Do Bulgarian passport holders need a visa for the United States?
By Aditya Rawat · Destinations Writer, Tripmojo · Updated · Reviewed by Simran Raheja
Yes. Bulgarian citizens need a B1/B2 visitor visa for the United States. Bulgaria is in the European Union and in Schengen, but it is not in the US Visa Waiver Programme, and only the last of those three decides whether you can use ESTA. The visa costs 185 US dollars and is issued after an interview at the US Embassy in Sofia. No visa bond applies to Bulgarian nationals.
Quick facts
Visa required- Visa required
- Yes, a B1/B2 visitor visa
- ESTA
- Not available. Bulgaria is not a Visa Waiver Programme country
- Cost
- USD 185, unchanged since May 2023
- Visa bond
- Not on the published bond list
- Interview
- Required in person, at the US Embassy in Sofia
- Covers
- Tourism, visiting family, business meetings
Entry requirements
- A Bulgarian passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay.
- An approved B1/B2 visa before you travel. There is no visa on arrival in the United States and no ESTA route.
- A completed DS-160 and its confirmation page.
- Evidence of ties to Bulgaria you will return to: employment, studies, property or family.
- Proof of funds for the trip, plus an itinerary or an invitation where you have one.
How to apply for a B1/B2 visa
Complete the DS-160 online, pay the 185 dollar fee, then book an interview at the US Embassy in Sofia. The fee is paid before the appointment and is not returned if the application is refused.
A separate 750 US dollar fee can buy an interview appointment within ten business days at selected posts. It is optional, it is on top of the 185 dollars, and it is temporary: it took effect on 1 July 2026 and expires on 31 December 2026 unless extended.
Bring the DS-160 confirmation, your passport, the fee receipt, a compliant photograph and your evidence of ties to Bulgaria. The decision is made at the interview itself.
Good to know
- An EU passport does not carry ESTA eligibility. The Visa Waiver Programme is a separate US designation and several EU states are outside it. Any website selling a Bulgarian an ESTA is selling an application that cannot be approved, and the money is gone whether or not you notice before you reach the airport.
- What Bulgaria actually has to clear is a number. A country must hold a B-visa refusal rate below three per cent, alongside security, document and information-sharing requirements, before it can be designated. Progress reports and ministerial meetings do not change your position; only a designation by the US Department of Homeland Security does, and until it happens the answer stays the same.
- If you hold a second citizenship of a Visa Waiver Programme country, you can travel on that passport under ESTA instead. Eligibility follows the passport you actually travel on, not the fact that you also hold a Bulgarian one, so use the same passport for the ESTA, the booking and the border.
Frequently asked questions
Do Bulgarians need a visa for the USA?
Yes. Bulgaria is not in the Visa Waiver Programme, so Bulgarian citizens need a B1/B2 visitor visa obtained before travelling. The application fee is 185 US dollars.
Can Bulgarians travel to the US with an ESTA?
No. ESTA is only for nationals of Visa Waiver Programme countries and Bulgaria is not one of them. An ESTA application made on a Bulgarian passport cannot be approved.
Bulgaria is in the EU and Schengen, why is a US visa still needed?
Because the Visa Waiver Programme is a US designation with its own criteria, decided by the US Department of Homeland Security. EU membership, Schengen membership and the euro have no bearing on it.
Is Bulgaria joining the US Visa Waiver Programme?
It is a candidate and has not been designated. The main threshold is a B-visa refusal rate under three per cent. Until DHS designates Bulgaria, a visa is required.
Do Bulgarians have to pay a US visa bond?
Bulgaria is not on the published list of countries subject to visa bonds. The list is revised on a rolling basis, so check it again close to your application date.
Related pages
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on .
- US Department of Homeland Security — Visa Waiver Program designated countries. Bulgaria is absent from the designation list of 42 countries. Read 2026-08-16.
- US Department of Homeland Security — VWP designation criteria: "Has an annual temporary visitor visa (i.e., B visa) refusal rate of less than three percent".
- Federal Register, 9 June 2026, Schedule of Fees for Consular Services (2026-11513) — USD 185 MRV fee
- Federal Register, 3 August 2026, Visas: Visa Bond Program (2026-15726) — covered countries are published only on travel.state.gov, added on 15 days notice and modified on a rolling basis
- Countries Subject to Visa Bonds, 6 January 2026 revision: Bulgaria not listed. travel.state.gov refuses automated clients, so this is taken from two independent immigration-law trackers of that revision, cross-checked against each other on 2026-08-16. NOT a browser read of the Department list.
Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.
