A milestone for EU travel: Bulgaria and Romania join Schengen Area in 2025

Starting January 1st, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania will fully join the Schengen Area. This allows their citizens to enjoy visa-free travel across most of Europe.

This long-awaited change will make cross-border movement easier and more seamless, while opening up new opportunities for both business and tourism.

Author • Elena Ruda

Chief Development Officer at Immigrant Invest

A milestone for EU travel: Bulgaria and Romania join Schengen Area in 2025

Almost 17 years after joining the European Union, Romania and Bulgaria have been approved for membership in the Schengen Area.

The European Union has decided to lift the land border checks between Bulgaria, Romania, and other Schengen countries, starting on January 1st, 2025. From March 31, 2024, checks on persons at internal air and sea borders were already removed.

The decision was made on December 12th, 2024. This is a significant move, with Hungarian Minister for Home Affairs Sándor Pintér highlighting it as a historic moment.

How to travel visa-free to Schengen countries?

With Romania and Bulgaria being part of the European Union, passports that allow for increased travel opportunities are even stronger.

There are five Caribbean countries with citizenship by investment programs and all of them are able to significantly increase global mobility.

1. Antigua and Barbuda. Applicants invest at least $230,000 in a government fund or real estate. The process includes a 5-day residency requirement within five years, and applicants can include dependents.

2. Dominica. The program offers two main investment options: a donation to the Economic Diversification Fund or real estate investments starting at $200,000. No residency requirement is enforced.

3. Grenada. Citizenship can be obtained through a $235,000 donation or $270,000 real estate investment. Grenada’s program allows visa-free access to China, a unique benefit.

4. St Kitts and Nevis. The minimum contribution is $250,000 for a single applicant, or $325,000 in real estate.

5. St Lucia. The program provides four investment options, including a donation to the National Economic Fund starting at $240,000 or a $300,000 real estate or bond investment.

The lowest investment threshold is in Vanuatu—$130,000. However, a Vanuatu passport does not grant visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. On December 12th, 2024, the European Commission permanently ended the visa-free regime with Vanuatu, after two years of temporary restrictions.

Practical Guide