List of European Countries Nigerians Can Visit with One Visa
- A single Schengen visa has given travellers access to 29 European countries without applying for separate visas
- The arrangement allows eligible visitors to move across participating countries under one common travel system
- This guide also explained how the Schengen Area began and why border checks differ within the zone
Travellers planning a trip to Europe can visit 29 countries with a single Schengen visa, making it easier to move across several destinations without applying for separate visas for each country.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows travellers to enter and move within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within 180 days. It can be used for tourism, business trips, and family visits.
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The arrangement allows visa holders to travel across participating countries without going through separate visa application processes for each destination.
Countries covered by the Schengen visa
The 29 countries in the Schengen Area are:
Western Europe
- France
- Germany
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Luxembourg
- Austria
Southern Europe
- Italy
- Spain
- Portugal
- Greece
- Malta
- Croatia
- Slovenia
Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Finland
- Norway
- Iceland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
Central and Eastern Europe
- Poland
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
Benefits of the visa
Legit.ng reports that the Schengen visa allows travellers to visit multiple European countries with one visa instead of applying for separate visas for each destination.
It also makes border-free travel between Schengen member states possible and is presented as a suitable option for Europe tour packages, family holidays, honeymoon trips, and group tours.
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The visa is intended for short-term travel and permits stays of up to 90 days within any 180 days, provided travellers meet the visa's conditions.
The Schengen Area explained
The Schengen Area is the world's largest zone where people can travel between participating countries without routine border checks. More than 450 million people move within the area under the arrangement.
The agreement began in 1985 as a joint initiative involving five European countries: France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Over the years, more countries joined, expanding the area to its current membership.
The name "Schengen" comes from a small village in Luxembourg near the borders of Germany and France. It was there that the Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985, followed by the Schengen Convention in 1990.
Countries that belong to the Schengen Area do not normally carry out checks at their shared internal borders, except when there are specific security threats or other exceptional circumstances. They instead apply common rules for checks at the area's external borders under the Schengen Borders Code.
France updates visa-free entry rules
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that France published updated visa waiver rules for its overseas territories, listing 13 countries whose citizens may enter without an additional visa under specific conditions.
The waiver applies to nationals of countries including South Africa, India, China, and the United Arab Emirates who hold valid multi-entry French consular visas issued for between six months and five years.
The French government also exempted EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens, alongside holders of valid Schengen residence permits or long-stay visas, subject to the rules of each overseas territory.
Source: Legit.ng
