Romania and Turkey are set to commence bilateral negotiations for a new agreement modeled on Schengen rules. Following the Romanian government's approval on Tuesday, talks are set to begin with Turkey for a new agreement based on the Schengen acquis. In a press release, the Romanian government stated that the previous agreement between the two countries, initially signed in Bucharest on February 17, 2004, and later amended by two Protocols in Bucharest on October 25, 2007, was partly terminated in Ankara on September 19, 2013. The press release further mentioned that the articles granting visa exemptions for citizens of both states have been revoked.
Romanian authorities attribute the adjustment of the bilateral agreement to align with the Schengen acquis, which Romania has fully implemented since March 31, 2024. Romania partially joined the Schengen Zone on March 31 this year, implementing border controls for air and sea travel while the process for land border accession is ongoing.
For travel to Turkey, Romanian citizens currently enjoy visa-free entry, allowing for a short-term stay of up to 90 days.
According to the Passport Index by VisaGuide.World, Romania's passport grants visa-free access to 110 countries and passport-free access to 30 countries. Ranked 37th in the index, Romania's passport has a score of 86.30. The absence of a definitive date for Romania's accession to the Schengen Agreement concerning land borders is posing additional challenges for the country.
The European Parliament has recently urged for the removal of land border controls for Romania and Bulgaria to prevent lengthy queues of trucks at the borders of both countries.