Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen Air and Sea borders from March 31
31 March 2024 12:49
Romania, like Bulgaria, will become part of the Schengen Area starting from 31 March, but initially, this will only apply to airport and seaport border checks. Land border controls will remain in place.
From 31 March, people travelling to or from destinations within Schengen Area countries will not need to face border control at airports and seaports, as stated by Bogdan Despescu, the Secretary of State in the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to the TV station Digi24.
The official explained that travellers arriving at the airport can proceed directly to their departure gate right after going through security control. Likewise, passengers coming from a Schengen country will no longer need to pass through passport control as they used to.
Despescu remarked that random checks will still happen at airports to identify individuals with counterfeit travel documents, those who are wanted or under a travel ban, and to oversee regulations concerning minors.
Extra staff will be deployed at airports with the aim of offering information and support to travellers, as well as spotting any potential infractions.
Romania and Bulgaria's journey to the Schengen Area
Since joining the European Union in 2007, Romania and Bulgaria have not entered the Schengen Area, notably due to opposition from Austria in recent times.
The Schengen Area originated in 1995 with the elimination of internal border controls within the European Union. Croatia became a member of Schengen on 1 January 2023.
In December, under Spain's leadership of the Council of the EU, it was announced that Bulgaria and Romania would be included in the maritime and air Schengen. This means that citizens of these countries can now travel by air and sea to Schengen countries without needing passports, covering 25 of the 27 European Union nations (excluding Cyprus and Ireland).
The Area also encompasses four affiliated countries: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
The decision on when passport checks at land borders for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens will cease is still to come, as advised by the Council of the EU, "within a reasonable timeframe".
