When will Romania join the Schengen Area?
Romania is not in the Schengen Area but in the European Union. The country has been a member of the EU since 2007. However, it is still yet to join the borderless Schengen nations.
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| Source - wikimedia.org |
It is not yet known when Romania will join the Schengen Area, but Prime Minister Florin Cîțu has said that Romania could join soon. In a recent interview, Cîțu said he hoped the country would be ready to join the borderless travel zone within months, provided the favorable CVM report.
When will Romania join the Schengen Area?
The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report was finalized when Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. As both countries still had progress to make in areas such as judicial reform and corruption, the CVM was established as a way to assess their development.
The results of Romania’s upcoming CVM report could be decisive in Romania’s bid to join the Schengen Area. Prime Minister Cîțu is optimistic and believes the country is doing everything necessary to get its desired results. Cîțu stated:
“We will do our best to have a favourable CVM report. If all goes well, and we have already started with the abolition of the SIIJ, and we have a favourable report, we can hope to continue the Schengen accession talks this year”.
As indicated by PM Florin Cîțu, the SIIJ, Romania’s controversial prosecution body, had been an issue. The abolition of the SIIJ was in line with the requirements set out by the European Commission and has taken Romania a step closer to joining the Schengen space.
Romania’s move towards the Schengen Area is supported by the European Commissioner, Ylva Johansson. In the recent Schengen annual report conference, the Commissioner stated:
“As you know, in the last ten years, the Commission has assessed that Romania is ready for Schengen. [...] We are trying to persuade the Council to move forward, because it is time for Romania to be a full member of Schengen”.
Romania cannot officially become a member of the Schengen Area until the European Council has a unanimous vote by EU ministers.
What would joining Schengen mean for Romania?
After 15 years of being an EU member, Romania would finally join the 26 EU nations that already make up the borderless Schengen travel zone.
With no borders in the Schengen Area, EU citizens, non-EU nationals living in the EU, and people visiting from third countries enjoy the freedom of movement. Joining the Schengen Area will facilitate travel between Romania and other EU nations.
Whilst this provides easy access to the country, it does not offer the highest levels of safety and security.
To deal with this issue, the EU will launch the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in November 2023. ETIAS is a visa waiver system that will pre-screen all foreign citizens arriving in Europe without a visa to ensure they pose no health or security risk.
Although Romania is not yet a full member of the Schengen Area, it will also benefit from the added safety and security of ETIAS.
With ETIAS, travelers from visa-exempt third nations will be able to stay in Romania without a visa for up to 90 days per 180-day period and freely travel to the rest of the Schengen Area during that time.
How Romania joining the Schengen Area will affect travelers.
Although Romania has not yet fully joined the Schengen Area, visa-exempt third-country citizens will still be required to apply for ETIAS Romania before visiting the country from November 2023.
ETIAS is not a visa, and Romania’s entry requirements will continue to allow eligible tourists and business travelers to stay in Romania short-term visa-free.
The ETIAS registration process will be fast and fully online. Approved visitors will be issued with a European visa waiver valid for stays of up to 90 days per 180-day period anywhere in the Schengen Area.
Travelers will be able to use the same Romania visa waiver for Europe to enter Romania and visit any of the other ETIAS countries. Border checkpoints between Romania and neighboring Schengen country Hungary would be abolished.
Can I travel to Romania with a Schengen visa?
Travelers from countries that do not qualify for visa-free entry need a visa for Romania.
Even though Romania has not yet joined the Schengen Area, foreigners can use a valid Schengen visa to enter the country. A multiple-entry Romania Schengen visa is valid for short stays.
Schengen visas will be required by non-exempt visitors once Romania gains full Schengen membership.
The maximum stay permitted with a Schengen visa is 90 days per 180 days. A Romanian visa or other permit is required to stay longer or to work in the country.
Romania aims to adopt the euro by 2027
Romania committed to adopting the euro when it joined the European Union in 2007. Although the pandemic has disrupted progress, Cîțu believes that the country can be ready to join the Eurozone in the coming years:
“The path to the Eurozone has been delayed by the coronavirus crisis. We will do everything to achieve this goal, but real convergence is needed. We will make up for the delay between 2021 and 2024, but we must be aware that the accession to the Eurozone will only be possible after 2024.”
The Prime Minister added that “we could enter the eurozone after 2024-2025 and be able to adopt the euro in 2027 or 2028”.
Romania currently meets certain requirements for joining the Eurozone. However, there are still other criteria that the country does not yet meet.
The euro would replace Romania’s local currency, the Romanian Leu.
(Source - https://www.etiasvisa.com)