United States to Bulgaria visa requirements

No visa needed. U.S. ordinary passport holders can enter Bulgaria visa-free for tourism or short business visits for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. As of 21 June 2026, U.S. citizens holding ordinary tourist passports do not need a visa for short visits to Bulgaria. The Embassy of Bulgaria in Washington confirms that ordinary U.S. passport holders may travel visa-free to Bulgaria for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the U.S. State Department lists no tourist visa requirement for 90 days or less. Bulgaria fully applies Schengen short-stay rules: air and sea border checks ended on 31 March 2024, land border checks with Bulgaria/Romania were lifted on 1 January 2025, and time in Bulgaria counts toward the shared Schengen 90/180 allowance. Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen Area, have been issued within the previous 10 years, and have at least one blank page. Border officers may request proof of onward/return travel, accommodation, sufficient funds, and medical insurance. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, so U.S. short-stay travelers should expect digital entry/exit and biometric registration at the external Schengen border; it is free and requires no advance application. ETIAS is not in operation and is not required as of 21 June 2026; the European Commission says it will start in the last quarter of 2026 and the fee will be EUR 20 for most adult applicants once operational.