Passport checks for air travellers lifted as Bulgaria and Romania join EU's Schengen

Passengers arriving by a flight from Berlin receive European Union and Bulgarian flags during a ceremony marking Bulgaria's joining of Europe's open-borders Schengen area by air and sea, at Sofia airport, Bulgaria, March 31, 2024. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

SOFIA (Reuters) - Airports in Sofia and Bucharest on Sunday removed passport check points for those departing to or arriving from most European Union member states as Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen open-travel zone.

The two countries reached an agreement late last year to join Europe's free-travel area by air and sea after Austria opposed full membership, including land crossings, saying Romania and Bulgaria needed to do more to prevent illegal immigration.