As of 2025, the Schengen Area consists of {{SCHENGENnum}} countries, including four which are not members of the [[European Union]] (EU). Two of the non-EU members{{snd}}[[Iceland]] and [[Norway]]{{snd}}are part of the [[Nordic Passport Union]] and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU.<ref name="associated-states"/> [[Switzerland]] was allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008, and [[Liechtenstein]] in 2011.
Almost[[Romania]] 17and years[[Bulgaria]] afterare joiningthe newest members of the EuropeanSchengen UnionArea, with border controls lifted for air and aftersea 13travel yearson of31 negotiationsMarch 2024 and procedureland border controls lifted effective 1 January 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schengen area: Controls at air and sea borders with Bulgaria and [[Romania]] will be lifted – European Commission |url=https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/schengen-area-controls-air-and-sea-borders-bulgaria-and-romania-will-be-lifted-2024-01-03_en |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=home-affairs.ec.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6861 | title=Press corner }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Schengen: Council decides to lift land border controls with Bulgaria and Romania |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/12/12/schengen-council-decides-to-lift-land-border-controls-with-bulgaria-and-romania/ |access-date=12 December 2024 |website=Consilium |language=en}}</ref> more than 17 years after they [[Bulgaria]]2007 becameenlargement of the newestEuropean membersUnion|acceded into the SchengenEuropean AreaUnion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4xjj4xde3o|title=Moment of relief as Romania and Bulgaria join EU border-free zone|date=12 December 2024|website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/1/romania-bulgaria-join-borderless-schengen-zone-after-13-year-wait|title=Romania, Bulgaria join borderless Schengen zone after 13-year wait|date=1 January 2025|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref> OnIn 302011 Decemberthe 2023[[European Commission]] concluded that the two countries had fulfilled all technical accession criteria,<ref name="Commission welcomes">{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6861|title=Bulgaria and Romania'sparticipationto injoin Schengen Areaarea starting with air and sea borders: Commission welcomes landmark Council decision|website=European Commission – European Commission}}</ref> and their participation was approved,withby borderthe controls[[European liftedParliament]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Schengen zone: Delay for airBulgaria and seaRomania travelto onjoin 31|date=9 MarchJune 2024;2011 on|publisher=British 12Broadcasting DecemberCorporation 2024,|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13709768 |access-date=9 June 2011}}</ref> However this was rejected by the [[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]], approvedwith fullsome participationcountries of(such bothas countriesDenmark and Finland) citing concerns about shortcomings in theanti-corruption Schengenmeasures Area,and effectivein 1the Januaryfight 2025against organised crime.<ref name="nyt-defered">{{Citecite webnews |titlelast=SchengenCastle area:|first=Stephen Controls|title=Europe atDenies air2 andNations seaEntry bordersto withTravel Bulgaria and Romania will be lifted – European CommissionZone |url=https://home-affairswww.ecnytimes.europa.eucom/news2011/schengen09/23/world/europe/romania-areaand-controlsbulgaria-airare-anddenied-seaentry-bordersto-bulgariaschengen-andzone.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924155245/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/world/europe/romania-willand-bebulgaria-liftedare-2024denied-01entry-03_ento-schengen-zone.html |archive-date=24 September 2011 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=1923 JanuarySeptember 20242011 |websitenewspaper=homeThe New York Times|date=22 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="wsj-affairsdefered">{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Frances |title=Bulgaria, Romania Blocked From Travel Zone |url=https://www.ec.europawsj.eucom/articles/SB10001424053111903791504576586951295398230 |languageaccess-date=en25 September 2011 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=22 September 2011}}</ref> The Netherlands conditioned approval for joining the Schengen Area on positive reports under the [[Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.euractiv.com/justice/romania-older-members-ready-sche-news-532132 |title=Romania tells EU: 'We are ready for Schengen when you are' |date=5 December 2013 |newspaper=euractiv.com |access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref> [[Austria]] was the last country to end their veto, after series of negotiations to address concerns that the countries were a major transit route for illegal [[Immigration to Austria|immigration to the country]].<ref name="austriaveto">{{Cite web |title=Nu intrăm în Schengen. Austria și Olanda au votat împotriva noastră |url= https://ecwww.europadigi24.euro/commissionstiri/presscornerexterne/detailue/en/ip_23_6861ministrul-austriac-de-interne-astazi-voi-vota-contra-extinderii-schengen-cu-romania-si-bulgaria-2177591 |access-date=8 titleDecember 2022 |website=PresscornerDigi24 |language= ro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SchengenMinistrul austriac de Interne: Council"Are decidessens tosă liftincludem landCroația borderși controlssă withnu includem acum Bulgaria andși RomaniaRomânia" în Schengen |url= https://www.consilium.europadigi24.euro/enstiri/pressexterne/press-releases/2024ue/12/12/schengenministrul-councilaustriac-decidesde-tointerne-liftare-landsens-bordersa-controlsincludem-withcroatia-si-sa-nu-includem-acum-bulgaria-andsi-romania/-in-schengen-2172203 |access-date=123 December 20242022 |website=Consilium Digi24 |date= 3 December 2022 |language=enro}}</ref><ref>{{cite Theweb|url=https://www.romania-insider.com/austria-rejects-commission-call-romania-bulgaria-schengen-2023|title=Austria expansionrejects wasEC's madecall possibleto whenallow [[Austria]]Romania, droppedBulgaria theirinto objectionsSchengen|date=14 afterSeptember series2023|accessdate=2 ofOctober negotiations.2023}}</ref><ref name="Joint Declaration-20241128">{{Cite web |date=22 November 2024 |title=Joint Hungarian, Austrian, Romanian and Bulgarian Declaration |url=https://hungarian-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/joint-hungarian-austrian-romanian-and-bulgarian-declaration/ |access-date=28 November 2024 |website=Joint Hungarian, Austrian, Romanian and Bulgarian Declaration |language=en}}</ref>
''De facto'', the Schengen Area also includes four European micro-states{{snd}} Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City{{snd}}that maintain open or semi-open borders with other Schengen member countries.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.schengenvisas.com/list-of-non-schengen-countries-that-can-be-visited-with-a-schengen-visa/ |title= List of non-Schengen countries that can be visited with a Schengen visa |publisher= YOYO TRAVELS, Dubai |date=14 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.exteriors.ad/en/travel-to-andorra |title=Travel to Andorra |publisher= Govern d'Andorra}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.andorraresorts.com/blog/2022/andorra-schengen-area |title=Andorra and the Schengen Area |publisher= Andorra Resorts |date=8 March 2022}}</ref>
