Visas

France ceases all flights outside the Schengen area, French Transport and Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Tuesday, quoted by Reuters.

"There are no more international flights outside the Schengen zone," Borne told French RTL radio.

The European Union's industry chief Thierry Breton said on Tuesday he wanted all EU member states to have the same access to financing and credit.

Breton also told French BFM TV he expected the Schengen zone to stay closed over the summer due to the new coronavirus. 

Bulgaria closes its borders until April 17. The measure applies to all non-European citizens or arrivals from the following EU Member States and Schengen countries: Italy, Spain, France, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Germany shut down its borders with France, Denmark, Austria and Luxembourg in an effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic at home. Spain and other European Union countries are doing the same. The closure of the Schengen border raises more barriers to individual movements within the EU. 

The United States has refused to issue entry visas for 9.75% of all applications submitted by Bulgarians in 2019, according to the European Commission. Statistics show a steady decline in refusals - from 17.3% in 2015, 16.9% in 2016, 14.97% in 2017 and 11.32% in 2018, BNR reported.

It is forbidden to enter the territory of Bulgaria from 00.00 on March 20 until April 17, inclusive, to all third-country nationals at all border crossings by aircraft, sea, rail and road. This is reported by the press centre of the Ministry of Interior, BNR reported.

Health Minister Kiril Ananiev issued an order banning the entry of third-country nationals into our country. This was reported by the Ministry of Health.

It shall enter into force on 20 March (midnight) and shall apply until 17 April inclusive. The ban applies to all types of vehicles - air, car, rail and passenger cars.

US President Donald Trump has announced travel restrictions to and from Europe in an effort to combat the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19, the BBC reports. The new rules enter into force Friday at midnight.

Turkey announced on Feb. 27 it will provide citizens of four EU countries and Norway, 90-day visa exemption for tourist travel.

Turkey will provide 90 days visa exemption to six Schengen countries, beginning from March 2, on travel for touristic purposes, said a written statement by the Foreign Ministry spokesman on Feb. 20.