Schengen started in 1985 with just six countries. The UK opted out of the initiative, having much less interest in scrapping border controls because of its island geography.
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The Netherlands is a Schengen Area country. The Schengen Area countries have reached agreements with each other on visa policy, asylum policy, and cooperation between their police and judicial authorities.
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.
If you: Spend three months in the Schengen area during any six-month period, you must wait another three months from the last date of departure from the Schengen area before you can apply to enter the Schengen area again without a visa.