EU Lists 51 African Countries Whose Citizens Must Have a Schengen Visa to Enter Europe

• The European Union published an official regulation listing all nationalities required to hold a valid visa before entering any of the 29 Schengen member states
• 51 African countries appear on the mandatory visa list, meaning citizens cannot board flights to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, or the Netherlands without prior approval
• A Schengen visa allows holders to stay within the area for up to 90 days in any 180 days, but applicants must meet several documentation requirements

The European Union has published a formal regulation outlining which nationalities must secure a visa before entering the Schengen Area, and citizens of 51 African countries are firmly on that list.

The regulation divides third countries into two groups: those whose nationals require advance visa approval and those who may travel freely into the Schengen zone.

For the vast majority of African nations, travel to Europe begins with a mandatory visit to an embassy or consulate.

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51 African countries on the EU's mandatory visa list

The full list of African countries whose citizens must hold a valid Schengen visa before crossing EU external borders includes;

1. Algeria
2. Angola
3. Benin
4. Botswana
5. Burkina Faso
6. Burundi
7. Cameroon
8. Cape Verde
9. Central African Republic
10. Chad
11. Comoros
12. Côte d'Ivoire
13. Democratic Republic of the Congo
14. Djibouti
15. Egypt
16. Equatorial Guinea
17. Eritrea
18. Eswatini
19. Ethiopia
20. Gabon
21. The Gambia
22. Ghana
23. Guinea
24. Guinea-Bissau
25. Kenya
26. Lesotho
27. Liberia
28. Libya
29. Madagascar
30. Malawi
31. Mali
32. Mauritania
33. Morocco
34. Mozambique
35. Namibia
36. Niger
37. Nigeria
38. Rwanda,
39. São Tomé and Príncipe
40. Senegal
41. Sierra Leone
42. Somalia
43. South Africa
44. South Sudan
45. Sudan
46. Tanzania
47. Togo
48. Tunisia
49. Uganda
50. Zambia
51. Zimbabwe

Nationals from these countries are barred from boarding flights or crossing into any Schengen member state, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, without a visa obtained in advance.

What the Schengen Visa Process Involves

A Schengen visa is a short-stay travel authorisation covering up to 90 days within any 180-day window across the 29-country zone. According to the EU, the Schengen Area comprises 25 of the 27 EU member states alongside Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

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Applicants typically must submit a valid passport, a detailed travel itinerary, proof of accommodation, travel insurance, and documentation showing they have enough funds to cover their stay. Each application is processed through the embassy or consulate of the primary destination country.

It is worth noting that African travellers are not alone in facing these requirements. The same regulation applies to nationals from China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Turkey, and several other countries across Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

Source: YEN.com.gh