{"id":3377,"date":"2026-10-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europe-visa.eu\/?p=3377"},"modified":"2026-10-11T04:39:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T04:39:32","slug":"etias-for-bulgaria-and-romania-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europe-visa.eu\/uk\/blog\/etias-for-bulgaria-and-romania-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"ETIAS \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0411\u043e\u043b\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0456\u0457 \u0442\u0430 \u0420\u0443\u043c\u0443\u043d\u0456\u0457 2026: \u0427\u0438 \u0432\u0430\u043c \u0446\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0456\u0431\u043d\u043e?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yes \u2014 you will need ETIAS for Bulgaria and Romania once the system starts \u2014 the EU has not yet set an official launch date. Both countries became full members of the Schengen area in 2025, so the \u20ac20 travel authorisation that applies across the zone will apply to them too, for every visa-exempt visitor.<\/strong> Here is what changed, and what it means for your trip.<\/p>\n

TL;DR:<\/strong> Bulgaria and Romania joined Schengen fully on 1 January 2025. Once ETIAS launches (no official date yet; reports point to 2027), visa-free travellers such as Americans, Canadians and Australians will need an ETIAS to visit either country. It costs \u20ac20, lasts three years, and your days there now count under the shared Schengen 90\/180 limit. You cannot apply yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Quick Facts: ETIAS, Bulgaria and Romania<\/th>\nDetail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Both covered by ETIAS?<\/td>\nYes \u2014 full Schengen members<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schengen since<\/td>\nAir\/sea March 2024, land 1 January 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fee<\/td>\n\u20ac20 (free under 18 and over 70)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Validity<\/td>\n3 years, or until passport expiry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day count<\/td>\nShared Schengen 90\/180 clock<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Launch<\/td>\nNo official date yet (Q4 2026 target dropped)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"Passport
Bulgaria and Romania are covered by ETIAS as full Schengen members. Source: European Commission.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For years, Bulgaria and Romania sat in an odd halfway house: EU members, but outside Schengen, with passport queues at their borders. That ended in 2025. If you want the broader context, our guide to what ETIAS is<\/a> and the full list of ETIAS countries<\/a> cover the whole zone. This article zooms in on the two newest members.<\/p>\n

Do you need ETIAS for Bulgaria and Romania?<\/h2>\n

You need ETIAS for Bulgaria and Romania if you hold a passport from a visa-exempt non-EU country and plan to travel once ETIAS launches. That covers US, UK, Canadian, Australian and dozens of other nationalities. EU and EEA citizens are exempt, as are holders of a valid Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because both countries are now inside Schengen, they belong to the 30 states covered by ETIAS (European Commission ETIAS pages<\/a>, accessed 8 July 2026). A single authorisation works for both, and for the rest of the zone. Confirm your nationality first: our guides for US citizens<\/a> and UK citizens<\/a> lay out each case, and the eligible nationalities list<\/a> shows who qualifies for visa-free travel in the first place.<\/p>\n

Worth stressing: ETIAS is not a visa and not a reaction to the accession. It is a pre-travel check that every visa-exempt visitor to the zone will complete, whether they land in Sofia, Bucharest or Berlin. The accession simply means Bulgaria and Romania now fall inside that single system rather than running their own entry rules on the side.<\/p>\n

What changed: Bulgaria and Romania joined Schengen<\/h2>\n

Bulgaria and Romania lifted air and sea border checks on 31 March 2024, then removed land-border controls on 1 January 2025, completing their entry into Schengen. That makes them the newest full members of the zone and pulls them squarely under the ETIAS rules once the system launches.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Historic
Romania completed Schengen entry on 1 January 2025. Source: EU Home Affairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The change was a long time coming. Both joined the EU back in 2007, then waited more than 17 years for full free movement (EU Home Affairs on the Schengen area<\/a>, accessed 8 July 2026). Croatia had already joined in January 2023, so the 2025 step left Cyprus and Ireland as the only EU countries still outside the zone.<\/p>\n

What does that mean on the ground? At Sofia and Bucharest airports, flights from other Schengen countries now arrive without passport control, the same as a flight from Madrid to Amsterdam. Land crossings from Hungary or Greece no longer stop for checks. The practical upshot for non-EU visitors is simple: once ETIAS is live you clear one check before you travel, then move freely once you are inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Country<\/th>\nEU member since<\/th>\nFull Schengen since<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Bulgaria<\/td>\n2007<\/td>\n1 January 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Romania<\/td>\n2007<\/td>\n1 January 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Croatia<\/td>\n2013<\/td>\n1 January 2023<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Not keen on wrestling with the online form when it opens? You can apply directly on the official EU portal for \u20ac20, or let our team check and submit your answers for you. Both routes lead to the same authorisation.<\/p>\n

How the shared 90\/180 day count now works<\/h2>\n

Now that Bulgaria and Romania are inside Schengen, your time there counts against the same 90-days-in-180 limit as France, Germany or Spain. This differs from before 31 March 2024, when each country ran a separate count. Plan a long Balkan trip carefully so you do not overstay the shared allowance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Traveller
Days in Bulgaria and Romania now count under the shared Schengen 90\/180 limit. Source: EU Home Affairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Pro tip:<\/strong> Say you spend 40 days touring Romania and Bulgaria in spring, then want three weeks in Italy that autumn. All of it now draws from the same 90-day pot. Keep a running total from your first Schengen entry, not per country.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Our guide to the 90\/180-day rule<\/a> walks through the maths with examples, and the ETIAS versus Schengen<\/a> guide explains where the borders sit. Touring wider? The Balkans route guide<\/a> maps a sensible itinerary.<\/p>\n

Cost, validity and how to apply for ETIAS<\/h2>\n

ETIAS costs \u20ac20 and covers both Bulgaria and Romania on one application, valid for three years or until your passport expires. Under-18s and over-70s pay nothing. Applying online will take 10 to 20 minutes, with most approvals arriving within minutes of payment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Person
The official ETIAS application will open on the europa.eu portal once ETIAS launches. Source: European Commission.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
  1. Wait for launch.<\/strong> The portal is not live and the EU has not yet announced a launch date \u2014 see our launch-date guide<\/a>. No genuine site accepts applications yet.<\/li>\n
  2. Ready your passport.<\/strong> A biometric passport valid for the trip, plus the documents you’ll need<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. Fill in the form.<\/strong> Passport data, your first country of entry, and background and security questions (criminal record, conflict zones, past removal orders) (who should apply, European Commission<\/a>, accessed 8 July 2026).<\/li>\n
  4. Pay \u20ac20.<\/strong> The fee was fixed by the Commission in July 2025 (fee announcement<\/a>). Children and older applicants are exempt.<\/li>\n
  5. Watch your inbox.<\/strong> Approval is usually instant; some cases take up to 30 days. Track a slow one via the approval timeline<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    For the numbers in detail, see our cost guide<\/a> and payment methods<\/a>. Worried your passport runs out mid-window? The validity guide<\/a> covers it.<\/p>\n

    Practical tips for a Bulgaria and Romania trip<\/h2>\n

    A joint Bulgaria-Romania trip is easy to combine now that internal borders are open. Apply for ETIAS early, count your Schengen days from the first entry, and arrange travel insurance separately, since the authorisation does not cover healthcare.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"Bus
    Internal borders between Romania and Bulgaria are now check-free. Source: EU Home Affairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n