Bulgaria and Romania full members of Schengen Area

From January 1, Bulgaria and Romania are full members of the free-movement Schengen Area of the European Union. These countries have thereby removed land border controls and joined the expanded block of states whose citizens can travel without a passport check.

Controls for air and sea travels from Bulgaria and Romania were removed in March 2024, but land controls continued until last month, when Austria gave up on the veto it had kept based on the opinion that more needed to be done to stop irregular migration.

Bulgaria and Romania have waited to enter the Schengen Area since 2010, and they became full EU members in 2007.

The president of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, has emphasized that, by entering the Schengen Area, Bulgaria has achieved one of its strategic goals, which is of significance for the citizens and the development of the Bulgarian economy.

Border controls between France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were first removed in 1985. The Schengen Area now covers 25 of the 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, whereas Ireland and Cyprus are not members of the Schengen Area.

Rumen Radev

Schengen Area members

Schengen Area

free travels in European Union

Bulgaria border control

Romania border control