ETIAS for Bulgaria

Bulgaria completed its accession to the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025, after checks at its airports and seaports were already lifted in March 2024. That means Bulgaria now applies the same border-free rules as longer-standing Schengen members, and it will use the same ETIAS travel authorization as every other country in the zone once the system launches. Visa-exempt travelers — including passport holders from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan — will need an approved ETIAS to enter Bulgaria, exactly as they would for France, Germany or any other Schengen country.

Getting to Bulgaria

Sofia Airport (SOF) is Bulgaria's main international gateway, with year-round connections across Europe and seasonal long-haul charter routes. Along the Black Sea coast, Varna Airport (VAR) and Burgas Airport (BOJ) handle a large share of summer holiday traffic to resorts such as Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, while Plovdiv Airport (PDV) serves the country's second city. Now that Bulgaria's land borders have joined Schengen too, road travelers arriving from Romania, Greece or Serbia also cross without routine passport checks, although ETIAS status can still be verified electronically.

Is Bulgaria part of Schengen, and do I need ETIAS to visit?

Yes to both. Bulgaria is now a full Schengen member, and visa-exempt visitors will need a valid ETIAS to enter once the system becomes mandatory, expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. There is very little dedicated search volume yet for 'ETIAS Bulgaria' specifically, likely because Bulgaria's own Schengen accession is still recent news, but the requirement itself is identical to every other Schengen country: an online application, a €20 fee (free for under-18s and over-70s), and approval within minutes for most travelers.

How long can I stay in Bulgaria on ETIAS?

An approved ETIAS allows stays in Bulgaria of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and it stays valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever happens first. Because Bulgaria now shares a fully open Schengen border with its neighbors, the same ETIAS also covers onward travel to other Schengen countries during the same trip, so a holiday combining Sofia or the Black Sea coast with, say, Greece or Romania only needs a single authorization.