Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 repeals and codifies Regulation (EC) No 539/2001. The regulation lists the non-EU countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement (Annex II) and those non-EU countries whose nationals must obtain a visa to travel to the Schengen area.
Reciprocal arrangements for EU citizens
The arrangements for citizens of Azerbaijan, Cabo Verde and Russia apply reciprocally to EU citizens.
Documentary evidence of the purpose of the journey
Appropriate documentary evidence is required to confirm the purpose of the journey for various categories of visa applicant, which, depending on the country, may include:
Multiple entry visas
Varying requirements apply for different categories of visa applicants, with visas valid for up to 5 years after being issued. Generally, depending on the country, family members and official visitors are eligible for 5-year visas, while other categories are eligible for visas that are valid for 1 to 5 years.
The agreements provide for a fee reduction for non-EU nationals when applying for a Schengen visa. Apart from the Cabo Verde agreement, all other visa facilitation agreements concerned set the visa fee level at €35 (per application). In addition, fees are waived for many categories of citizen depending on their purpose of travel.
Departure in the case of lost or stolen documents
Citizens who have lost their documents or have had their documents stolen may leave the country based on valid identity documents, entitling them to cross the border, issued by diplomatic missions or consular posts without any visa or other authorisation.
Extension of visa in exceptional circumstances
Citizens who cannot leave by the time stated in their visas, for reasons of unforeseeable circumstances ( force majeure ), can have the term of their visas extended free of charge subject to the laws of the countries involved.
Holders of valid diplomatic passports can enter, leave and transit through the territories covered by these agreements without visas. The Cabo Verde agreement also provides for the same exemption for holders of service passports (passports issued to government employees).
These categories of passport holders may stay in the Schengen area for a period not exceeding 90 days within a period of 180 days.
Joint committees of experts composed of representatives of the EU and the non-EU country concerned monitor the implementation of the agreements.
Return and readmission
These agreements are linked to readmission agreements and common rules for managing the return of irregular migrants.
Suspension of EU–Russia visa facilitation
Following the worsening of the situation triggered by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, which has given rise to a number of restrictive measures (see summary) and justifies measures to protect the essential security interests of the EU and its Member States, the application of the agreement on the facilitation of the issuance of visas is suspended completely for all citizens of Russia as from 12 September 2022 (see Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500).
The Commission has updated guidelines on visa issuance in relation to Russian applicants and controls of Russian citizens at the external borders, including Russian citizens fleeing military mobilisation. The guidelines call on Member States’ consulates and border authorities to apply increased security checks and scrutiny to visa issuance, along with heightened border controls, while respecting EU asylum policy for those in genuine need of international protection (see the guidelines and the communication on providing guidelines on visa issuance in relation to Russian applicants).
Date of entry into force of agreement
Decision applies from
1 September 2014
22 October 2013
1 December 2014
The agreements on visa facilitation, concluded by the EU with the following non-EU countries, no longer apply to holders of biometric passports from those countries who have subsequently been exempted from the visa requirement: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.
For further information, see:
Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 128, 30.4.2014, pp. 49–60).
Council Decision 2014/242/EU of 14 April 2014 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 128, 30.4.2014, pp. 47–48).
Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 289, 31.10.2013, pp. 2–11).
Council Decision 2013/628/EU of 22 October 2013 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 289, 31.10.2013, p. 1).
Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde on facilitating the issue of short-stay visas to citizens of the Republic of Cape Verde and of the European Union (OJ L 282, 24.10.2013, pp. 3–12).
Successive amendments to the agreement have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Council Decision 2013/521/EU of 7 October 2013 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde on facilitating the issue of short-stay visas to citizens of the Republic of Cape Verde and of the European Union (OJ L 282, 24.10.2013, pp. 1–2).
Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the European Union and the Russian Federation (OJ L 129, 17.5.2007, pp. 27–34).
Council Decision 2007/340/EC of 19 April 2007 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of issuance of short-stay visas (OJ L 129, 17.5.2007, pp. 25–26).
Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 of 9 September 2022 on the suspension in whole of the application of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the European Union and the Russian Federation (OJ L 234I, 9.9.2022, pp. 1–3).
Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union (OJ L 103I, 12.4.2019, pp. 1–4).
Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (codification) (OJ L 303, 28.11.2018, pp. 39–58).
Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals (OJ L 348, 24.12.2008, pp. 98–107).
Information relating to the entry into force of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 215, 21.7.2014, p. 1).
Information relating to the entry into force of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (OJ L 334, 13.12.2013, p. 1).
Information relating to the entry into force of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde on facilitating the issue of short-stay visas to citizens of the Republic of Cape Verde and of the European Union (OJ L 321, 7.11.2014, p. 1).
Information relating to the entry into force of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the European Union and the Russian Federation (OJ L 173, 3.7.2007, p. 34).