In an announcement to European Parliament, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius revealed that the nations of Bulgaria and Romania have met all the necessary requirements and are expected to be admitted into the Schengen Area before the end of 2023. 

Once admitted, Bulgaria and Romania will join the world’s largest international area with no internal border controls.

According to a source familiar with the matter, “Citizens of Bulgaria and Romania are discriminated against, as they face delays, bureaucratic difficulties and additional costs when travelling or doing business abroad, compared to their counterparts in the Schengen area.”

Once they become members of the Schengen Area, visitors to Bulgaria and Romania and citizens of those countries will freely be able travel to and from them, as well as any of the other existing 27 Schengen nations without worry of multiple visas or separate border controls.

What Will Bulgaria and Romania Joining the Schengen Area Mean for Travelers?

For people traveling internationally, Bulgaria and Romania joining the Schengen Area will only simplify things. Those who do not currently need a visa to visit Schengen nations for tourism or business purposes will also enjoy the same freedom to visit Bulgaria and Romania visa-free. Those who do require a visa to enter the Schengen Area will now be able to enter Bulgaria or Romania using the same visa they can use to travel to any other Schengen country.

What is the Schengen Area?

The Schengen Area is a 27-nation alliance of European countries that allows travel to and from the area under a common visa, and no internal border controls within the Schengen zone. For instance, if someone were to want to visit Germany and France (both Schengen members), they would only need to get a single Schengen visa for both countries, and they would freely be able to travel between these countries and any other Schengen nation with no border restrictions. 

The Schengen Area was initially established in 1985 by France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In the years since, the area has continued to grow, now encompassing 27 nations. Croatia was the most recent country to join the Schengen Agreement, becoming a member in January 2023. Bulgaria and Romania would become the 28th and 29th members of the agreement.