United States
Bulgaria
Bulgaria visa for US citizens
Entry requirement
US citizens do not need a visa for Bulgaria: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
- 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 the United States
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (part of the year) | 985 | 825 | 18 | 1.6% | 77.2% |
| 2025 | 536 | 486 | 5 | 0.8% | 57.6% |
In 2025, Bulgaria’s embassy and consulates in the United States (Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York and Chicago) received 536 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 486. The refusal rate was 0.8%. That is barely different from 2024 (1.6%). Applications fell by 46% compared with 2024 (985).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 4.9% of the applications lodged in the United States that year, from 0.4% at the consulates of Greece to 20.5% at those of Sweden. Bulgaria’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Bulgaria was the 21st most applied-for Schengen state in the United States.
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 the United States, 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 the United States
BulgariaUnited States Visa required United States 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.
Before travelling from the United States to Bulgaria, it helps to know the official travel advice: 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 US citizens can stay in Bulgaria
US 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 US 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 US citizens
North Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Serbia admit US citizens visa-free.
Bulgarian citizens travelling to the United States
Bulgarian citizens must obtain a visa before travelling to the United States.
Frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Bulgaria?
US citizens do not need a visa for Bulgaria: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
How long can US citizens stay in Bulgaria?
US 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 the United States?
Bulgarian citizens must obtain a visa before travelling to the United States.
Can US citizens enter Bulgaria visa-free?
Yes, US 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.