Albania
Bulgaria
Bulgaria visa for Albanian citizens
Entry requirement
Albanian citizens can visit Bulgaria without a visa for up to 90 days.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 7 November 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at mfa.bg
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Bulgaria: visa decisions in Albania
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (part of the year) | 197 | 157 | 12 | 5.0% | 96.8% |
| 2025 | 227 | 202 | 9 | 4.3% | 91.6% |
In 2025, Bulgaria’s embassy and consulates in Albania (Tirana) received 227 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 202. 4.3% of applications were refused. In 2024 the rate was much the same, 5.0%. Applications rose by 15% compared with 2024 (197).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 5.4% of the applications lodged in Albania that year. Bulgaria’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Bulgaria was the 2nd most applied-for Schengen state in Albania.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. Bulgaria only began issuing Schengen visas on 31 March 2024, so its 2024 figures cover part of the year. The figures cover applications lodged in Albania, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2024–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Bulgarian citizens travelling to Albania
BulgariaAlbania Visa-free, 90 days Albania visa for citizens of Bulgaria
Travel advice for Bulgaria
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
For a trip from Albania to Bulgaria, the published travel advice reads as follows: the US State Department rates Bulgaria at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 8 October 2025), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Bulgaria (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Bulgaria (updated 13 October 2026). The advice is aimed at each government’s own nationals.
Good to know
How long Albanian citizens can stay in Bulgaria
Albanian citizens may stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days. Days in Bulgaria count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Bulgaria and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of Albanian citizens in Bulgaria count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Bulgaria’s neighbours for Albanian citizens
North Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Serbia admit Albanian citizens visa-free.
Bulgarian citizens travelling to Albania
Bulgarian citizens can visit Albania without a visa for up to 90 days. The rule is the same in both directions between Albania and Bulgaria.
Frequently asked questions
Do Albanian citizens need a visa for Bulgaria?
Albanian citizens can visit Bulgaria without a visa for up to 90 days.
How long can Albanian citizens stay in Bulgaria?
Albanian citizens can stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Bulgarian citizens need a visa for Albania?
Bulgarian citizens can visit Albania without a visa for up to 90 days.
Can Albanian citizens enter Bulgaria visa-free?
Yes, Albanian citizens can enter Bulgaria without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 7 November 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.