Do New Zealanders need a Schengen visa?

Quick summary for busy readers:

• New Zealand passport holders don’t need a Schengen visa for stays of 90 days or less within any 180-day period. Longer stays, or trips for work or study, usually require one.
• The Schengen Area covers 29 countries across Europe. A couple of countries people expect to be included, like Cyprus and Ireland, aren’t part of it.
• If you do need a visa, the current fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, with children under 6 exempt.
• Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational and applies to short-stay visitors including New Zealanders. The separate ETIAS travel authorisation isn’t required yet and has been delayed until 2027.

 

Planning a trip through Europe’s most iconic cities? For most Kiwis, a Schengen visa isn’t necessary. Unless you’re planning to stay longer than 90 days within any 180-day period, in which case you will need to apply for one.

Below we’ve covered everything you need to know about Schengen visas – from when you’ll need one to what the costs and requirements are – as well as the new EU border systems worth understanding before you fly.

Do New Zealanders need a Schengen visa?

For most trips, no. New Zealand passport holders can travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without applying for a visa in advance. That covers the vast majority of travellers, whether you’re doing a short city break or spending several weeks across multiple European countries.

However, if your trip goes beyond 90 days, or you’re travelling to work, study or live in a Schengen country rather than just visit, you’ll generally need to apply for the relevant visa or permit before you go. Requirements vary by country and purpose, so it’s worth checking directly with the embassy or consulate of the country where you’ll spend the most time, or your first point of entry if your trip is split evenly.

It’s also worth knowing that this exemption is specific to certain nationalities. Travellers from countries such as China, Thailand or Fiji need a Schengen visa regardless of how long they’re staying, so New Zealand’s visa-free arrangement isn’t something every visitor to Europe can rely on.

Which countries can I travel with a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa (or Schengen visa-free entry if you’re an exempt Kiwi traveller) covers 29 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

These countries have abolished passport checks between each other, so once you’re inside the zone you can move between them freely without needing a fresh visa or clearing border control every time. Bulgaria and Romania are the most recent additions, having completed full integration, including land borders, at the start of 2025.

A couple of countries catch people out because they seem like they should be included but aren’t. Cyprus and Ireland are both EU members, but neither is part of the Schengen Area, so a Schengen visa won’t get you into either one. On the flip side, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are full Schengen members despite not being in the EU at all, so your Schengen visa or visa-free entry works there the same as it does in France or Germany.

How much does a Schengen visa cost for New Zealanders?

Since most Kiwis travel visa-free for stays under 90 days, this cost only comes into play if you fall into one of the categories that requires a visa, such as a longer stay or a work or study trip. When a visa is required, the current fee set by the EU is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, with children under 6 exempt entirely.

That figure is the official government fee only. If you apply through a visa application centre such as VFS Global rather than directly at an embassy, you’ll usually pay an additional service fee on top, so it’s worth checking the total with whichever centre handles your application. And regardless of which visa you’re applying for, you’ll generally need to show proof of travel insurance that meets specific medical coverage requirements as part of the application, which is a cost worth budgeting for separately (more on requirements below).

What are the requirements for a Schengen visa application?

If your trip does require a Schengen visa, having travel insurance isn’t optional. It’s one of the core documents your application needs, and your application can get held up or refused if you don’t have the right policy.

To meet Schengen visa requirements, your policy generally needs to include:

• Minimum medical coverage of €30,000. This needs to cover emergency hospital treatment, medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains if you were to pass away during your trip.
• Coverage across the whole Schengen Area. Your policy needs to be valid in all the countries you’re visiting, not just your main destination.
• Coverage for your entire trip. Your insurance needs to be active for every day you’re in the Schengen Area, from the date you arrive to the date you leave.

Most comprehensive travel insurance policies clear the medical coverage threshold without much trouble, since unlimited overseas medical cover is a fairly standard inclusion these days. Where people get caught out is repatriation of remains specifically, which isn’t always included by default even on otherwise solid policies. If that benefit is missing or capped below €30,000, it can be enough for a visa application to be refused, so it’s worth checking that line item specifically rather than assuming a high medical limit covers it.

It’s also worth asking your insurer for a letter confirming your policy meets Schengen visa requirements before you apply. Some embassies expect this alongside your policy documents, and it can take insurers a few days to issue, so don’t leave it until the morning of your appointment.