, make sure that you don’t bring foodstuffs containing meat, milk or their products into the EU from non-EU countries as they could carry dangerous pathogens that cause sickness in EU livestock, such as foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever. The only exceptions are for those travelling with small quantities for personal consumption from Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino or Switzerland.
Travelling with a dog, cat or ferret is easy with an EU pet passport, available from any vet. All dogs, cats and ferrets must have a passport and, for identification purposes, be fitted with an electronic microchip or have a clearly readable tattoo applied before July 2011. They must be vaccinated against rabies and the details entered into their pet passport. The vaccination must be carried out after the microchipping or tattooing.
Dogs must be given specific tapeworm treatment by a vet before travelling to Finland, Ireland, and Malta. Details of the treatment must appear in the pet passport and the dog can then travel between 1 and 5 days after treatment.