In order to travel to and within Bulgaria the nationals of all countries need a passport valid until at least six months after the date of departure. You do not have to produce a return ticket on arrival. On arrival, however, all visitors have to register at the hotel or guesthouse they are staying at, or, when visiting friends or camping, at the nearest police station.

Requirements to obtain visa to enter Bulgaria :

• TOURIST/BUSINESS VISA

1 visa application form, completed and signed 1 Passport-type photograph Your valid, signed Passport/must have six months remaining validity Copy of itinerary showing round-trip transportation Copy of U.S. Alien Registration Card (Green Card) if applicable

• IF BUSINESS:

A letter of invitation from Bulgarian host A business letter of financial responsibility typewritten on the company letterhead, and addressed to: Embassy of Bulgaria Visa Section, Washington D.C. The letter must explain the purpose of travel and duties to be performed in Bulgaria and guarantee financial support for the applicant while in Bulgaria.

Requirements for U.S. citizens to enter Bulgaria:

• Tourist Travel

  • U.S. Passport must be valid 3 months beyond intended stay

  • No visa required for stay up to 30 days

  • Tickets and Documents for return or onward travel

  • Vaccination: None required

• Business Travel

  • U.S. Passport must be Valid 3 months Beyond Intended Stay

  • Tickets and Documents for Return or Onward Travel

  • No Visa Required for Stay up to 30 days

  • Vaccinations - None Required

• Employment or Study Travel

  • Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate

It is also helpful to register with the embassy of your country on arrival, so that they are prepared to assist you in case of medical or legal emergencies. Your embassy can also provide you with a list of addresses of English-speaking facilities, such as doctors and pharmacies.

There are also several Bulgarian embassies abroad. Nationals of the United States of America and members of the European Union can travel in Bulgaria without a visa for up to 30 days, after which they need to have applied for a visa to extend their stay.

Nationals of Australia, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Norway, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, Taiwan, UAE, Canada and Japan can visit Bulgaria without a visa if they have pre-arranged a tour of at least three day's duration with Balkantourist or any other authorised agent. Visas are free (but do need to be applied for) to nationals of China, Cyprus, North Korea and Zimbabwe. There are various types of visas, all varying in price.

A Transit Visa, given out if you are only travelling through Bulgaria on your way to another destination, is normally the cheapest, and is available in single and double entry. A Tourist Visa is about the same price and is given out to holiday-makers.

A Business Visa also comes in single and double entry, and can be for three or six months The most expensive type of visa is the Express Visa, issued immediately when applied for in person. The most you will ever pay for a visa to Bulgaria is the equivalent of forty pounds. To apply for a visa you will always need to fill out an application form, and give in your passport, a passport photo and the correct amount of money to pay for your visa.

For a Business Visa you will also need to fill in an extra form, and be in possession of a legalised invitation from a company in Bulgaria; as well as a letter of confirmation from your own company. If you intend to stay with friends, a legalised invitation from your host in Bulgaria is required. Remember that it can take up to 30 days to process a visa.

The Bulgarian currency is the Bulgarian lev (BGL) and its plural, leva. Every lev used to consist of 100 stotinki (st). Leva notes are available in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50. Stotinki coins in use are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50.

After the fall of Communism in Bulgaria, new editions of leva notes were printed, and all notes dating prior to 1974 have been declared worthless. To ensure against receiving counterfeit notes, always check for the Bulgarian Lion watermark. The deregulation of the lev on the exchange market has caused foreign currency, and in particular United States dollars (USD), to become very popular with the Bulgarian population. Black­market currency exchanges and upstart banks vie with airport shop owners and taxi drivers in attempts to separate tourists from their foreign currency. Local currency may not be taken out of the country.

The following credit cards are accepted in many hotels, restaurants and shops in Bulgaria: Diners Club, American Express, Mastercard, Carte Blanche, Balkanamericard, Visa, Eurocard, etc. They can be used for the payment of all standard services: hotel accommodation, restaurants, night spots, shopping, car rentals, plane tickets, etc.

Telecommunications: International dialing code for Bulgaria - 359. Direct telephone communication from Bulgaria to countries in Europe, Asia and Africa is possible from Betcom or Bulgarian Telecommunication Company phone booths, with phonecards. Phone calls, telegram and telefax services in the country and abroad are offered by the Sofia Central Post Office and by Post Office in the capital and the country.

0123 - operator for international calls (if no direct phone call is possible)
1286, 983 308 - Road Assistance
75 361 - Institute for Treatment of Foreign Citizens
798 035 - Sofia Airport - International Flights
722 414 - Sofia Airport - Domestic Flights
121 - operator for long-distance calls within the country
140 - sending of telegrams
144 - telephone information service for office phone numbers
145 - telephone information service for home numbers
146 - Emergency Road Service
150 - Emergency Medical Aid
166 - Police/Road patrols
175 - weather forecast
180 - exact time ("speaking" clock)

Banks and offices usually work with clients from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Most shops are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and many work around the clock.

January 1 - New Year
March 3 - Bulgaria's Liberation
April 24 - Easter
May 1 - Labour Day
May 24 - the Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and the Slav Script
December 25 - Christmas

Plugs used in Bulgaria, as in most of Europe, are two-pin plugs; which means that sockets are made accordingly. The common voltage is 220 V, and it is wise to bring your own adapters as well as converters as these may not be available in the area you are travelling to.