BULGARIA AND ROMANIA WILL HAVE PARTIAL ACCESS TO THE VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM BY JULY

The European Commission has adopted a decision stipulating that starting July 2021, Bulgaria and Romania will have read-only access to the Visa Information System, the database linking border guards at the EU's external borders to Member States' consulates around the world.

Read access means that these Member States will only have access to information in the system instead of introducing new information. The two countries completed a series of technical tests to connect to the system. Access to the Visa Information System means that Bulgaria and Romania will see the applicant's visa history and process visa applications. This will also allow Bulgarian and Romanian border guards to verify the validity and authenticity of Schengen visas issued by the other Member States against the data stored in the Visa Information System. It will help prevent fraud and support the fight against crimes and terrorism within EU borders.

Bulgaria and Romania require reading access to the Visa Information System to manage the new EU Entry / Exit System, operational by mid- 2022. Full access to the Visa Information System will be possible after the full integration of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area. In the Strategy for a Stronger and More Sustainable Schengen Area, presented earlier this month, the European Commission reiterated its call on the Council to take the necessary steps to enable Bulgaria and Romania to become part of the area without internal border controls.