Why is the UK not in the Schengen area?

Is it part of the Schengen area? No. The U.K. has never been a member of the Schengen Agreement, having opted out of joining it in 1999 (more on that below). Furthermore, due to Brexit — as of January 31st, 2020, the U.K. is also no longer a member of the EU.



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Of the 27 EU member states, 23 participate in the Schengen Area. Of the four EU members that are not part of the Schengen Area, three—Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania—are legally obligated to join the area in the future; Ireland maintains an opt-out, and instead operates its own visa policy.

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The reason Ireland gave for not joining the other EU states in forming the Schengen zone in 1985 was the existence of the CTA with the UK, which would have disappeared if Ireland joined Schengen and the UK did not.

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Residency and Entry Requirements Irish citizens as EU nationals, currently have the right to live, work and travel to and around France without having to register with the French authorities.

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Please note that Ireland is not party to the Schengen Agreement, and a Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

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You can stay up to 90 days within a 180-day period, which people consider a “six-month” period, but your visa is still valid for only 90 days. However, if you plan to stay in Europe for 6 months or longer, you would generally need to obtain a long-stay visa or a residence permit from a specific Schengen country.

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