Official: Bulgaria, Romania included in ‘land Schengen’ from January 1 2025
A year after agreeing to admit Bulgaria’s and Romania’s air and sea ports to the Schengen visa zone as of the end of March 2024, European Union ministers approved on December 12 the inclusion of the two countries’ land borders as well, from January 1 2025.
Air and water border controls were lifted for Bulgaria and Romania at the end of March 2024, and as of January 1 2025, the two countries will be admitted to “land Schengen”.
“EU member states have decided to remove checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania from 1 January 2025,” a statement by the Council of the EU said.
Since March 31 2024, Bulgaria has been issuing uniform (Schengen) visas valid throughout the Schengen area.
A Schengen visa issued by Bulgaria after March 31 2024 allsow its holder to travel throughout the Schengen area in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period), regardless of internal land border checks.
The short-term stay (90 days in any 180 days) within the Schengen area begins to be counted from the moment of entry into the territory of Schengen, including for Bulgaria.
Holders of long-stay visas issued by the Republic of Bulgaria, still valid after March 31 2024, are able to travel freely within the Schengen area in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period) after March 31 2024.
Holders of residence permits issued by Bulgaria are entitled to visa-free short-stay in the other Schengen countries in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period) within the period of validity of those authorisations, checks at internal land borders.
The government information service said that caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev was convening a working meeting at the Cabinet office on Schengen on December 12.
By order of Glavchev, the process of reorganizing work at the borders was launched last month.
The statement said that Glavchev formed an operational headquarters with the participation of all relevant institutions, so that from January 1, 2025, Bulgaria would be fully prepared to work in the Schengen area, if a positive decision is made in Brussels for Bulgaria.
“During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Glavchev will report on the progress made so far in the reorganization of the borders with Romania and Greece,” the government information service said.
“The focus of the meeting will be on the measures taken so that the control activities currently carried out at the borders can be gradually moved inside the country, without allowing chaos with traffic.”
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