2024-03-20 18:00:06
As of March 31 this year, the simplified border control between Bulgaria and Cyprus will be abolished. This became known by a decision of the Council of Ministers from today.
The government canceled its decision to implement a decision of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 to introduce a simplified regime for the control of persons at the external borders, which is based on the unilateral recognition by Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania of certain documents equivalent to their national visas for transit or a planned stay on their territory not exceeding 90 days within a period of 180 days.
The reason given by the Council of Ministers is that with the decision of the Council of December 30, 2023 for the full implementation of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in Bulgaria and Romania, our country becomes part of the Schengen area from March 31, 2024.
From March 31, 2024, third-country nationals, holders of national short-term visas, national long-term visas and residence permits issued by the authorities of Cyprus, will not be able to enter the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria with these documents, as as Cyprus is a country that has not yet fully implemented the Schengen acquis, the decision of the Council of Ministers states.
The mutual recognition of short-term national visas, long-term national visas and residence permits issued by the Romanian authorities until March 31, 2024, which will be recognized as equivalent to Bulgarian national transit and planned stay visas until the expiry of the period of their validity will continue.
The decision expressly provides that national short-term stay visas, long-term national visas and residence permits issued by the authorities of the Republic of Croatia until December 31, 2022 are recognized as equivalent to Bulgarian national transit visas and planned stays until expiry of their validity period.
See what the government decided today.