Bulgaria and Romania officially join the Schengen Area

The European Union announced, on Sunday, the inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen Area, which allows movement between their countries without visas.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, in a post on X platform, that Bulgaria and Romania have officially joined the Schengen Area.
Von der Leyen indicated that controls on the air and sea borders with the two countries have been abolished as of Sunday, March 31.
She stated that this step will benefit millions of Union citizens across Europe and make the Schengen Area stronger.
In turn, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson revealed that controls on land borders will also be canceled in the next stage.
Austria has long opposed the inclusion of the two countries in the Schengen Area, fearing the possibility of an increase in illegal immigration. But an agreement was reached in this regard at the end of last year.
It’s worth mentioning that Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007.