Italian Embassy in Sofia
Embassy 
Italy Sofia, Bulgaria
- Address
- Via Shipka, 2, Sofia
- Phone
- +35929217300
- ambsofia@esteri.it
- Website
- ambsofia.esteri.it
Head of mission: Apicella Marcello
Sources: OpenStreetMap · Wikidata · Foreign ministry of Italy: list of missions abroad · Record last updated on 9 October 2024
At Via Shipka, 2, Sofia, the Italian embassy in Sofia represents Italy towards Bulgaria. It is listed as open Monday to Friday, 09:00–12:00 with a midday break. Bulgarian citizens need no visa for Italy: under European free movement rules they can travel, live and work there with a valid passport or national ID card.
Opening hours of the Italian embassy in Sofia
| Monday | 09:00–12:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00–12:0015:00–16:00 break 12:00–15:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00–12:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00–12:0015:00–16:00 break 12:00–15:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–12:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Upcoming closures
Public holidays in Bulgaria
-
Christmas Eve
-
Christmas Day
Public holidays in Italy
-
Immaculate Conception
-
Christmas Day
The Italian embassy in Sofia is listed as open Monday to Friday, 09:00–12:00 with a midday break.
Italy visa for Bulgarian citizens
BulgariaItaly Visa-free Italy visa for citizens of Bulgaria
ItalyBulgaria Visa-free Bulgaria visa for citizens of Italy
Bulgarian citizens need no visa for Italy: under European free movement rules they can travel, live and work there with a valid passport or national ID card.
Visa statistics
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 227 | 209 | 17 | 7.5% | 67.0% |
| 2024 | 25 | 23 | 2 | 8.0% | 73.9% |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
2025 figures: 1 short-stay Schengen visa applications were lodged at Italy’s embassy in Sofia, and 1 visas were issued. Applications fell by 96% compared with 2024 (25).
Across all Schengen consulates in Bulgaria, 0.0% of applications were refused in 2025; Italy’s rate worldwide was 10.8%. Italy received the 9th largest number of applications of the 11 Schengen states represented here.
The statistics count applications, not people, and include every nationality that applies here, not only citizens of Bulgaria.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Other missions nearby
-
Embassy of Austria in Sofiaбул. Цар Освободител 13, София
-
Embassy of Egypt in SofiaSofia Center, 6th September St 5, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
-
-
Embassy of Albania in SofiaСофия, ул. “Аксаков” № 20, ет. 4, Sofia
-
-
Embassy of Czech Republic in SofiaГеорги С. Раковски 100, 1000 София
Italy’s other missions in Bulgaria
- Honorary Consulate of Italy in Plovdiv
Via Petko Karavelov n.26 /Business Center Evropa p, Plovdiv
The Italian embassy in Sofia is one of 2 missions of Italy in Bulgaria. Honorary consulates: Plovdiv. Bulgaria in turn has 4 missions in Italy, its embassy being in Rome.
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Good to know
About the Italian embassy in Sofia
It appears in official lists as Embassy of Italy in Sofia. It is headed by Apicella Marcello, according to the records.
Address and contact
Address: Via Shipka, 2, Sofia. The record for the Italian embassy in Sofia includes a phone number, an e-mail address and an official website.
When the Italian embassy in Sofia is closed
The next closures of the Italian embassy in Sofia for public holidays in Bulgaria are Christmas Eve on Thursday 24 December 2026 and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026; it may also close for Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione) on Tuesday 8 December 2026.
Before visiting the Italian embassy in Sofia
Current procedures for the Italian embassy in Sofia, including any appointment system, are on its official website, linked on this page.
Near the Italian embassy in Sofia
The Italian embassy in Sofia has 34 other foreign missions within 1 km, in a diplomatic quarter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the address of the Italian Embassy in Sofia?
The Italian embassy in Sofia is at Via Shipka, 2, Sofia.
What are the opening hours of the Italian Embassy in Sofia?
The Italian embassy in Sofia is listed as open Monday to Friday, 09:00–12:00 with a midday break.
Is the Italian Embassy in Sofia open on Saturday?
No. The hours on record for the Italian embassy in Sofia do not include Saturday.
When is the Italian Embassy in Sofia closed?
The Italian embassy in Sofia closes on Bulgaria’s public holidays, the next being Christmas Eve on Thursday 24 December 2026, and usually on the national day of Italy.
Do Bulgarian citizens need a visa for Italy?
Bulgarian citizens need no visa for Italy: under European free movement rules they can travel, live and work there with a valid passport or national ID card.
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