Bulgaria

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 1/4 — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 1/4
• ☐ Canada: level 1/4 — Exercise normal security precautions

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)
• ☐ Tap water: avoid — bottled/filtered only

Entry requirements

☐ The visa policy of the Schengen Area is a component within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union. It applies to the Schengen Area and Cyprus, but not to EU member state Ireland. The visa policy allows nationals of certain countries to enter the Schengen Area via air, land or sea without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Nationals of certain other countries are required to have a visa to enter and, in some cases, transit through the Schenge

Practical

• ☐ Plug type C/F, 230V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the right
• ☐ Emergency (police): 112 or 166
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 112 or 150
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 112 or 160
• ☐ Money: Bulgaria adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2026, replacing the lev (лев, plural: leva), which had been the national currency since 1880 and denoted by the symbol "лв". The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will continue to exchange free of charge any remaining lev banknotes and coins indefinitely.
• ☐ Tipping: Waiters in Bulgaria usually get paid a minimum wage, because they make up the rest of their salary on tips (bakshish, бакшиш). Tips are not added to the bill, so give 5-10% if you like. However, many restaurants are run by their staff, so it is not necessary to tip.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ Driving under the influence — Alcohol levels as low as 0.05% can result in charges. Penalties include fines, imprisonment, or both.
• ☐ Mandatory seat belt use — The use of seat belts is mandatory for all drivers and passengers, with the exception of pregnant women.
• ☐ Parking violations — Violating parking restrictions can lead to your car being removed by authorities, requiring a penalty fee to retrieve.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Bulgaria — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM