Twenty-two of the twenty-eight European Union (EU) member states participate in the Schengen Area. 
Of the six EU members that do not form part of the Schengen Area, 
four – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania – are legally obliged and wish to join the area, 
while the other two – Ireland and the United Kingdom – maintain opt-outs. 
All four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland - have signed the Schengen Agreement, even though they are outside the EU. 
In addition three European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican – can be considered as de facto within the Schengen Area as they do not have border controls with the Schengen countries that surround them; 
but they have not officially signed documents that make them part of Schengen.