How Bulgaria and Romania completed their Schengen entry
The EU removed checks at their internal land borders on January 1, 2025.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area in stages. Checks on people at internal air and sea borders ended in March 2024. The Council then agreed to remove the remaining checks at internal land borders starting January 1, 2025.
The decision made journeys across those borders part of travel within Schengen. Both countries continue to manage external borders under the area's common rules. The two-stage change explains why accounts of their entry can refer to different dates.