Schengen area is a zone where border controls have been abolished on internal borders, and the cooperation between the country services – signatories, especially in police, judicial and criminal matters, as well as so called Information System, became more close. On external borders there are strictly defined, uniform rules concerning the control of border crossing of foreigners, among others, within the scope of the design of visas given to foreigners.
There are 25 countries that signed the Schengen agreement:
Since 1995: Belgium, France, Holland, Germany, Luxemburg, Spain, Portugal, Monaco
Since 1997: Austria, Italy, San Marino, Vatican
Since 2000: Greece (except the Athos territory)
Since 2001: Denmark (except Greenland and Faeroe Islands), Finland, Sweden, Island, Norway (except Spitsbergen and Bear Island)
Since 2007: Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary
Since 2008: Switzerland
Since 2009: Liechtenstein
In the successive years the following countries are going to join the Agreement: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania. The Schengen area does not coincide with the territory of European Union. There are, for example, countries of t EU that do not belong to Schengen area, such as Ireland and Great Britain. And, the other way round, there are countries that belong to the Schengen area but are not in EU, such as: Switzerland, Island and Norway.
On 21st of December, 2007, Poland, along with 8 other new members of EU, joined the Schengen area. These countries accepted uniform regulations concerning entering and short-term stay on their territories. It can be noticed while applying for a visa.
The length of the border of the Republic of Poland amounts to 3511,52 km, while its 1185,46 km constitutes an external Schengen border – a border with Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus and Ukraine.
