From 1 January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania are full members of the Schengen Area.1 This means that checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania are lifted.
In March 2024, Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area for air and sea borders only,2 which means that the lifting of land border checks was necessary for their full membership of the Schengen Area. (For prior coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2024-072, 27 March 2024.)
The Schengen Area3 refers to the European passport-free zone covering most European countries. The abolishment of internal borders allows free and unrestricted movement of people.
By expanding to include Bulgaria and Romania, traveling within the Schengen Area will be easier for travelers who will not be met with border checks.
Schengen countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Ireland and Cyprus are EU member states that are not party to the Schengen Area.
Border controls in the Schengen Area only concern internal border crossings. External border crossings will continue to be subject to border checks.
The combined 25 million residents of Bulgaria and Romania join nearly 450 million European citizens who already have the freedom to move around the Schengen Area.
This is ninth enlargement of the Schengen Area, and it is expected to boost travel, trade, and tourism, thereby strengthening the internal market.
Bulgaria and Romania had been negotiating to enter the Schengen Area since 2011. This process has been very long.
Lastly, it is notable that the enlargement of the Schengen Area comes before the implementation of the e-Gates system in Europe.4 While it is unclear if there is any relationship – i.e., direct tie – between the delays of the e-Gates and the long-awaited enlargement of the Schengen Area, some could argue that legislators had a preference for implementing the enlargement of the Schengen Area before implementation of the e-Gates.
1 Council of European Union: Bulgaria and Romania Fully Join the Schengen Area, 16 December 2024.
2 European Commission: EU will lift checks at air and sea borders with Bulgaria and Romania in March, 8 January 2024.
3 For information on the Schengen Area, see the European Commission’s Migration and Home Affairs webpage, “Schengen Area.”
4 See GMS Flash Alert 2024-229, 19 November 2024.
* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.
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