The Schengen Area is made up of 29 European countries that have agreed to common border rules. This arrangement lets travellers move freely between member countries without going through border controls or needing separate visas for each destination.
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Before the Schengen Agreement came into force in 1995, my sister-in-law’s European adventure would have involved lengthy immigration queues at every single flight. The difference today is remarkable.
Here’s the catch: you’re allowed up to 90 days of visa-free travel within the Schengen Zone. More precisely, it’s “90 days in any 180-day period.”
This means you can’t simply pop out of the zone for a week when you’re approaching your 90-day limit and then waltz back in for another three months. The system is smarter than that. If you need to stay longer, you’ll need to apply for a visa before you travel.
Two significant changes are coming to Schengen entry regulations. Before you panic, these aren’t particularly unusual—many countries already have similar systems in place.
From October 2026, Schengen countries will keep fingerprint and photo records of new arrivals. If you’ve travelled to places like Indonesia or Singapore, this will feel familiar.
The system gives Schengen countries better control over visitor movements by keeping biometric records of everyone who arrives and tracking who should be leaving within the 90-day window.
ETIAS is an electronic travel authorisation expected to start in the last quarter of 2026. It will be required for visa-exempt nationals (including Australians) travelling to any of the 30 Schengen countries.
None of these changes are particularly onerous or complicated, and they certainly don’t detract from the wonderful travel advantages that the Schengen Zone provides. The ability to explore 29 countries without constant border hassles remains one of the great joys of European travel for Australians.
So pack your bags, plan your itinerary, and enjoy the freedom to wander from the beaches of Greece to the fjords of Norway without showing your passport at every turn. That’s the Schengen dream, and it’s alive and well.
Call us today on 1300 654 861.
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Expedition Partners (formerly Flower Travel) specialise in expedition style travel by small ship cruise and private rail journeys.
PH: 1300 654 861
Monday-Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm
