Traveling to Europe for a visit, studies, work, or vacation requires a visa for citizens of any country outside the EU..

A visa is a sticker in your travel document which is given to you by an EU country and which allows you to enter and remain in that country for a certain period of time. It may also give you the right to travel to other EU countries.

Even if you have obtained a long-stay visa from an EU country, you may also need a residence and/or a work permit to stay in this country. The rules can be different depending on the country you come from, how long you plan to stay and the rules in your destination country. If you arrive as a highly-qualified worker (with an EU Blue Card), as a student, as a researcher or as a family member, you should get a residence permit once you enter an EU country. For information on the rules that apply to you, select your destination country on this map or use the search tool on the left hand-side of the page.

If you hold a long-stay visa or a residence permit from one of the 22 EU countries that are in the Schengen area, you can move freely in this area for up 3 months during a six-month period of time on the basis of your long-stay visa or residence permit and a valid travel document.

For more information on getting a long-stay visa, select the country from the map below or use the search tool on the left hand-side of the page.

Source: EU Immigration Portal