Older blog posts still say Bulgaria and Romania are “partial” Schengen or that land borders do not count. Update your mental model: from 1 January 2025 both states are full Schengen members for short-stay counting purposes alongside the rest of the Area.
Practical effects
- Days in Bulgaria or Romania consume the shared 90/180 allowance.
- Internal border rules follow the Schengen framework now in force for those states.
- Itineraries that treated Sofia or Bucharest as “outside the pot” are outdated.
- Croatia’s earlier accession is likewise inside the count.
Why old advice lingers
Air and sea controls joined earlier than full land-border lifting in the political process, and many pages were never updated. For 90/180 arithmetic in 2026, include Bulgarian and Romanian presence days like French or German ones.
Route planning
Istanbul–Bucharest–Vienna is not a clever way to keep Turkish days while pretending Romania is free. Romania counts. Combine this with the Balkans guide when sequencing non-Schengen neighbours.
When you reuse an old spreadsheet of “countries that count,” rebuild it from a current Schengen list. See Schengen vs EU.
Check your remaining Schengen days
Free calculator — runs in your browser, no account.Frequently asked questions
Do Bulgaria/Romania days count in 2026?
Yes. Full membership applies from 1 January 2025.
What about Cyprus?
Cyprus remains outside Schengen and has its own rules.
Is Croatia still outside?
No. Croatia is inside Schengen; its days count.