Entry/Exit Requirements

A U.S. passport is required for U.S. citizens who are not Bulgarian nationals. The U.S. passport must be valid for at least three (3) months from the expected date of departure from Bulgaria. U.S. citizens are authorized to stay in Bulgaria for a total of 90 days within any six-month period without a Bulgarian visa. This law is strictly enforced. You can file an application to extend your stay beyond the original 90 days for urgent or humanitarian reasons, but the application must be submitted to regional police authorities no later than five days prior to the end of the original 90-day period. Travelers who have been in the country for 90 days and then leave will not be able to re-enter Bulgaria before the six-month period expires. Please plan and apply for your visa early. Upon entering the country, Bulgarian immigration authorities request that all foreigners declare the purpose of their visit and provide their intended address.

Official/Diplomatic Passports: Travelers using official or diplomatic passports must secure visas prior to arrival.

If you intend to live or work in Bulgaria for more than 90 days within a six-month period, or for more than six months within a year, you must obtain a “D” visa prior to arrival. U.S. citizens must apply for a “D” visa at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate in the country in which they legally reside. If you wish to obtain a “D” visa while already present in Bulgaria -- having entered as a tourist, for example -- you must leave Bulgaria and apply at the nearest Bulgarian Embassy or Consulate in the United States. Visit the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Bulgarian Embassies/Consulates websites for more information on the entry and exit requirements for Bulgaria.

Bulgarian authorities require original photo identification. Visitors to Bulgaria are required to carry their original passports with them at all times. U.S. citizens with Bulgarian residence permits are not required to carry their passports, but may be required to present their Foreigner ID card, known in Bulgaria as a lichna karta. U.S. passport cards are recognized as proof of citizenship and identity, but are not sufficient for international air travel to and from Bulgaria.

Visitors to Bulgaria are also required to maintain medical insurance for the duration of their stay in Bulgaria. You may be required to present proof of medical insurance at the ports of entry. Please be aware that the hospitals and clinics in Bulgaria are not mandated to accept medical insurance. Visitors are required to pay in cash before they can be released from the doctor’s care. Visitors are advised to ensure they have access to cash should the need arise.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Bulgaria.

Traveling with Bulgarian Citizen Minors: Bulgarian authorities are particularly strict regarding the travel of children under the age of 18. Regulations are applicable to Bulgarian minors, Bulgarian-U.S. dual citizen minors, and U.S. citizen minors when one or both parents are Bulgarian. If a dual or multi-national Bulgarian child is traveling out of Bulgaria with only one or neither parent, the absent parent(s) must sign a certified/legalized declaration authorizing temporary custody for travel purposes. This declaration must be presented to Bulgarian Immigration on departure. If the declaration is signed in Bulgaria, it must be certified by a Bulgarian notary public. If signed in the United States, the declaration must be certified by a notary public and the court in the jurisdiction where the notary is licensed. The declaration must include an apostille issued by the individual state's Secretary of State or Governor’s office, and a Bulgarian translation by a licensed translation company to be certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please note that Bulgarian authorities do not require such documentation for minors who are not Bulgarian. However, in cases of minor children who do not have Bulgarian citizenship, but one or both parents are Bulgarian citizens, Immigration officials may request a certified/legalized declaration authorizing custody for travel purposes.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.