Visiting Bulgaria
Bulgaria is part of the Schengen area and now uses the euro. Days you spend there count towards your Schengen total.
What you need, by passport
- US passportNo visa needed for up to 90 days in 180Cleared
- UK passportNo visa needed for up to 90 days in 180Cleared
- Irish passportNo visa or time limit as an EU citizenCleared
- Canadian passportNo visa needed for up to 90 days in 180Cleared
- Australian passportNo visa needed for up to 90 days in 180Cleared
- New Zealand passportNo visa needed for up to 90 days in 180Cleared
Quick answers
Do I need a visa to visit Bulgaria?
Not for a short visit on a US, UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the whole Schengen area. Irish citizens can live and work there with no time limit.
Is Bulgaria in the Schengen area?
Yes, since 1 January 2025. Time you spend in Bulgaria counts towards your 90 days in any 180, together with every other Schengen country.
Do I need ETIAS for Bulgaria?
Not yet. When it starts, you'll need to apply online for ETIAS before you travel. It will cost €20 (free if you're under 18 or over 70) and last 3 years or until your passport expires. There's no start date yet: the EU says it will announce it several months ahead. Until then, don't pay any website for it.
How long does my passport need to be valid for Bulgaria?
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area.
Good to know in Bulgaria
Bulgaria now uses the euro. Bulgaria switched from the lev to the euro on 1 January 2026. Since 1 February 2026 only euros are legal tender. If you have old leva, the Bulgarian National Bank exchanges them free, with no time limit.
E-vignette for driving. You need an e-vignette to drive a car on Bulgaria's toll road network. There's no sticker to display. From 1 August 2026 a car costs €6.60 for a weekend, €10 for a week, €19.90 for a month or €64.50 for a year.
Avoid unofficial vignette sites. Buy only on bgtoll.bg, the BG TOLL app or its official partners. Bulgaria's toll agency says some other sites charge nearly double, and some take payment without issuing a valid vignette.
Checked 26 October 2026 against European Union, European Commission, European Central Bank and BG TOLL, National Toll Administration.
See the 20 official sources
- What is ETIAS (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- What you need to apply (ETIAS) (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- ETIAS frequently asked questions (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- ETIAS timeline explained (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- Who should apply (ETIAS) (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- How does the EES work? (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- What is the EES? (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- FAQs about EES (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- Smart Borders (European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs))
- Short-stay calculator (European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs))
- User manual for the short-stay Schengen calculator (European Commission)
- Travel documents for non-EU nationals (European Union (Your Europe))
- Travel documents for EU nationals (European Union (Your Europe))
- Residence rights when living abroad in the EU (European Union (Your Europe))
- Documents for minors travelling in the EU (European Union (Your Europe))
- Bulgaria (euro changeover) (European Central Bank)
- Countries using the euro (European Union)
- e-Vignette (BG TOLL, National Toll Administration (Bulgaria))
- E-Vignette Prices to Change from 1 August (31 July 2026) (BG TOLL, National Toll Administration (Bulgaria))
- Vignettes can be purchased from www.bgtoll.bg, the mobile application, and the official partner network (30 April 2026) (BG TOLL, National Toll Administration (Bulgaria))