Bulgaria travel advice
A summary of the UK government’s (FCDO) travel advice for Bulgaria, last updated by the FCDO on 11 August 2026. The full advice on GOV.UK is the authoritative version.
FCDO status
No areas listed where FCDO advises against travel
The FCDO’s alert status for Bulgaria names no areas where it advises against travel. The FCDO says no travel can be guaranteed safe. Read the full advice.
Latest FCDO update (11 August 2026): Updated information on European Entry-Exit System (EES) (‘Entry requirements’ page).
Passport validity
Bulgaria follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must have:
- have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago, making it invalid for entry to the Schengen area
- an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Carry your passport if you travel from Bulgaria to other Schengen area countries. Border guards may check it if you cross land or river borders into Greece or Romania, both in the Schengen area.
There are no routine checks when travelling by air or sea within the Schengen area, but carry your passport in case you’re asked for it. Most carriers require official photo ID.
From FCDO: entry requirements. Written for British passport holders.
Recent FCDO updates
- 11 August 2026: Updated information on European Entry-Exit System (EES) (‘Entry requirements’ page).
- 10 April 2026: Updated information on European Entry-Exit System (EES) (‘Entry requirements’ page).
- 18 February 2026: Updated information on European Entry-Exit System (EES) (‘Entry requirements’ page).
Plan your trip
- Bulgaria is in the Schengen area: count your 90/180 days, read about the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS.
- Passport validity checker · airport and airline rules
This page shows the FCDO’s headline status and quotes its text word for word; we don’t reword safety advice. It refreshes automatically, so it can lag GOV.UK by up to a day. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: FCDO foreign travel advice on GOV.UK. FCDO advice is written for British nationals; other nationalities should also check their own government’s advice.