Whether or not full-time travelers need a visa depends on their citizenship, the country to be visited, and the travel purpose. U.S. citizens traveling for tourist purposes can visit 186 countries without a visa – or by getting a visa on arrival.

Significantly, U.S. citizens do not need to apply for a visa before traveling to Europe for tourist purposes. Further, full-time travelers can legally stay in Europe indefinitely by moving around occasionally.

Before traveling, you should check each destination’s specific visa requirements. Entry, exit, and visa requirements for U.S. citizens are available on the U.S. Department of State website. Alternatively, visa information is available on the website of most countries’ embassies or consulates.

Technical visa requirements are beyond the scope of this article. Instead, we are providing practical information based on our experience traveling in Europe.

American tourists have a lot of visa-free travel options. In Europe, for example, you can spend 90 out of any 180 period in the Schengen zone, which includes most European countries. More importantly, you must spend half of your travel time outside the Schengen area.

As of the publication of this article, European countries not in the Schengen include Albania, Andora, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, The United Kingdom, and Vatican City. Interestingly, Andora, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City don’t have border controls, so they don’t track entry and exit. As a result, these are treated as part of the Schengen for travel purposes.

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, and Turkey require visas for U.S. citizens. For obvious reasons, Ukraine is not a good travel option at this time. This leaves Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and The United Kingdom.

Because the Schengen visa involves time spent during “any 180-day period,” you have to do a “look forward” and a “look back” to confirm you comply. Fortunately, several free visa calculators are available, including schengenvisainfo.com.

Because the date of entry and exit count for both the Schengen zone and all non-Schengen countries – and because most countries only allow a 90-day stay, you will typically need to spend a few days during every 6-month period in a third country.

For example, you cannot spend 90 days in Italy and 90 days in Bosnia, then return to Italy. You will be a couple of days short on your visa. Consequently, the solution is to spend a few days (or more) in Montenegro or any other non-Schengen country before returning to Italy. Alternatively, the United Kingdom and Albania allow US citizens to stay for 180 days during any 360-day period and Georgia allows US citizens to stay visa-free for up to one year. So, if you’re traveling to one of these countries during your time outside the Schengen, you will not have to worry about visiting a third country.

Once you have been out of the Schengen for 90 days (not counting the day of exit), the clock resets.

NOTE:  If you plan to stay in any one country for more than six (6) months, you should research the tax consequences or consult a tax expert.

The primary benefit of traveling without a visa is the flexibility to move around (i.e., you’re not tied to one country for a year or two). Aside from seeing many different places, you can select destinations with the best weather for the time of year.

For us, good weather means going to cool destinations in the summer and warm destinations in the winter. Generally, cooler destinations during the summer are further north or at higher altitudes. Warmer destinations in the winter are typically further south or along the coast. While this can be achieved in Italy or France, it is also possible to do it by visiting multiple countries in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

The benefits of visa-free travel are also some of the burdens. Although you get to move to many destinations, you also have to move to a new destination every 90 days. Sometimes, the transfer out of the Schengen zone is long and expensive. Similarly, the transfer to get to a third country for a short stay can be lengthy.

Similarly, visa-free travel may require visits to some destinations that are slightly off the beaten path. We very much enjoyed our time in Bosnia, and we really like Montenegro. So, traveling to non-Schengen destinations is not a problem for us. However, we understand these destinations may not be for everyone.

Several visas allow travelers to stay in a country for longer periods. These include:

• • Work visa
  • Digital Nomad visa
  • Investment visa
  • Retirement visa

The requirements and benefits for these programs vary by country. Again, that discussion is far beyond the scope of this article. Instead, we will explore the pros and cons of obtaining a travel visa generally.

There are several arguments in favor of obtaining a long-term travel visa. Most of these relate to moving less frequently.

A long-term visa may be a good option if you want to focus your travels on a single country for an extended period. This strategy allows travelers to immerse themselves in a language and culture without interruption. Similarly, you may need a long-term visa if you want to spend all your time traveling to popular tourist destinations in Europe (most of which are located within the Schengen area).

Also, moving in and out of the Schengen zone every 90 days can be expensive. For starters, you will need to book short-term rentals. These are typically furnished apartments. The monthly cost of these accommodations is much more than a year-long lease on an unfurnished apartment. Additionally, the transfer cost can be high. Many non-Schengen countries do not have extensive public transportation systems like those throughout Western Europe. Consequently, travelers may need to rent cars or take private transfers from destination to destination. For more information about transfers, check out our article titled “How Do Full-Time Travelers Get from One Destination to Another?“

Also, moving frequently can be tiresome. Packing all your belongings and hauling them from one country to another (or across multiple countries) can be exhausting. And the more stuff you have, the more tiring it is. Moving frequently also makes buying personal items difficult, if not impossible. People who find it challenging to adopt the minimalist lifestyle may want to look at long-term visa options. Similarly, people who want to make friends and get involved in a community may wish to apply for a long-term visa (and a residence permit).

Finally, long-term visas may be a good option for travelers who do not have the desire or ability to move often. A long-term visa will be necessary if you only want to move for the winter and for the summer (like a typical “snowbird”).

The two primary arguments against getting a long-term visa are the hassle and the limitations on travel.

You have to apply for some long-term visas (at least initially) in your home country. Also, the application process requires a significant amount of paperwork which takes time to process. This can make visas very inconvenient for full-time travelers.

Additionally, some visas limit the time you can spend outside the issuing country during the duration of the visa. Other visas limit the number of times you can exit and re-enter the country. A violation of these rules invalidates the visa. These limitations can be a deal-breaker for some travelers.

Finally, it is worth noting that staying in one country for an extended period can have tax implications (just ask Shakira). Some countries have special rules for travelers visiting the country on a visa. It would be wise to review the rules or consult a tax expert if you are going to spend six (6) months or more during any calendar year in one country.

To wrap up this discussion, U.S. passport holders do not need a visa to travel full-time. However, full-time travelers may want to obtain a visa depending on their budget and willingness to move frequently.