Schengen Visa Holders Can Now Explore Two More Countries In Europe!

Romania and Bulgaria are all set to become full members of the Schengen Area by January 2025. This development comes after years of limited inclusion. According to previous reports, the border controls were lifted for air and sea travel, while the two Balkan countries that joined the European Union in 2007 were granted partial membership in the Schengen Area in March 2023.

However, due to concerns regarding illegal migration, there were restrictions at land borders.

Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pinter says that both Romania and Bulgaria are now “one step closer” to joining Schengen as full members.

As of now, the Schengen area consists of 29 European countries – of which 25 are EU states – including, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The new development means that travellers who hold Schengen visas will now be able to visit two more countries: Romania and Bulgaria. This will enable visitors to enter these new Schengen members without having to undergo any additional border checks. Romania and Bulgaria’s entry is expected to improve travel opportunities across Europe