Romania and Bulgaria are set to fully join the European Union border-free Schengen Area on January 1, 2025.
Key points
The Schengen Area was founded on 26 March 1995.
The border-free Schengen Area guarantees free movement to more than 425 million European Union citizens, along with non-EU nationals living in the EU or visiting the EU.
The Schengen provisions abolish checks at the EU’s internal borders while providing a single set of rules for controls at the external borders applicable to those who enter the Schengen area for up to 90 days.
The Schengen provisions abolish checks at EU’s internal borders, while providing a single set of rules for controls at the external borders applicable to those who enter the Schengen area for a short period of time (up to 90 days).
Free movement of persons enables every EU citizen to travel, work and live in an EU country without special formalities.
Today, the Schengen Area encompasses most EU countries, except for Cyprus and Ireland.
Bulgaria and Romania became the newest Member States to join the Schengen area as of 31 March 2024.
Additionally, the non-EU States Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein also have joined the Schengen Area.
