Bulgaria has achieved the status of a Schengen country. As of 31 March 2024, Bulgaria has started applying Schengen rules as a member state. According to the Council of the European Union, the country will enjoy the status of a Schengen country with the abolition of air and sea border checks. Land border checks are also likely to be lifted at the end of 2024.
The good news came in December Bulgaria and Romania are the latest additions to the Schengen Visa countries list. This means on 30 December 2023, the Council of European Union agreed on the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. The country has also started issuing Schengen visas from 1 April 2024.
New List of Schengen Countries
| Austria | Greece | Malta, | Slovakia |
| Belgium | Iceland | Netherlands | Slovenia |
| Croatia | Italy | Norway | Spain |
| Denmark | Latvia, | Poland | The Czech Republic |
| Estonia | Liechtenstein, | Portugal | Hungary |
| Finland | Lithuania | Sweden | Germany |
| France | Luxembourg | Switzerland | Romania |
| Bulgaria |
Country Information
Bulgaria
- Capital: Sofia
- Official languages of the EU: Bulgarian
- EU membership: from 1 January 2007
- Currency: Bulgarian Lev (BGN). Bulgaria has undertaken to introduce the euro when it fulfills the necessary conditions.
- Schengen: Yes. Since 31 March 2024
In a joint tripartite declaration with Austria, the commitments of Bulgaria and Romania to strengthen the functioning of Schengen were also outlined. Separately, the European Commission (EC) with its declaration undertook to support Bulgaria and Romania in the protection of the external borders of the EU. Bulgaria will receive significant financial support from the European Commission, as well as operational and technical assistance from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) along the Bulgarian-Turkish and Bulgarian-Serbian borders.
Contrary to the disinformation spread in recent days, Bulgaria does not accept additional conditions related to refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. Bulgaria undertakes to work together with Austria and Romania to limit secondary movements in compliance with European legislation. This includes, as before, the strict application of the Dublin Regulation and the readmission of persons registered as seeking international protection in Bulgaria and for whom Bulgaria is responsible.
This obligation under the Dublin Regulation has been directly applicable in each Member State since 2013 and is linked to the rule on the responsibility of the country of first entry into the EU. The commitment that is being made is for enhanced cooperation with an accelerated pace of work and without unnecessary formalities. Bulgaria does not and cannot accept persons for whom it is not responsible.