Schengen space Information and news about Schengen countries

UPDATE: Since December 21st 2007, 9 new countries have joined the Schengen space:

• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Malta
• Slovenia
• Poland
• Slovakia

Schengen space was composed by 15
countries - until December 20th, 2007 - within the European area. Some of them, despite they are members of the European Union, did not sign Schengen agreements whereas some non-EU countries are part of Schengen space.
A Schengen Visa will allow travelers to visit any of the Schengen countries below:

• Austria (joined in 1995)
• Belgium (1985)
• Denmark: except Greenland and Faroe Islands: these territories were excluded from Schengen area, but are integrated with it. (1996)
• Finland (1996)
• France (1996)
• Germany: except the Island of Heligoland (1985)
• Greece (1992)
• Iceland (1996)
• Italy (1990)
• Luxembourg (1985)
• Norway: except Svalbard island (1996)
• Netherlands (1985)
• Portugal (1992)
• Spain (1992)
• Sweden (1996)

Note that European overseas territories are not part of Schengen.

The following countries have not yet implemented Schengen:

• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Malta
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Switzerland

Important information for travellers: United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland did not sign Schengen Agreement, thus they maintain their own visa system. UK wants to maintain its own border and since Ireland has a free movement convention with the UK (similar to Schengen Agreement) it can only sign Schengen convention if UK does.