Important information for all arrivals in Bulgaria

As of December 01, 2021 until March 31, 2022 new provisions are in force, check here for entry of persons from other countries in the Republic of Bulgaria, issued by the Minister of Health.

Countries are categorized by colour zones - green, orange and red, in reference to the risk of spreading Covid-19. All countries, except the EU, the EEA and the Swiss Confederation, which do not fall into the red zone, according to the information under item 3.1. of the order, are considered to be orange zone countries.

1. Arrival from a country in a green zone is allowed upon presentation of a valid EU digital COVID certificate or an analogous document containing the same data as the certificate, for one of the following:

    • Completed vaccination (at least 14 days shall have passed since the last dose);     • Illness (positive PCR or antigen test valid between the 11th and 180th day);     • Test performed (negative result from PCR test done up to 72 hours or rapid antigen test up to 48 hours before flight). In case of lack of a submitted document, arrivals are placed under a 10-day quarantine, which can be shortened if the person provides a negative PCR or rapid antigen test performed no earlier than 72 hours of arrival in the country.

1. orange zone is allowed upon presentation of a valid EU digital COVID certificate or an analogous document containing the same data as the certificate for one of the following:  • Completed vaccination (at least 14 days have passed since the last dose);  • Illness (positive PCR or antigen test valid between the 11th and 180th day);  • Test performed (negative result from PCR test done up to 72 hours or rapid antigen test up to 48 hours before flight). In case of lack of a submitted document, arrivals are placed under a 10-day quarantine, which can be shortened if the person provides a negative PCR or rapid antigen test performed no earlier than 72 hours of arrival in the country.

1. red zone country is allowed for:

- Bulgarian citizens and persons with the status of permanent, long-term or protracted residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and the members of their families. (item 4.3.1 in the Order).

- Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the countries listed in Annex № 4 and members of their families arriving from a Member State of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the Confederation Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and an Annex 4 country, holding a valid EU digital COVID certificate for vaccination or illness or for polymerase chain reaction testing for COVID-19 (PCR test) or equivalent document according to Annex № 4 and the exceptions described in the Order (items 4.3.3. - 4.3.10).

They are allowed to enter on the territory of the country upon presentation of a valid digital COVID certificate for vaccination or for illness or analogous document, or a negative result of a PCR test made up to 72 hours before entering the country, or analogous document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID certificate for testing.

In case they do not present any of the required documents, the Bulgarian citizens and the persons with the status of permanent, long-term or long-term residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and members of their families shall be admitted on the territory of the country and quarantined for a period of 10 days.

Persons arriving from the following countries of the red zone are not allowed on the territory of the country: the Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Botswana, the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Republic of Namibia and the Republic of Zimbabwe, except for persons who are Bulgarian citizens and persons with status of permanent, long-term or protracted residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and the members of their families.

Bulgarian citizens and persons with the status of permanent, long-term or long-term residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and members of their families arriving from the Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Botswana, the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Republic of Namibia and the Republic of Zimbabwe have to obtain a 10-day quarantine. These persons must submit by e-mail to the regional health inspectorate, which has placed them under quarantine, a document with a result of a PCR test performed between the 10th and 12th day of entry into the country.

On the territory of the country, without the need to submit documents for COVID-19, persons arriving from countries other than those under item 4.6 of the Order (Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Botswana, Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Republic of Namibia and Republic of Zimbabwe) who are children up to the age of 12, regardless of the area in which they come from.

With not less than 5 per cent of the arriving persons under item 4.2. and item 4.3., as well as to all persons under item 4.7. of theOrder, a study is being conducted for COVID-19 with a rapid antigen test by the border health authorities.

As of November 26, 2021 the lists of countries by colour zones are as follows: List of countries by colour zones, countries for which there is information about a significant negative change in the epidemic situation and countries with a reciprocal basis.

Green Zone: Vatican City State.

Orange Zone: All countries outside the green and red zones.

Red zone: People's Republic of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Kingdom of Bhutan, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Republic of Maldives, Republic of South Africa, Republic of Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Republic of Zimbabwe, Republic of Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Zambia, Sultanate of Oman, Turkmenistan, Republic of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Chile, Eastern Republic of Uruguay, Federative Republic of Brazil, Republic of Paraguay, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Republic of Suriname, Republic of Panama, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Guatemala, Belize, Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Saint Lucia, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Singapore, Brunei, Jordan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Georgia, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Estonia, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovak Republic, Republic of Austria, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ireland, Czech Republic, Kingdom of Belgium, Hungary, Kingdom of Denmark, Iceland, Hellenic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Principality of Liechtenstein, Principality of Andorra, Republic of Poland, Swiss Confederation, Republic of San Marino, Luxembourg, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Cyprus, Principality of Monaco, France. "

The Order shall enter into force on 20.12.2021.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Annex № 4 to item I, 12 List of countries whose COVID-19 vaccination, testing and relapse certificates are considered equivalent to the EU digital COVID certificate Republic of Northern Macedonia, Republic of San Marino, Swiss Confederation, Turkish Republic, Ukraine, Vatican City State (only for vaccination certificates issued), Principality of Andorra, Republic of Albania, Faroe Islands, Principality of Monaco, Republic of Panama, Kingdom of Morocco, Israel,  Armenia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway, Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Singapore, the Togolese Republic, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and New Zealand.