China has broadened its 15-day visa-free policy for citizens of certain countries to include an additional 6 European nations. As of March 14, 2024, nationals of Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Switzerland will be able to enter mainland China without a visa for short trips. This change in China’s visa policy is designed to
Visa Requirements for Bulgarian Citizens
Visa requirements for citizens of Bulgaria are administrative entry restrictions placed on Bulgarian passport holders by the authorities of other countries and territories around the globe.
The Henley Passport Index currently ranks the Bulgarian passport 9th in terms of travel freedom among the passports of the world, tied with those of Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania. This is because citizens of Bulgaria are granted visa exemption or access with a visa on arrival to up to 135 countries worldwide.
To visit territories to which Bulgarians are granted visa exemption, it is necessary to present a valid Bulgarian passport. The visa-free stay permitted in these countries varies from 14 days up to 1 year depending on the destination.
There are up to 40 countries that have implemented an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization program for Bulgarian nationals. These expedited online applications allow Bulgarians to easily obtain an eVisa or electronic travel authorization for their destination from the comfort of their own home. They remove the need to apply for a visa from an embassy or endure long border queues to submit a visa on arrival application.
An approved online visa waiver or eVisa for Bulgarian travelers may be issued for a single entry or multiple entries, and permit a stay from 14 days to 1 year depending on the destination. They are most often issued for purposes of tourism, business, or transit.
To visit these same destinations for long-term stays or other purposes, it is necessary to obtain an embassy travel visa for Bulgarian citizens. Additionally, an approved visa from an embassy or consulate is required for Bulgarians to visit around 80 countries no matter the length of stay or motive for the travel.
Further information about these entry types for travelers from Bulgaria can be found below.