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BulgariaEntry and visas

Bulgaria entry rules

Citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Israel, the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Serbia and Australia do not need to arrange a visa for Bulgaria in advance: the stay is up to 90 days. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye need a visa from a consulate before the trip.

Checked against official sources on 9 October 2026.

Entry rules by passport

For a tourist trip. Checked on 9 October 2026 against the official sources listed below the table.

The 90-in-180-days limit counts across the whole Schengen area, not Bulgaria alone. ETIAS is not running yet: once it starts, visa-free passports will need an online authorisation before travel.

Sources: EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annexes I and II · Bulgarian MFA — visa regime table for ordinary passports (updated 02.07.2026) · European Commission — ETIAS · EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) 2026/496 on Georgian official passports

What is checked at the border

  • Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years.
  • Funds for the trip: at least €50 (≈ $56) a day and no less than €500 (≈ $559) per trip — or a prepaid tour. For accommodation, another €50 a day, or a prepaid booking or an invitation from a Bulgarian resident. Plus money or a ticket for the way back; if you drive your own car, another €100 (≈ $112).
  • Border guards may ask for insurance, an invitation and documents on the purpose of the trip where required, and check that you have enough money for the whole trip.
  • At the Schengen border, travellers without a residence permit give fingerprints and a facial image for the electronic Entry/Exit System (EES).

How to extend your stay

A Schengen visa or the stay granted under it can be extended within 90 days in 180: free of charge for extraordinary circumstances or humanitarian reasons, for a fee for serious personal reasons. Apply to the Interior Ministry's Migration Directorate before your permitted stay ends.

Overstay penalties

Overstaying carries a fine of 500–5,000 leva (≈ €256–2,556, ≈ $286–2,860), or 1,000–10,000 leva for a repeat offence. A person who did not leave on time is also banned from entering all EU countries for up to 5 years.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Bulgaria?
Citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Israel, the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Serbia and Australia enter without a visa. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye get a visa from a consulate before the trip.
How long can I stay in Bulgaria without a visa?
90 days in any 180 days for citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Israel, the UK, the US, Canada, Serbia and Australia.
Can the stay be extended?
A Schengen visa or the stay granted under it can be extended within 90 days in 180: free of charge for extraordinary circumstances or humanitarian reasons, for a fee for serious personal reasons. Apply to the Interior Ministry's Migration Directorate before your permitted stay ends.
What happens if I overstay?
Overstaying carries a fine of 500–5,000 leva (≈ €256–2,556, ≈ $286–2,860), or 1,000–10,000 leva for a repeat offence. A person who did not leave on time is also banned from entering all EU countries for up to 5 years.
What is checked on entry to Bulgaria?
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years. Funds for the trip: at least €50 (≈ $56) a day and no less than €500 (≈ $559) per trip — or a prepaid tour. For accommodation, another €50 a day, or a prepaid booking or an invitation from a Bulgarian resident. Plus money or a ticket for the way back; if you drive your own car, another €100 (≈ $112). Border guards may ask for insurance, an invitation and documents on the purpose of the trip where required, and check that you have enough money for the whole trip. At the Schengen border, travellers without a residence permit give fingerprints and a facial image for the electronic Entry/Exit System (EES).
How can I stay in Bulgaria longer?
A visa-free stay does not give the right to live in the country. A longer stay needs a long-term visa or a residence permit: employment with a single stay and work permit, business: commercial activity that creates at least 10 jobs for Bulgarian citizens, investment: from 600,000 leva in real estate or 250,000 leva in a company in a disadvantaged region, pensioners with sufficient means, family members of a Bulgarian citizen or a resident foreigner, digital nomads.

Sources

Checked on 9 October 2026. Entry rules change: check them on the consulate website before you travel.