If you need a Schengen visa, the law asks for travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000. If your passport lets you in without a visa, the law does not ask, but a hospital in Madrid will still send you the bill.
What the law says
Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, requires applicants for a short-stay visa to hold travel medical insurance that covers repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention, emergency hospital treatment and death. The minimum is EUR 30,000. It has to be valid in every Schengen country and for the whole stay.
Who it applies to
It applies to people who need a Schengen visa. Passport holders from Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica and most of Latin America can visit without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. For them, medical cover is not a legal condition of entry. It is still the difference between a phone call and a bill for tens of thousands of euros.
What changed in 2026
- Entry/Exit System (EES). Fully operational since April 10, 2026. Visitors from outside the EU register fingerprints and a facial image at the first border crossing, which replaces passport stamps.
- ETIAS. The travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors is not in operation. The EU’s official site says no applications are being collected. Ignore any website that asks you to pay for one today.
The 29 Schengen countries
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but not in Schengen. The United Kingdom is in neither.
What Pulsar gives you in Europe
| Plan | Medical limit in Europe | Meets EUR 30,000? |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | EUR 30,000 | Yes, exactly |
| Standard | EUR 50,000 | Yes |
| Superior | EUR 100,000 | Yes, more than three times over |
| Prime | EUR 150,000 | Yes |
Every Europe plan includes medical repatriation and repatriation of remains, and is valid in every Schengen country for the dates on your voucher. Your voucher and an English certificate arrive by email and WhatsApp the moment you pay. From 65, the medical limit is 75 percent of the plan’s: a traveler of 65 or over who needs the EUR 30,000 minimum should choose Standard or above.
Our recommendation
Superior. EUR 30,000 is a legal floor for visa applicants, not a safe amount: a few days in intensive care in Western Europe can pass it. For travelers up to 64, Superior costs less than USD 1 a day more than Basic.
