Division 1.5 Situation regarding the Member States that joined the Union in 2004 and 2007 without yet being fully integrated into the Schengen area, Member States that do not participate in the Union common visa policy and associated countries

Only Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania do not yet fully implement the Schengen acquis. They will continue issuing national visas with a validity limited to their own national territory. Once those Member States fully implement the Schengen acquis, they will continue to apply the Agreement.

National law continues to apply to all issues not covered by the Agreement until the date of full implementation of the Schengen acquis by those Member States. As from that date, Schengen rules and/or national law shall apply to issues not covered by the Agreement.

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are authorised to recognise residence permits, D visas and short stay visas issued by Schengen Member States and associated countries for short stays on their territory^f1.

In accordance with Article 21 of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 between the Governments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders^f2, all Schengen Member States must recognise long-stay visas and residence permits issued by each other as valid for short stays on each other's territories. Schengen Member States accept residence permits, D visas and short stay visas of associated countries for entry and short stay and vice versa.

The Agreement does not apply to Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom but comprises joint declarations about the desirability of those Member States to conclude bilateral agreements on visa facilitation with Georgia.

Although associated to Schengen, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are not covered by the Agreement.