Will Bulgaria joining the Schengen area affect me?

Simon Calder answers your questions on Bulgaria’s move to the Schengen, travelling from Edinburgh to London, new airport security procedures and the features that make a city appealing

Until the start of this month, British visitors could spend an additional 90 days in Bulgaria (and neighbouring Romania) without affecting their Schengen area score (Getty)

Q I live in the UK and have a property in Bulgaria. I travel frequently from the UK to Germany for work. For the past couple of years I have been able to spend up to 90 days in Bulgaria without affecting the time I can be in the rest of the EU. I was concerned to see that Bulgaria is now in the Schengen area, which I imagine could make things tricky. But someone said on an online forum that Schengen status only applies if you fly into Bulgaria, not if you cross by land from Greece. Is this correct?

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A One of the many consequences of Brexit for British citizens – particularly those who own property in the EU – is the UK’s demand to be subject to the “90/180-day” rule. This is the Schengen area restriction on the time that “third-country nationals” can spend within the zone, amounting to about three months in any six-month stretch. Schengen now includes all EU member states except Cyprus and Ireland, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and some small countries.