Free movement, not free entry
The Schengen Area covers 29 countries (all EU members except Ireland and Cyprus, plus 4 non-EU: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland). Within it, internal border checks are abolished — you can cross from Portugal to Estonia without showing a passport.
It is NOT the same as the EU. Ireland is in the EU but not Schengen; Switzerland is in Schengen but not the EU.
Non-EU visitors apply for a Schengen visa (90 days in any 180-day period). From mid-2025, the new ETIAS travel authorisation will apply to visa-exempt non-EU visitors — a €7 online pre-clearance valid 3 years.
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