Visa Code

1. Visa Code

The Visa Code establishes common procedures and terms for issuing visas to third-country nationals for transit and scheduled stay on the Member States' territory. In force for Norway 13 January 2010.

• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) (external link)

  • The visa regulation has been amended several times. All consolidated versions can be found at the bottom of the left margin.

2. Suspensions from the Visa Code

2.1 Certain citizens of The Gambia

The European Parliament and the Council decided 7 October 2021 that the following provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 are temporarily suspended for citizens of The Gambia who are subject to the visa requirement pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, in force 1 November 2021:

• Article 14(6);

• Article 16(5), point (b);

• Article 23(1);

• Article 24(2) and (2c).

For all other aspects of the application and examination procedures, the general rules of the Visa Code continue to apply:

• Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781 of 7 October 2021 on the suspension of certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council with respect to The Gambia (external link)

• Guidance for the implementation of Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781 of 7 October 2021 on the suspension of certain provisions of Regulation (EC) 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council with respect to The Gambia (PDF)

2.2 Certain citizens of Ethiopia 

The European Parliament and the Council decided 19 April 2024 that the following provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 are temporarily suspended for citizens of Ethiopia who are subject to the visa requirement pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, in force 3 June 2024:

• Article 14(6);

• Article 16(5), point (b);

• Article 23(1);

• Article 24(2) and (2c).

For all other aspects of the application and examination procedures, the general rules of the Visa Code continue to apply:

• Council implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1341 of 29 April 2024 on the suspension of certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council in respect of Ethiopia (PDF)

3. Limitations

The European Parliament and the Council decided 14 Desember 2022 that travel documents of the Russian Federation issued in Ukraine and Georgia are not  accepted persuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, and for border-crossing persuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code), in force 2 June 2023:

Decision (EU) 2022/2512 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on the non-acceptance of travel documents of the Russian Federation issued in Ukraine and Georgia (external link)

4. Visa requirements and exemptions

Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 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 (external link) has been amended several times, and is codified in Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of 14 November 2018

• Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of 14 November 2018 (codification of Regulation No 539/2001) (external link)

• Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of 10 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (external link)

• Regulation (EU) 2024/2495 of 18 September 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as regards holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (external link)