Event: Bulgarian Ministry of Health Order issued April 6, 2020 continues restricted entry to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria has temporarily barred admission to third-country nationals, including U.S. citizens. It has also barred admission to all travelers arriving from following EU Member States and Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland. This includes all border crossing points with any means of transport, including aviation, maritime, rail, and road.
The ban does not apply to certain groups including: (a) Bulgarian citizens (and their family members; (b) persons with permanent or long-term resident status in Bulgaria (and their family members); (c) healthcare professionals, health researchers and social workers traveling in performance of their duties; (d) transport personnel engaged in the carriage of goods and commercial aircraft crews; (e) foreign officials, diplomats, officials of international organizations, military personnel, and humanitarian workers in the performance of their duties; (f) persons traveling for humanitarian reasons; (g) non-Bulgarian nationals directly involved in the support of critical infrastructure in Bulgaria; and, (h) frontier and seasonal farm workers.
The order allows transit for the following travelers through Bulgaria to the country of their residence: (a) nationals of EU and Schengen countries (plus their family members), (b) third-country nationals holding long-term residence permits in another EU or Schengen country (plus family members); and, (c) citizens of Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, and Turkey. In addition, transit is only permitted when the traveler will immediately depart Bulgaria and only when arranged in advance through a Bulgarian Embassy or Consulate.
Travelers permitted entry will have to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival except for those transiting.
The full text of the order is available here: Bulgarian Ministry of Health website.
The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for Covid-19.
- U.S. citizens who are not prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period should arrange for immediate return to the United States.
- U.S. citizens planning to return to the United States are urged to work with their airlines to make travel arrangements while flights are still available. If your travel has been disrupted, please contact your airline.
- Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.
- U.S. citizens who need assistance should contact the American Citizen Services Section at ACS_Sofia@state.gov.
Actions to take:
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Bulgaria.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
Contact Information:
- U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria
+359-2-937-5100 (business hours)
+359-2-937-5101 (after hours—emergencies only—arrest, death, or danger to the safety and security of U.S. citizens)
ACS_Sofia@state.gov
https://bg.usembassy.gov - State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
- Bulgaria Country Information
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