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All Schengen countries are in Europe. However, it should not be confused with the European Union (EU). Schengen and EU are two different agreements between European countries. As of 2006, the Schengen Treaty countries consist of:

Austrian Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Italy Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden

The Schengen Visa has made traveling between its 15 European member countries much easier and less bureaucratic than before. Traveling on a Schengen Visa means that the visa holder can travel to any (or all) member countries using one single visa, thus avoiding the hassle and expense of obtaining individual visas for each country. This is particularly beneficial for persons who wish to visit several European countries on the same trip.

The Schengen visa is a “visitor visa”. It is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe. The purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business. Upon the issuance of the visa, the visa holder is allowed to enter all member countries and travel freely throughout the Schengen area. It is strongly recommended to plan your journey within the timeframe of the Schengen Visa as extensions can be very difficult to obtain, thus forcing you to leave to stay in compliance with the Schengen Rules and Regulations. A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in a 6 month period.

The following East Asian nationals are required to hold a Schengen visa: 

Bangladesh
Bhutan*
Cambodia
China (The People's Republic of China) (incl. Hong kong and Macao)
India
Indonesia*
Laos
Maldives
Myanmar*
Nepal
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Pakistan*
Philippines*
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

*Application from nationals from countries marked with an asterisk must be sent to consultation within the Schengen member states. Please expect a processing time of minimum 14 days.

 The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic border controls among the participating countries. By the Treaty of Amsterdam, the two agreements themselves and all decisions that have been enacted on their basis have been incorporated into the law of the European Union. This body of legal provisions is referred to as the Schengen Acquis. ^[1]

Subsequent amendments to that acquits, including the Schengen Agreements themselves, have been made in the form of European Union regulations. The main purpose of the establishment of the Schengen rules is the abolition of physical borders among European countries.^[2]

 The Schengen rules include uniform rules as to the type of visas which may be issued for a short-term stay, not exceeding 90 days, on the territory of one, several or all of those States. The rules also include common requirements for entry into the Schengen area, and common procedures for refusal of entry. According to the Schengen Borders Code, the conditions applying to third-country nationals for entry are as follows:^[27]

Right ot stay

•  • He or she must first identify which Schengen country is the main destination. This determines the State responsible for deciding on the Schengen visa application and therefore the embassy or the consulate where the traveler will have to lodge the application.^[35] If the main destination cannot be determined, the traveler should file the visa application at the embassy or consultate of the Schengen country of first entry.^[36] [37]

•  • The traveler must then present the Schengen visa application to the responsible embassy or consulate. A harmonized form is to be submitted, together with a valid passport and, if necessary, the documents supporting the purpose and conditions of the stay in the Schengen area (aim of the visit, duration of the stay, lodging). Certain embassies or consulates sometimes call the applicant to appear in person in order to explain verbally the reasons for the visa application.

•  • Finally, the traveler must have travel insurance that covers, for a minimum of €30,000, any expenses incurred as a result of emergency medical treatment or repatriation for health reasons. The proof of the travel insurance must in principle be provided at the end of the procedure, i.e. when the decision to grant the Schengen visa has already been made. This type of insurance can be easily found on the web from well-known insurers.