Bulgaria and Romania will partially enter the Schengen area from March 31
From March 31, 2024, Bulgaria and Romania will partially enter the Schengen area. Now Schengen border controls with these south-eastern states will no longer apply. In addition, both countries will begin issuing Schengen visas. How will this affect Russian tourists and what difficulties await them now?
Entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen
Bulgaria and Romania have been members of the European Union since 2007. The issue of these countries joining the Schengen zone has been discussed since 2011, but during the voting, the majority of the bloc states, including Austria and the Netherlands, spoke out against such a decision.
The reason cited was doubts about the ability of these states to implement effective border controls and combat illegal migration. In addition, in order to enter Schengen, a candidate must fulfill a number of requirements related to the fight against corruption and organized crime.
That is why the two countries are only partially joining Schengen. It is clarified that the members of the EU Council made the decision unanimously. “This step will stimulate travel, trade, tourism, and strengthen the domestic market,” noted at the European Commission.
At the end of December last year, the EU Council agreed to abolish air and sea border controls with Bulgaria and Romania. Checks are maintained only at land borders between Bulgaria and Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, Romania and Hungary. There is no word yet on when they will be cancelled. The decision will take effect on March 31.
What will change for travelers
First of all, the changes will affect entry into Bulgaria and Romania: it will not be possible to get there with a Cyprus national visa, since Cyprus is not part of the Schengen zone. Nevertheless, it will be possible to travel to Cyprus using a Bulgarian national card, issued earlier, or a Bulgarian Schengen card.
It is also clarified that national short-term visas issued by Romania and Bulgaria until March 31, 2024 do not provide the right to travel to other Schengen countries.
Bulgarian international airports are already preparing for the upcoming entry into Schengen. Air harbors are working to separate the flow of passengers from the Schengen and non-Schengen zones. In addition, border checks will be replaced by “compensatory measures”, which have not yet been defined, concluded Director of the Border Guard Service in Varna Boncho Kralev.
What difficulties await Russians due to the new status of Bulgaria and Romania
In addition to the inability to enter these countries with a Cyprus visa, Russian tourists face other difficulties. For example, now those wishing to travel to Bulgaria and Romania will have to take biometrics. In addition, stay in these countries will already be counted as days spent in the Schengen zone. You can spend a maximum of 90 days there during any 180-day period.
There are no official clarifications on the issuance of Schengen visas by Bulgaria and Romania. For now, Russians can apply for a visa to Bulgaria through a visa center in Moscow. The application must be submitted no earlier than three months before the start of the intended visit.
To obtain a Romanian visa, citizens of the Russian Federation need to fill out and submit a form through the website of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow.
Will Russians flock to Bulgaria?
According to tour operators, the demand for tours to Bulgaria was low before, and now, due to new visa difficulties, an increase in interest in it is not expected. Supposedthat Russians will prefer Turkey to them, so that there will be no problems with obtaining entry documents.
Therefore, we are not making any special bets on Bulgaria. Regarding expectations for prices, it will probably be approximately from the Montenegro series: from 200 thousand rubles plus a visa. But I think that refusing a trip to Bulgaria will be associated not so much with the cost, but with the hassles of obtaining a visa
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