Romania, Bulgaria join Schengen: What travelers from Czechia need to know

Romania and Bulgaria will officially become full members of the Schengen Area from Jan. 1, 2025, marking a significant milestone for both countries and European integration. For the first time since joining the EU in 2007, travelers will be able to move fully between these eastern European nations without the need to show a passport.

The decision, which follows years of negotiations and political hurdles, ends over a decade of border checks and restrictions, simplifying travel for citizens and residents of Schengen member states, including those from Czechia.

After more than a decade of delays and negotiations, Romania and Bulgaria will fully join the Schengen Area on Jan. 1, 2025, marking the culmination of years of political and technical preparations.

Initially, both countries were expected to join in 2011, but objections from several EU member states, including the Netherlands and Austria, postponed their full accession. The countries had partially joined the Schengen Area earlier this year, but Austria’s earlier veto had kept land border checks in place until now.

A recent political shift, however, has seen Austria drop its objections, clearing the way for Romania and Bulgaria to become full Schengen members. The number of Schengen Area countries will increase to 29, including 25 EU member states along with Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

On March 31 of this year, air and sea travel between Romania and Bulgaria and other member states was fully opened. From next year, there will no longer be passport checks for border crossings between Romania and Bulgaria and other Schengen Area states.

Fort those traveling between Czechia and Romania or Bulgaria by air, passport checks have not been required since March 31, 2024. The full entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area will primarily impact travelers arriving by car or train from neighboring countries.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, these land crossings will no longer require passport checks, making travel more convenient and faster. Previously, road travelers were subject to border checks when entering Bulgaria or Romania from Schengen Area neighbors. Now, these controls will be lifted, facilitating smoother and more efficient travel.

This change will not only benefit visitors traveling by land but also freight transportation and shipping; business and individual consumers can expect quicker transit times when transporting goods between these countries.

Border checks between European countries, including those within the Schengen Area, have recently been a hot button topic due to illegal migration. Since 2023, Germany has instituted border checks with the Czech Republic in efforts to prevent people smuggling, and these checks are expected to continue well into 2025.