Visas

The recent implementation of Schengen rules in Bulgaria has led to the introduction of changes in travel regulations, particularly concerning children's ability to travel abroad. A practical experiment was conducted by family law expert Yordanka Bekirska and her 16-year-old son, Todor, when they each purchased separate plane tickets to Paris.

Starting from January 1, 2025, travelers with children no longer need to provide declarations of consent from absent parents when crossing into Greece and Romania, as announced by Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the Border Police. This change applies to travel to these two countries, following the removal of land border checks between Bulgaria, Romania, and the Schengen area.

Following Bulgaria and Romania's accession to Schengen, the responsibilities of control institutions have expanded significantly, requiring more precise and comprehensive checks. These inspections will now be conducted based on risk analysis and randomly, ensuring thorough monitoring while maintaining free movement.

Hungary is set to implement border controls with Romania starting January 1, coinciding with Romania's accession to the Schengen area by land, according to Schengen.news and the Anadolu Agency. Hungarian authorities have announced that the measures aim to address potential risks to public order and internal security.

“The way is clearing for funding the fence we are building on the Evros with European money,” said the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, in an interview with SKAI.

Following Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen area's land borders, border checkpoints will remain operational, but movement across borders will become more streamlined, according to the Ministry of Interior.

Until April 2025, all visitors wishing to travel to the United Kingdom who do not require a visa will need to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA).

Germany is reinstating border controls on its land borders starting today as part of efforts to address illegal migration. This decision has raised concerns among neighboring countries, who worry that the controls might cause traffic congestion and disrupt regular cross-border movement.

The European Union is grappling with a sharp increase in both legal and illegal migration, leading several member states to implement temporary border checks, despite their participation in the Schengen area, which typically allows for free movement. The Schengen rules permit such measures only "as a last resort" in response to serious threats to internal security or public order.

The PM highlighted that the Ministry of Migration, on the onset of a major crisis in 2020 that Greece is currently implementing a strict but fair immigration policy