Bulgaria Visa Information
Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.
Who requires a visa?
Visitors from the following countries do not need a visa to enter Bulgaria:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK (British Citizen Passport Holders and British Nationals /Overseas/ only), USA, Uruguay, the Vatican, Venezuela, SAR – China (Hong Kong, Makao).
All holders of passports from countries not mentioned in the list above need visas to enter Bulgaria.
Specific requirements:
With Bulgaria's entry into the EU in 2007, Bulgaria's visa requirements have been upgraded to meet EU requirements. Basically, entry into Bulgaria is now as (relatively) simple as entry into any EU Member State.
• Entry requirements for Americans: Citizens of the USA do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 90 days within a six-month period. Passports must be valid for at least three months after entry.
• Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK passport holders, endorsed British Citizen, do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 90 days in a six-month period. Passports should be valid for the period of intended stay. Other UK passport holders require a visa and a passport that is valid for at least six months.
• Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 90 days within a six-month period. A passport valid for at least three months after entry is required.
• Entry requirements for Australians: Australians do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 90 days within a six-month period. A passport valid for at least three months after entry is required. • Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans need a visa to enter Bulgaria. A passport valid for at least six months on entry is required and a visa will only be issued if blank pages are available.
• Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealanders do not require a visa for a maximum stay of 90 days within a six-month period. A valid passport valid for at least three months on entry is required.
• Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 90 days within a six-month period. A passport valid for the period of intended stay is required.
Otherwise, all except the following require entry visas to Bulgaria: Nationals of EU countries for stays of up to 90 days within each six-month period (except nationals of Estonia, Ireland and the UK, who may stay for up to 30 days within a six-month period);
Nationals of Chile, Iceland, Malaysia and Norway for stays of up to 90 days within a six-month period; Nationals of Andorra, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland, and Vatican City for stays of up to 30 days within each six-month period;
Nationals of Croatia, Korea (Rep), Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), San Marino and Tunisia.
Note: Nationals of Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Sudan must apply for an airport transit visa and may not leave the airport transit lounge. They need to present a valid flight reservation to get the visa.
What documents will be required?
The Bulgarian visas are issued by the Bulgarian embassies and consulates abroad, not at the airports or the land and sea passport control points in Bulgaria. Visa application requirements may include but are not limited to:
Valid passport;
Application form;
One passport-size photo;
Return ticket or documentation for next destination;
Fee, payable in cash or by postal order only;
Proof of sufficient funds (at least 50 USD a day);
Proof of paid fare for onward destination;
For motor vehicle transit, proof of an extra 200 USD for each entry;
Proof of a secured return trip;
For business visits: Letters from the applicant’s company and from the Bulgarian business partner, endorsed by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce; For private visits: A letter of invitation by a Bulgarian citizen endorsed by the local authorities.
Time required to issue a Visa:
Visa application processing can usually take up to 10 working days, since each application needs to receive clearance by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.
How long is the Visa valid for?
Single-entry visas for tourist visits are normally valid for three months from date of issue for a maximum stay of 30 days. Multiple-entry visas are for business visits and are normally valid for three months from date of issue. Transit: Up to 24 hours.
Other information:
Foreigners entering Bulgarian territory on a motor vehicle have to present a document of ownership for that vehicle, if such ownership is not explicitly shown in the vehicle's registration documents.
Important notice:
All foreign visitors should bear in mind that under Bulgarian Law they are required to contact their local police station within 48 hours of arrival in and present in writing the address at which they will be staying. If they are staying in a hotel or private lodgings, the hotel management/host bear the obligation to register them at the local police station.
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Bulgaria embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Bulgaria. Bulgarian Embassies Worldwide.
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- The Republic of Bulgaria Ministry of Foreign Affairs - URL: https://www.mfa.bg/en/
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.