The European Commission has specified that the term "entering Schengen by sea" is not accurate, as border checks along rivers remain in place. This includes crossings of the Bulgarian-Romanian border along the Danube, as river borders are considered part of land borders. Consequently, passengers and crew arriving by sea from Bulgaria to Romania (or vice versa) on a vessel originating from any other Schengen country will be considered as traveling via intra-Schengen sea transport.
More information about sea Schengen read here.
Will Bulgaria issue Schengen visas?
As a participant in the agreement, Bulgaria will be responsible for issuing Schengen visas to individuals from third countries. This implies that if a foreign national arrives in Bulgaria holding such a visa, they will have the liberty to travel freely throughout the Schengen area. However, there is an exception for citizens of the Russian Federation, as there are nations that do not recognize their Schengen visas issued by another country.
In September 2022, the EU terminated its visa facilitation agreement with Russia, and the visa issuance practices among Schengen countries vary significantly, encompassing differences in required documents and visa types for tourist travel.
Four countries—Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland—ceased issuing visas to Russian citizens after these visas were utilized by Russian nationals as a means to enter the Schengen Area. Additionally, in December 2023, Finland closed its entire shared border with Russia due to heightened migratory pressures from the Middle East.
The Baltic states and Poland do not permit Russian nationals holding short-stay Schengen visas (for tourism, sports, cultural events, or visiting friends) to enter, regardless of the issuing Schengen country.
Additionally, from 31 March 2024 there will be no change for those traveling to and from the UK.