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 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.

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 have officially joined the Schengen Area as of January 1st, 2025, offering new opportunities for skilled workers

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

The European Union ministers has agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone known as the Schengen area by lifting land border controls next year.

Bulgaria and Romania have become full members of the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, marking a significant expansion of the world's largest borderless travel zone.

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