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🇧🇬 Bulgaria

Bulgaria is no. 37 in our list of the 50 most visited destinations, with 8.6 million international arrivals in 2024. Below: visa rules for every passport, cash limits at customs and the tourist traps official travel advice warns about.

Rank 37 of 50 by international arrivals (8.6 million, 2024) · Source: UN Tourism

Check your visa route for Bulgaria

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Visa rules for your passport ↓

Explore Bulgaria: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

A short guide based on the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism and Rila Monastery's own website.

Places to visit

Shopping

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for Bulgaria, plus a few reported in public visitor reviews (labelled), in our own words.

  1. "Gentlemen's club" overcharging

    How it works: Bills of hundreds of pounds, with threats if you refuse, in Sofia, Bansko, Borovets and Sunny Beach.

    How to avoid it: Get bar recommendations from your hotel; make sure card payments are done in front of you and be wary of re-entering your PIN.

  2. Petrol-station and roadside car theft

    How it works: Thieves steal from unlocked cars while you pay, or puncture tyres/flag you down and rob the car.

    How to avoid it: Lock the car at the pump and keep the boot locked.

  3. Resort and beach theft

    How it works: Thieves work Sunny Beach and the Nessebar–Sunny Beach bus.

    How to avoid it: Leave valuables at the hotel and avoid dark roads at night.

  4. Hotel room burglaries

    How it works: Rooms in Sunny Beach have been burgled.

    How to avoid it: Lock doors, windows and balcony; use the safe.

  5. Taxi overcharging

    How it works: Unlicensed taxis at Sofia airport overcharge; robberies by drivers reported in Sunny Beach.

    How to avoid it: Use the official airport taxi desk, check the licence sticker and tariff, and use operator-recommended taxis.

  6. Quad and motorbike hire damage

    How it works: Hire firms charge for damage; you may be arrested if you do not pay, and their insurance is usually third-party only.

    How to avoid it: Check insurance cover and the vehicle before riding; wear a helmet.

  7. Property fraud

    How it works: Buyers have been defrauded.

    How to avoid it: Use reputable agents and independent legal advice.

  8. Copycat taxis at Sofia Airport

    How it works: Cars dressed up to look like a well-known taxi firm, with near-identical logos and phone numbers, pick up arrivals and charge far above normal fares.

    How to avoid it: Take a cab from the official airport taxi desk and marked rank, or use an app. Check the fare sticker on the window before you get in.

    From visitor reviews, not official Sofia Airport and stations. Sources: reddit.com · reddit.com · novinite.com. Researched 23 Oct 2026; there is no official page to re-check, so this date is not updated automatically.

Areas flagged in official advice

  • Sunny Beach (theft, taxi robberies, overcharging clubs)

Official advice: FCDO: no areas advised against.

Emergency numbers in Bulgaria

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice – Safety and security · FCDO travel advice – Warnings and insurance · FCDO travel advice – Getting help (emergency numbers) · FCDO page updated 11 Aug 2026 · Last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave Bulgaria.

EU external border (Reg. 2018/1672)

Bringing cash in
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when arriving from outside the EU.
Taking cash out
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when leaving to a country outside the EU.
Local currency (EUR) in
No limit (declaration only).
Local currency (EUR) out
No limit (declaration only).
Foreign currency
No limit (declaration only).
  • EU rule (Regulation (EU) 2018/1672): anyone entering or leaving the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash (banknotes, coins, bearer-negotiable instruments such as traveller's cheques, and gold coins/bullion of high purity) must declare it to customs at the point of entry/exit, using the EU cash declaration form. The threshold is per person, also for families/groups.
  • Customs can act on lower amounts if there are signs of criminal activity; undeclared cash can be detained and fined.
  • Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026; the lev is no longer legal tender (FCDO).

Official source: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu · eur-lex.europa.eu · europa.eu · Last checked 4 Oct 2026

Bulgaria visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Free movement (EU/EEA/Swiss)30 passports
Visa-free63 passports
Embassy visa105 passports

Verified rules for Bulgaria: 197 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 1; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

⚠ Unofficial sources: 1 rule for Bulgaria is not from an official Bulgaria government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Requirements for all visitors to Bulgaria

These apply on top of the visa rules above, whatever your passport, unless an item says otherwise.

  • Proof of fundsProof of means of subsistence: EUR 50/day, minimum EUR 500 (or prepaid tourist services) plus accommodation funds EUR 50/day (or prepaid nights/invitation)

    Applies to: non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors at the external Schengen border, on request.

    Official source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu · Last checked 2 Nov 2026

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

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Plan your trip to Bulgaria

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 2 Nov 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.