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United Kingdom for Bulgarian passport holders: Visa-free

Your circumstances

Passport:
🇧🇬 Bulgarian
Lives in:
Not specified (general rule)
Going to:
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Purpose:
Holiday

Route summary

Visa-free

No visa – UK ETA required (GBP 20)

Bulgarian passport holders do not need a visa for visits up to 6 months but must get an ETA before travelling.

Conditions

  • You need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling – apply online or in the UK ETA app.
  • An ETA lasts 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner, and allows multiple visits of up to 6 months.
  • Decision usually within 1 working day, up to 3 working days.
  • You do not need an ETA if you already have a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, or if you live in Ireland and travel from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
  • Avoid websites that imitate government services – the official fee is GBP 20.

UK ETA required before you fly · £20 · gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

About this route

Route type
Visa-free: no visa application needed.
Documents
Document list not published by the official source.
Fee
£20 (as published).
Processing
Usually within 1 working day (up to 3).

Next step

Steps not published by the official source — use the official link to start.

Official application pagegov.uk ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Last checked 2 Nov 2026 against gov.uk · Gov.uk content API read 2026-10-04

Documents

Document list not published by the official source.

Fees

Official government fee
£20
Visa-centre / service fee (not a government fee)
None stated by the official source
Notes from the source
ETA fee GBP 20, non-refundable.

Visa-centre, service or other third-party charges are never official government fees.

Processing and validity

Processing time
Usually within 1 working day (up to 3)
Validity
2 years or until the passport expires
Maximum stay
Up to 6 months per visit

How to apply: No visa – UK ETA required (GBP 20)

Where to apply

Where: Online or UK ETA app

Official application page: gov.uk ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Quick answers

Do Bulgarian passport holders need a visa for United Kingdom?

No visa – UK ETA required (GBP 20). Bulgarian passport holders do not need a visa for visits up to 6 months but must get an ETA before travelling. Source: https://www.gov.uk/eta

Business, work or just passing through?

The rules above are for a holiday: tourism and visiting family and friends. Business visits, paid work and transit are covered separately below.

Business visits to United Kingdom

Option 1
Visa-freeBusiness visit (meetings, conferences – not paid work)

Business visit: No visa – UK ETA required (GBP 20)

UK ETA required before you fly· £20Apply on the official site (gov.uk) →

Short business visits (meetings, conferences, negotiations – not paid work) follow the same route as a holiday, because the official source covers business visits (Tourism, family visits, business, short study). Bulgarian passport holders do not need a visa for visits up to 6 months but must get an ETA before travelling.

Conditions

  • You need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling – apply online or in the UK ETA app.
  • An ETA lasts 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner, and allows multiple visits of up to 6 months.
  • Decision usually within 1 working day, up to 3 working days.
  • You do not need an ETA if you already have a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, or if you live in Ireland and travel from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
  • Avoid websites that imitate government services – the official fee is GBP 20.
Government fee
£20
ETA fee GBP 20, non-refundable.
Processing
Usually within 1 working day (up to 3)
Validity
2 years or until the passport expires
Max stay
Up to 6 months per visit
Steps, documents & where to apply

How to apply

Steps not verified yet — follow the official source below.

Where: Online or UK ETA app

Official application page ↗

Documents checklist

Document list not verified yet — check the official source.

✓ Gov.uk content API read 2026-10-04

Official wording

“gov.uk/eta: "An ETA costs £20" … "An ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires" … visitors from countries not on the visa national list need an ETA.”

Working in United Kingdom

Main work visa routes for United Kingdom

These are the main routes and what they require. Whether you qualify depends on your circumstances; the official page decides.

Skilled Worker visa

For: People with a job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office

  • Job offer from a Home Office-approved employer and a certificate of sponsorship (CoS)
  • Job on the list of eligible occupations
  • Minimum salary: usually at least £41,700 a year or the job's going rate, whichever is higher (lower rates in some cases)
  • English: level B2 for new applicants (B1 if extending a visa held before 8 January 2026)
Fees
Application fee £819 to £1,865 depending on circumstances, plus healthcare surcharge (usually £1,035 a year)
Processing
Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK
Length
Up to 5 years, can be extended
Longer term
May apply to settle (indefinite leave to remain) after 5 years

Source: GOV.UK – Skilled Worker visa (gov.uk).

What the source says

"work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office" … "You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher." … "pay the application fee - the standard fee ranges from £819 to £1,865 depending on your circumstances" … "pay the healthcare surcharge - this is usually £1,035 per year" … "If you’re applying to switch from a different visa, you need level B2." … "Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it." … "3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK" … "After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK"

Health and Care Worker visa

For: Doctors, nurses and other health or adult social care professionals with an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care

  • Job offer and certificate of sponsorship from an approved UK employer
  • Salary usually at least £25,000 or the job's going rate if higher (NHS pay bands for listed jobs)
  • English knowledge (as for Skilled Worker)
Fees
£324 (up to 3 years) or £628 (more than 3 years) per person; no immigration health surcharge
Processing
Usually 3 weeks
Length
Up to 5 years at a time
Longer term
May apply to settle after 5 years

Source: GOV.UK – Health and Care Worker visa (gov.uk).

What the source says

"A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care." … "up to 3 years - £324 per person" … "more than 3 years - £628 per person" … "If the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than £25,000, you’ll usually need to be paid at least the going rate." … "You can stay in the UK for as long as your employer is sponsoring you for, up to 5 years at a time."

Global Talent visa

For: Leaders or potential leaders in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology

  • An endorsement from an approved body, or an eligible prestigious prize
  • No job offer needed
Fees
£766 (paid in two parts if applying via an endorsement)
Processing
Usually 3 weeks for the visa (endorsement decisions usually within 8 weeks)
Length
1 to 5 years per grant; no limit on total stay

Source: GOV.UK – Global Talent visa (gov.uk).

What the source says

"You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you’re a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:" … "It costs £766 to apply." … "If you’ve not won an eligible prestigious prize, you’ll need to get an endorsement first to prove that you’re a leader or potential leader in your field." … "Decisions are usually made within 8 weeks of your application date."

Graduate visa (inside the UK only)

For: Students in the UK who have completed an eligible course on a Student visa

  • Currently in the UK on a Student visa and completed the course
  • No job offer needed
Processing
Usually 8 weeks
Length
2 years (if applying on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months from 1 January 2027); 3 years for PhD holders
Longer term
Cannot be extended; you may switch to another visa such as Skilled Worker

Source: GOV.UK – Graduate visa (gov.uk).

What the source says

"To be eligible for a Graduate visa, you need to have successfully completed the course you took with your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa." … "2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026" … "18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027" … "If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years." … "You cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa ."

Seasonal Worker visa

For: Temporary work in horticulture (up to 6 months) or poultry (2 October to 31 December)

  • Aged 18 or over
  • Certificate of sponsorship from a licensed scheme operator
  • Usually at least £1,270 available
Fees
£340
Processing
Usually 3 weeks
Length
Up to 6 months (horticulture); 2 October – 31 December (poultry)

Source: GOV.UK – Seasonal Worker visa (gov.uk).

What the source says

"The application fee is £340." … "horticulture for up to 6 months - for example, picking fruit and vegetables or flowers" … "poultry from 2 October to 31 December, in the same year" … "You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK."

Checked 16 Oct 2026. Overview: GOV.UK – Work in the UK. Requirements, fees and thresholds change; confirm on the official page before applying.

Transit through United Kingdom

Option 1
Visa-freeTransit (changing flights in the UK)

Airside transit: no ETA needed; landside transit needs an ETA or visa

If you change flights in the UK without going through UK border control (airside), you don't need an ETA. Nationals on the UK's Direct Airside Transit Visa list have their own rule and need a transit visa. If you pass through border control (landside), you need an ETA, or a Visitor in Transit visa if you are a visa national.

Conditions

  • Airside transit without a visa: arrive and depart by air, confirmed onward flight the same day from the same airport, and hold the documents for your destination (UK Visa Requirements guidance).
  • Check with your airline whether you will pass through UK border control.
Government fee
Fee not officially published
Processing
Not verified yet
Validity
Not verified yet
Max stay
Not verified yet
Steps, documents & where to apply

How to apply

Steps not verified yet — follow the official source below.

Documents checklist

Document list not verified yet — check the official source.

✓ Checked on the live official page

Official wording

“GOV.UK – Get an ETA: 'You do not need an ETA to travel to the UK if: ... you're transiting through a UK airport without passing through border control (airside)'; 'You need an ETA if you're passing through border control at a UK airport before continuing your onward journey.' UK Visa Requirements (Aug 2026): 'ALL visa nationals seeking to transit the United Kingdom AIRSIDE without a visa must: (i) arrive and depart by air; and (ii) have a confirmed onward flight departing the same day from the same airport; and (iii) hold the correct documents for their destination'”

Alert me if this route changes

Get an email when we update the guidance for Bulgarian passport holders going to United Kingdom, after we've checked the change against the official source. Nothing else.

Tell me about changes to

We send a confirmation email first. Unconfirmed sign-ups are deleted after 7 days.

Before you go to United Kingdom

Customs cash limits and the scams official travel advice warns about in United Kingdom.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Bringing cash in
Declare cash of £10,000 or more carried between Great Britain and any country outside the UK (including EU countries).
Taking cash out
Declare before you leave Great Britain with £10,000 or more.

Official source: gov.uk · Last checked 2 Nov 2026 · Details

Common tourist traps

  1. Phone and bag snatching by bike or scooter

    How it works: Thieves on scooters or bicycles grab phones and bags, increasingly in central London.

    How to avoid it: Keep your phone away from the kerb and out of sight, and use bags that close.

  2. Pickpocketing at landmarks and on transport

    How it works: Pickpockets work crowds, public transport and landmarks, especially in summer.

    How to avoid it: Do not keep valuables in pockets or open shoulder bags.

  3. Card and PIN theft

    How it works: Thieves watch you enter your PIN at ATMs and card machines.

    How to avoid it: Keep the card in sight, cover your PIN and check your statements.

All 7 traps for United Kingdom →

Emergency numbers in United Kingdom

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: smartraveller.gov.au · Last checked 4 Oct 2026.

Explore United Kingdom

Planning more than the paperwork? Our United Kingdom guide picks out places to visit, things to do and where to shop, with a source for every tip.

Places to visit:
British Museum · Natural History Museum · National Gallery
Things to do:
Cheap West End theatre · Stand as a 'groundling' at Shakespeare's Globe · Go to a pub
Shopping:
Borough Market · Camden Market · Portobello Road Market
Read the full United Kingdom guide

Bulgarian passport: of the 154 destinations with a rule verified from an official source, 109 visa-free, 14 visa on arrival, 27 eVisa or travel authorisation, 4 embassy visa.

United Kingdom: rules verified from an official source for 198 of 198 passports. United Kingdom guide and every passport →

Where else can Bulgarian passport holders travel? See every destination we cover →

Optional travel offers

Some links are affiliate links. Booking through them costs you nothing extra, and a small commission helps pay MyVisaPort’s ongoing hosting and maintenance costs and keeps the site free of banner ads. We only list services we think are useful, and they never affect the visa information we publish. These offers are not part of the visa guidance above and are never used to rank routes. How partner links work

Plan your trip to United Kingdom

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.