Bulgaria and Romania are expected to soon start issuing short-term Schengen visas to foreign nationals who need the document to enter the Schengen Area.
Clarifying for Fragomen, officials of the EU said that both countries, Bulgaria and Romania, are expected to start issuing Schengen C visas that permit entry and stay in the area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, from April 1, 2024.
The issuance of Schengen short-stay visas by the two countries is closely linked to the decision of the EU Council to allow Bulgaria and Romania to partially access the Schengen Area.
The EU decided just recently to lift border controls at air and sea borders with Bulgaria and Romania in March, welcoming the two countries to the zone.
The EU will welcome Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, the largest area of free movement in the world. In March 2024, there will be no longer controls at air and sea borders.
While the decision to lift land border controls is still pending, this move is set to benefit people as well as businesses by granting them the right to free movement by air and sea.
Lifting land border controls will be discussed and decided on later in the year. This will allow people and businesses to benefit from their rights to free movement by air and sea, entering or leaving Bulgaria and Romania.
The EU Commission initially confirmed Bulgaria and Romania’s readiness to join the Schengen Area back in 2011. Over the years, the two nations have consistently demonstrated that they meet the necessary conditions, with experts reaffirming their readiness in 2022 and 2023.
As the Commission explains, to ensure safety and security, Bulgaria and Romania have implemented measures for cooperation in security, policy, and judicial matters.
The same stresses that this marks the ninth expansion of the Schengen Area, promising to boost travel, trade, and tourism while strengthening the internal market at the same time.
The Schengen Area, covering almost 450 million EU citizens and foreign nationals in or visiting the EU, guarantees free movement. Citizens of the EU can travel, work, and live in any of the Member States without special formalities. With no border checks within the Schengen Area, this expansion is expected to enhance freedom and convenience for everyone who is involved.
