Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, ending land border checks with other Schengen countries — but it means one rule has to now be followed by Brits
Romania and Bulgaria have officially joined the Schengen Area.
As of January 1, 2025, Romania and Bulgaria are a part of the Schengen Area, meaning there will be no more land border checks between the two countries, as well as other Schengen Area countries. Travellers arriving by air or sea from other Schengen countries will not need to show their passports. However, those turning up by bus, car, or train, will still need to carry and show their passports.
For Brits, the biggest change will be that days spent in Bulgaria and Romania now count towards the Schengen allowance of 90 days in any 180-day period. Before, Brits could spend 90 days in a Schengen Area country neighbouring Bulgaria or Romania, like Greece for example, and then head to Greece for 90 days before heading back to Bulgaria or Romania, without breaking the rule. Brits will no longer be able to do this.
Romania and Bulgaria have been trying to join the Schengen Area for over 10 years. The European Commission first determined their readiness for accession in 2011. Austria blocked their accession in 2023 due to concerns about irregular migration. The Netherlands also opposed Bulgaria’s joining.
Now as both countries have Schengen membership, Brits will no longer be able to hop between them and other Schengen Area countries for stays of over 90 days in any 180-day period — which is rolling. The interior ministries of both Romania and Bulgaria announced that the countries would be joining the European Union’s Schengen Area in December 2023.
The Schengen Area is a border-free zone that allows free movement between countries in the EU, that are members. This equates to around 400 million citizens. Croatia was the last nation to join before Bulgaria and Romania, in 2022.
Austria had previously objected to Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen Area, due to what it perceived as high levels of illegal immigration, though the three parties reached an agreement in late 2023.
The Schengen Area was originally created in 1995, after the signing of the Schengen Agreement 10 years earlier by the original 10 member states. The area boasts fewer border checks. Bulgaria and Romania joining will take the total number of member states in the area to 29.
EU residents and travellers arriving into Bulgaria and Romania from other countries in the Schengen Area will not have to undergo passport checks if entering on flights, ferries or cruises.
Other than the enforcement of the 90/180-day rule in the two new member states, there will be little change for British travellers hoping to visit these two countries. Holidaymakers heading to cities such as Bucharest and Sofia will still have to undergo passport checks that are in place throughout Europe, unless they themselves are arriving from a Schengen Area country.
