A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows its holder to travel to any of the 26 Schengen countries, 22 of which are in the European Union (EU) and 4 in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The visa is issued for tourism, business, or family visit purposes, and it allows its holder to stay and move freely within the Schengen area for a maximum period of 90 days within a 180-day period.