A stray dog was the first to cross the border between Romania and Hungary after Romania, already a member of the European Union (EU), recently became part of the Schengen Area. The dog made history when it strolled through the entrance as the checkpoint barrier was lifted, and was greeted with a round of applause from officers who stood on both sides of the road. Watch the video below: https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1875953576209756381?t=GE41dSA20ahaqQWxlZ0I5Q&s=19 Romania and Bulgaria became full member nations of the Schengen Area on January 1 with the lifting of the checks on persons at the internal land borders between the countries and other Schengen nations. The internal air and sea border controls were lifted on 31 March 2024. Their Schengen admission was delayed by Austria who cited uncontrolled immigration. Permanent residents and citizens of countries in the Schengen Area can travel visa-free to other member nations - thus enhancing tourism and business. List Of Countries In The EU Schengen Area Currently, there are 30 countries in the Schengen Area. Not all the countries are members of the European Union (EU). 22 countries are part of the EU while four (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) are non-members and are referred to as Associated States. Ireland and Cyprus are EU nations but are not included in the Schengen Area. Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland