Foreign Office warns UK tourists 'check passport is stamped' or face 'arrest'

Five Schengen Zone nations will allow UK tourists to stay "as long as they want". Amid rising tensions in the Balearics and Canary Islands, where Spanish locals are protesting having been left furious over the influx of British holidaymakers, UK tourists have been told they can skirt a 90-day rule elsewhere.

The two non-Schengen EU countries are Cyprus and Ireland. Cyprus —while outside of the Schengen Zone — is legally obliged to join as member of the European Union eventually. They are currently in the process of fulfilling the necessary conditions to do so.

Ireland, meanwhile, is an official member of the European Union. However, while playing an active role in certain Schengen Agreement policies, it is not officially included in the Schengen Area. Most nations geographically located in mainland Europe are included in the Schengen 29.

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The majority of nations not included in the Schengen agreement are Eastern European states. As well as Cyprus and Ireland, UK tourists can also head to Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro for an extended trip.

The Foreign Office explains: "You can travel without a visa to Cyprus for up to 90 days. This applies if you travel: as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events or for short-term studies or training."

"As a visitor, your passport will be stamped when you enter and exit Cyprus. Border guards will use the passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays," it added. "If you enter or exit the Schengen area through Cyprus as a visitor, check that your passport is stamped. This will show border guards that you are complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for Cyprus and the separate 90-day visa-free limit for the Schengen area."

The microstates of San Marino, Monaco, and Vatican City are also not official members of the Schengen Zone. However, these three are considered ‘de facto’ inside the area — and, therefore, do not impose border controls.