Health Alert - U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria (August 31, 2021)
Location: Bulgaria
Event: Health Alert: Ministry of Health Order Update and Extension
Under the Bulgarian Ministry of Health order, countries are classified as green, orange, or red zones based on their COVID-19 risk. As of September 1, 2021, the United States will be considered a Red Zone country. That means persons arriving from the United States, regardless of their citizenship, are prohibited from entering Bulgaria unless they meet an exception listed below.
Please note that the current Bulgarian entry requirements are based on the country of departure only—not on citizenship and not on countries through which you transit. That means U.S. Citizens starting their travel from Green or Orange Zones may enter Bulgaria under the conditions listed in the new Health Order of the Bulgarian Ministry of Health. See our COVID-19 information page for details.
Exceptions: Those excepted from the Red zone entry restrictions include:
- Bulgarian citizens and persons with the status of permanent or long-term residence status in Bulgaria and their immediate family members;
- Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation and their family members arriving from a Member State of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation;
- Medical professionals, medical researchers, social workers, and their supervisors when traveling related to their duties;
- Workers involved in the supply of medicinal products, medical devices and personal protective equipment, medical equipment, including its installation and maintenance;
- Foreign officials, diplomats, members of the administrative and technical staff of foreign missions, officials of international organizations, military personnel, and humanitarian workers in the performance of their duties and their family members;
- Persons traveling for humanitarian reasons and their family;
- Students who hold long term “D” study visas;
- Foreign citizens, who are to receive a decree under the Bulgarian Citizenship Law for acquiring a Bulgarian citizenship, certified by a letter from the Minister of Justice;
- In all other cases persons travelling from red zone countries may enter Bulgaria with the permission of the Minister of Health. All those seeking this exemption must present a letter from the Minister of Health, which includes the reasons for applying for the entry exemption;
- The Department of State has issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory (“Reconsider Travel”) for Bulgaria.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Bulgaria(“avoid nonessential travel”).
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