Romania and Bulgaria have become full members of the European Union’s border-free Schengen area after scrapping land border controls in the bloc.

Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, ending land border checks with other Schengen countries — but it means one rule has to now be followed by Brits

Bulgaria and Romania are holding ceremonies to mark their full membership in Europe’s Schengen area, the culmination of years of negotiations by the Eastern European countries to join the ID check-free travel zone.

Romania and Bulgaria scrapped land border controls to become full members of the European Union's Schengen free-travel area on Wednesday, joining an expanded bloc of countries whose residents can travel without passport checks.

Ceremonies were held at Romania and Bulgaria's borders to celebrate becoming fully fledged members of the Schengen Area. #EuropeNews

This expansion means that travellers can now move freely between Bulgaria, Romania, and the other 27 EU member states

Romania and Bulgaria have joined the Schengen zone on January 1, a space that now consists of 29 European countries that have abolished border controls between

Romania and Bulgaria fully joined the Schengen Area on Wednesday, allowing their citizens to travel freely within the European Union. The Schengen Area now includes 25 of the 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the Schengen zone on Wednesday, expanding the borderless area to 29 members and ending a 13-year wait for the two eastern European countries.