Bulgaria opens the tourist season and invites tourists from May 1, 2021

The question of when Bulgaria is going to open for tourists from the UK, Russia, Israel, a row of European and Asian countries and when they can freely fly to Bulgaria for a vacation has finally been resolved. From the 1st of May Bulgaria opens its borders for the people living in the most states of the world.

After more than a 12 months-period closure of borders due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bulgaria announced that it will be happy to greet travelers from the European Union, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, as well as several other countries. Summer in Bulgaria is now closer for them! 

Unfortunately, entry of citizens of Brazil, Bangladesh, India, and most of the European countries will still be forbidden.

Key points of the Decree of the Bulgarian Minister of Health № РД-01-278/29.04.2021 from the 29th of April, 2021

Back in the end of March, the government of Bulgaria started planning a 2021 touristic season. It was decided that it will start in May, however, without an official document regulating arrival of travelers to the country and documents they require to confirm that they are not infected with COVID-19, it was really difficult for tourists to plan vacations, and for hotel owners and travel operators – their work.

The document that people have been waiting for so long was issued by the Ministry of Health on the 29th of April. It clarified the procedure of how tourists from different countries, including ones from England, Russia can enter the Bulgarian territory. The Decree is valid from the 1st to the 31st of May. However, many of our clients ask a reasonable question whether they can plan coming to Bulgaria in summer as well. We are sure that by the end of May, the government will issue a new document with explanations of how travelers can visit the Bulgarian Black sea in June. Measures are not likely to be tightened. 

How to enter Bulgaria now?

Since the issue of whether Bulgaria opens its borders in summer months for tourists from Great Britain, the EU, Russia, Israel, Moldova has already been resolved, it is vital to correctly interpret the terms of entry. Otherwise, the vacation on the Black Sea coast will be cancelled or completely ruined. 

The accepted Decree states that each traveler must provide one of these documents:

• A certificate confirming that the tourist has completed vaccination. Usually 2 doses of a vaccine are required (1 for Janssen). Entry is allowed after at least 14 days from the date when the second vaccine was applied. The certificate will not be valid without the full name of the traveler (it must comply with the name indicated in the passport he/ she travels with and to be written with Latin letters), the date of birth. It also has to include all the information about the vaccine: dates when it was applied name, manufacture, batch #. People can be vaccinated with one of these vaccines: Moderna, Janssen, Comirnaty/ BNT162b2, AZD1222, Vaxzevria/ AZD1222, Covishield, SARS-CoV-2, Sputnik V.
• The traveler can provide a document confirming that he/ she has antibodies against COVID-19. It is confirmed with a laboratory test completed within 15-180 days before travelling. The certificate must include the name of the traveler, his personal information, data about the laboratory where the test was made, date of the research, method name. The result shall be written with a word Positive. 
• Citizens of Bulgaria, EU, Schengen countries (including the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of San Marino, the Principality of Monaco and the Vatican City State) as well as  their family members (including people who live with them without registering a family); citizens of the United Kingdom, including North Ireland, USA, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Thailand, UAE, Tunisian Republic, Eastern Republic of Uruguay, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Russia, Israel, Kuwait, Belarus and Turkey; people with a temporary, permanent, long-term residence permit in the Republic of Bulgaria as well as members of their families; persons holding a Bulgarian long-term visa type “D”, as well as people holding a temporary residence in one of EU or  Schengen countries (including San Marino, the Vatican, Andorra, Monaco) and their families members, except as specified in paragraph 1 of the Decree, may enter the territory of Republic of Bulgaria by providing confirmation of a negative result for a PCR test performed within 72 hours before entering the country. Another option is to provide a document confirming a negative result of an antigen test carried out within 48 hours prior to arrival in Bulgaria. The result should be written with the word “Negative”. The document must contain the name and the surname of the traveler written in accordance with his passport, information about the laboratory where the test has been done, the manufacturer of the test and the name of the test. Tests from Abbott Rapid Diagnostics, Biosynex Swiss SA, SD Biosensor Inc, Xiamen Boson Biotech Co. and several other manufacturers are accepted. 

Methods 2 and 3 also apply to kids, as they can’t be vaccinated.

Thus, tourists from the UK, the USA, China, Germany, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other European and Asian countries can enter Bulgaria if they have one of these certificates approved by the Ministry of Health.

Bulgaria will stay closed for people coming from Brazil, Bangladesh, India and most African states, with the exception of Morocco, Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire and several others. It does not matter whether they are transit tourists or stay overnight in other countries. Bulgarians, peoples with a temporary, long-term or permanent residence right in Bulgaria can enter the state, but will immediately go to a quarantine that will last 10 days. 

Irrespective to the citizenship and point of departure, following categories can visit the Republic of Bulgaria:

• Medical staff;
• Employees occupied with delivery of medicine, medical equipment;
• Officials;
• People involved in humanitarian missions;
• Participants of international competitions;
• Seasonal workers employed in agriculture and tourism;
• Students;
• Investors and their business team.

Persons related to these categories must have a negative antigen or PCR test or to go to a quarantine that lasts 10 days. These restrictions do not refer to transit passengers, drivers, ships or aircraft crew members, as well as border officials.

From our side, we are happy to remind you that the Apart Estate agency is ready to propose to you the best real estate in Bulgaria for vacations and permanent residence, and an Introduction tour service. For more information – leave a request on our website or write to any messenger convenient per phone numbers indicated in Contacts.