“The Schengen Area is a zone comprised of 29 European states which have officially abolished passports and other types of border control at their mutual borders. Countries in the Schengen area can temporarily reinstate border controls at internal borders — for security reasons, to manage migration pressure, during major events, or in other emergencies. That’s fully legal and happens sometimes.
For visitors, it effectively means that the Schengen Area acts as a singular country, i.e. once you enter one Schengen country, you have entered them all.”
See the ETIAS Visa for more information.
Not all EU countries are in Schengen, and some non-EU countries (like Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland) are part of Schengen. A full list of countries that make up the Schengen Area can be found on the SchengenVisaInfo Website.
A Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows non-EU citizens to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, typically for tourism or business.
An Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) is a general term for a legal residence status in Germany, granted for work, study, or family reunification.
A Residence Permit for Germany (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) is a temporary residence permit tied to specific conditions, such as employment or studies
A Niederlassungserlaubnis is a permanent settlement permit that grants unrestricted residence and work rights in Germany, with no expiry date.
If you hold a South African passport along with a valid Schengen residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Niederlassungserlaubnis), you can travel freely within the Schengen Area for as long as your permit remains valid.
However, be sure to check for any specific restrictions, such as whether your residence permit is limited to Germany.
For official details, refer to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament, available on EUR-Lex.
A single-entry Schengen visa allows you to enter the Schengen Area only once during the visa’s validity period. Once you leave the Schengen Area, your visa is considered used, and you cannot re-enter, even if you still have unused days remaining on your visa.
Important: A single-entry visa refers to the number of times you can enter the Schengen Area, not the number of Schengen countries you can visit.
A multiple-entry Schengen visa allows you to enter and leave the Schengen Area multiple times during the visa’s validity period. As long as your visa remains valid and you comply with the 90/180-day rule (or the conditions stated on your visa), you may travel in and out of the Schengen Area without needing to apply for a new visa each time.
Important: A multiple-entry visa does not allow you to stay in the Schengen Area indefinitely. You must still follow the maximum number of days you are permitted to spend in the Schengen Area during any 180-day period.
Airport transit
Land Transit
Short stays
Up to 90 days in 180 days
Long Stays
More than 90 days
Based on how frequently you travel to the Schengen zone, you may apply and obtain one of the following multiple-entry visa types:
A Visa with Limited Territorial Validity (LTV) is a special type of Schengen visa that only allows travel to specific Schengen countries, rather than the entire Schengen Area. Unlike a standard Schengen visa, which permits movement across all member states, an LTV visa restricts travel to only the country or countries explicitly mentioned on the visa sticker.
Source: SchengenVisaInfo
The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have abolished routine passport checks at their shared borders.
This allows people to travel freely between member countries as if travelling within one country. Although border checks are uncommon, you should still carry valid identification and travel documents.
Examples: Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Norway, Switzerland
Interesting fact
Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are part of the Schengen Area but are not members of the European Union or the Euro Zone. Each country uses its own national currency (except Liechtenstein, which uses the Swiss Franc).
The European Union (EU) is a partnership of European countries that work together on trade, laws, consumer protection, environmental policies, security, and the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. EU membership does not automatically mean a country is part of the Schengen Area or uses the Euro.
Examples: Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Ireland
Interesting fact
Ireland and Cyprus are members of the European Union but are not currently part of the Schengen Area, so travellers may still encounter passport or border checks.
The Euro Zone (Euro Area) consists of European Union countries that have adopted the Euro (€) as their official currency.
While most Eurozone countries are also in the Schengen Area, not every EU country uses the Euro.
Examples: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands
Interesting fact
Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Czechia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria are in the EU but do not use the Euro (€).
Travel with a South African Passport and German Residence Permit Living in Germany doesn’t automatically give you the same travel rights as an EU citizen. However, a valid German residence permit can make travelling much easier. This guide explains where South African passport holders can travel using their German residence permit, where a visa is still required, and where special visa exemptions or visa-on-arrival arrangements
Traveling to the UK If you only have a South African passport, you need a visa to visit the UK, regardless of whether you have Permanent residence in Germany. Your German Residence allows you to travel within the Schengen area. There are no special rules if you are married to a German or other EU citizen. You still travel on your own passport. The UK
There are no additional charges to use your mobile phone when travelling between EU countries.
This is known as “Roam like at home” All your mobile charges will be the same as your domestic rate.
More information on the ÝourEurope website.
There are, of course, exemptions, for example, a limit on your inclusive data, for more information, see the Verbraucherzentrale website.
You can also read more on Mobile service providers’ websites, for example, Vodafone
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