[filoleg]

Nope, they are not, but they are bound to eventually join as they are obligated to by their Treaties of Accession[0].

Seems like the grandparent comment just didn't bother checking their facts first and jumped the gun on blaming the US for this, while the US doesn't really have anything to do with it.

0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

[kyriakos]

It's not actually a schengen issue

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/fr/MEMO_1...

Technically any country of which citizens are allowed visa free entry to eu should reciprocate. Of course this is doesn't seem to apply in practice.

[pkaye]

To be added into the visa waiver program, there are a couple criteria that countries need to meet. Things like reporting lost or stolen passports through INTERPOL. Or accepting repatriation of their citizens that are ordered to be removed from the US.

https://www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program

I think last I heard Romania meets all requirements except that B visa refusal rates which is still >3%. I think once Romania is added to Schengen Area the refusal rate should drop a lot since many of those individuals can have an easier time moving to other Schengen Area countries for economic reasons.

[Symbiote]

Romania being in the Schengen area makes absolutely no difference to Romanians' rights to work, study or live in other European Union countries.

[pkaye]

So what restriction do they have not being in the Schengen area?

[Symbiote]

They must show an identity card or passport when they cross the border into the Schengen area (or into Bulgaria, Cyprus or Ireland, the other non-Schengen states). Citizens of Schengen states must do the same when travelling to RO/BG/CY/IE.

In some places this is done efficiently — I'll bet Irish and Cypriot airports are fast — but at others, especially the land borders between Romania/Hungary and Bulgaria/Greece, there can be long queues.

Visas for foreigners are managed separately, so a Chinese tourist can take a holiday round Austria and Hungary on a single-entry Schengen visa, but will need an additional visa to enter Romania.

[bananapub]

physical border control between them and their Schengen neighbours. note, "physical" - it doesn't affect their rights to go to or work or live in other EU countries, just how annoying it is to physically cross the border into the Schengen zone.

[akmarinov]

The refusal rate is something that’s completely controlled by the US as it’s based on a subjective interview with a person.

It’s not a “meet this criteria and you’re in”, it’s a “you look poor enough in person to try and stay in the US - denied”

I work for a US based company and my boss and I wanted to visit clients in the states - my boss got denied a visa, because our company had already bought him a ticket…

[bananapub]

it's not just a schengen issue, the EU has decided it's a fairness issue and doesn't want some citizens being treated worse than others.