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The Schengen Agreement grants the citizens of member countries to cross internal borders without identity checks or visa requirements. Similarly, it allows third-countries nationals who hold a visa issued by a Schengen country to freely travel to other Schengen states without border checks. Since its implementation in 1995, the number of countries in the Schengen Area grew from seven to 29, with Romania and Bulgaria the last to join. All EU member states are legally required to join the Area. However, Ireland maintains an opt-out clause and issues an independent visa policy, while Cyprus' membership is made difficult by being an island nation and by the controversial Cyprus dispute. Additionally, the three microstates of Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City have open borders with their larger neighboring countries, France and Italy. In practice, this raises the number of Schengen Area members to 32 states.