Bulgarian passport visa-free countries

Traveling with a Bulgarian passport

The Bulgarian passport is an official document issued to eligible nationals of Bulgaria. It allows them to enjoy international travel and serves as proof of their Bulgarian citizenship. The Bulgarian passport is generally considered a strong passport, ranking 14th place in the Henley Passport Index.

Bulgaria passport holders are allowed to travel visa-free to a number of destinations. As for now, over 100 countries welcome Bulgarian travelers without a visa. For other journeys, it may be essential to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa), a visa on arrival (VOA), or a standard visa from the Embassy.

The Bulgarian passport application process

You can obtain the Bulgarian passport at the departments of the passport office. It is essential that you take part in the procedure in person, as the officers will collect digital images of your signature and scan your fingerprints. Minors must be accompanied by both their parents or legal guardians.

Once you have scheduled a visit to the passport office, you will be asked to complete the registration form with your most important personal data. You also need to submit the biometric passport photo – it should be taken by a professional photographer and not be older than 6 months. Then, you must make the service fee payment for processing of your application.

The regular waiting time for the passport issuance is 90 days (3 months). The documents are issued to Bulgarian citizens following the decision of the Ministry of Interior. The standard validity period of the approved passport is 10 years for adults and 5 years for children.

Countries that Bulgaria passport holders can visit visa-free

If Bulgarian citizens travel visa-free, they can enjoy great freedom of movement. To visit another country, they only need a valid Bulgarian passport – no additional documentation is required for a successful journey abroad. While traveling without a visa, Bulgarian passport holders save time and money that would otherwise be spent on the visa application procedure.

Currently, Bulgarian citizens may visit 107 visa-free countries only with a valid passport:

• Andorra
• United Arab Emirates
• Albania
• Armenia
• Argentina
• Austria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Brunei
• Brazil
• Bahamas
• Botswana
• Belarus
• Belize
• Switzerland
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Serbia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Spain
• Finland
• Fiji
• Micronesia
• France
• United Kingdom
• Grenada
• Georgia
• Gambia
• Greece
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Croatia
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Israel
• Iceland
• Italy
• Japan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kiribati
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Kazakhstan
• Saint Lucia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Latvia
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Marshall Islands
• Macedonia
• Mongolia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• San Marino
• Senegal
• El Salvador
• Timor Leste
• Tunisia
• Tonga
• Turkey
• Tuvalu
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Venezuela
• Vanuatu
• Samoa
• Zambia
• Qatar
• Singapore
• Seychelles
• Palau
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Romania
• Paraguay
• Solomon Islands
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Cape Verde
• Antigua and Barbuda

The benefits of visiting visa-free countries with a Bulgarian passport

Bulgaria passport holders can enjoy a plethora of benefits while choosing visa-free travel. By selecting destinations that do not require them to obtain a visa, they may save a lot of time, money, and stress.

• They save a lot of time that would otherwise be spent on scheduling appointments at the office.
• They do not waste money that would be allocated for paying the mandatory visa processing fees.
• They may enjoy freedom of movement and organize spontaneous trips to different countries.
• They do not need to worry about meeting the strict visa requirements before the application.
• They are not required to collect any supporting documentation apart from a valid passport.

Countries offering e-Visa to Bulgarian citizens

The electronic visa is a visa issued for eligible travelers online. To obtain this visa, you must complete the application form on the website and cover the visa processing fee using one of the available online payment methods. Once approved, it will be sent to you electronically. The procedure is very convenient as you can obtain the required visa without the need to leave your house.

Bulgaria passport holders can obtain a visa online for the following 32 countries:

• Angola
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Ivory Coast
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Guinea Bissau
• Guinea
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Cambodia
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Lesotho
• Madagascar
• Myanmar
• Malawi
• Papua New Guinea
• Suriname
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Vietnam
• South Africa
• Rwanda
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• South Sudan

A few countries do not require travelers to obtain a visa, but instead, they introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The document is very similar to a standard visa available online. The applicant must complete an electronic application procedure, and the approved visa will be delivered directly to their e-mail address.

Bulgarian citizens should apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization ETA for:

• Australia
• Canada
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• New Zealand
• Pakistan

Countries offering visa on arrival to Bulgarian passport holders

An effortless method of obtaining a visa is applying for a visa on arrival. This visa may be issued to eligible visitors after landing in another country. Although the procedure is fast and uncomplicated, you cannot be certain whether the document will be issued successfully. If you plan to apply for a visa on arrival, make sure you meet all the visa requirements.

A visa on arrival is available for Bulgarian passport holders while traveling to 34 countries:

• Bangladesh
• Bahrain
• Burundi
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Egypt
• Gabon
• Guinea Bissau
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Cambodia
• Comoros
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Madagascar
• Mauritania
• Maldives
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Papua New Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Togo
• Thailand
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda
• Saudi Arabia

Countries where Bulgarian citizens need to get a visa to travel to

Bulgarian passport holders may enjoy effortless travel to numerous destinations worldwide. For other trips, they may be required to obtain an online visa or a visa on arrival. However, some countries will grant them entry only if they have a standard visa. This visa type may be obtained at the Embassy after scheduling a visit to the office in person.

Citizens of Bulgaria must obtain a visa at the Embassy for the following 27 countries:

• Afghanistan
• Burkina Faso
• Bhutan
• Congo
• Central African Republic
• Republic of the Congo
• Cameroon
• China
• Algeria
• Eritrea
• Ghana
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guyana
• North Korea
• Liberia
• Libya
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Nauru
• Syria
• Chad
• Turkmenistan
• United States
• Yemen
• Sudan
• Eswatini