BULGARIA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS UPDATED 1st MAY 2022

From 1 May 2022 all COVID-19 entry requirements for travellers to Bulgaria end, regardless of nationality and/or where travelled from.

UK ENTRY REQUIREMENTS UPDATED 18th MARCH 2022

You do not need to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a passenger locator form. This applies whether you are fully vaccinated or not.

BULGARIA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS UPDATED 1st FEBRUARY 2022

From 1 February, anyone, including children aged 12-18, travelling from ‘red zone’ countries, such as the UK, are allowed to enter Bulgaria if they present one of the following documents:

1. a COVID vaccination certificate; OR
2. evidence of prior COVID infection; OR
3. a negative COVID test. Either a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours or Rapid Antigen Test taken no more than 48 hours before entering Bulgaria.

Further details of the document requirements are below.

• Children under 12 are exempt from quarantine and the requirement to present Covid-19 documents upon their arrival in Bulgaria, regardless of what colour zone they have travelled from.

Document Requirements from 1 February:

• From 1 February 2022, in order to prove your COVID vaccination status you will need to present your UK NHS app or letter, or an EU vaccination certificate showing you have had two doses of the vaccine. You will need to show you have had your second dose no earlier than 270 days, and no later than 15 days prior to arrival.

If you do not have access to the NHS app or the EU Vaccination certificate you can present a document containing the name of the person in English, date of birth, date of the last administered dose, serial number of the dose, and the total number of doses administered, trade name of vaccine, batch number of dose(s), manufacturer name, name of country and organisation who has issued the certificate and for the EU certificate, its unique identifier.

If you have received you second of vaccines more than 270 days before your arrival, you will need to show evidence that you have had an additional (booster) dose of vaccine against COVID-19. This can show via the UK NHS app or letter, or EU vaccination certificate.

• From 1 February 2022, ‘evidence of prior COVID infection’ for can be proven by showing a positive result from a PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) which must be dated at least 11, but no more than 180 days before arrival. The document must contain the name of the person in English, date of birth, date of the first positive result of the PCR or RAT, details of the medical institution that performed the test (name, address or other contact details), the authority that issued the document, the country in which the test has been performed, and ‘Positive’ written in English and for the EU certificate, its unique identifier.
• From 1 February 2022, a ‘COVID test’ includes a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours or rapid antigen test (RAT) taken no more than 48 hours before entering Bulgaria. The test must contain the name of the person in English, date of birth, type of test and ‘Negative’ written in English, details of the medical institution that performed the test (name, address or other contact details), date and time of the test sample, the country in which the test has been performed and the authority that issued the document and for the EU certificate, its unique identifier.
• The EU has adopted the UK’s NHS COVID documentation (both the letter and App versions) as equivalent to the EU Digital COVID Certificate. The decision ensures it will be automatically accepted across Europe. Bulgarian Ministry of Health has also confirmed that UK’s NHS Certificate meet the necessary requirements and will be recognised both for entry into the country and for domestic measures on the territory of Bulgaria.

UK ENTRY REQUIREMENTS UPDATED 6th JANUARY 2022

If you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, and you will arrive in England after 4am, Friday 7 January, you do not need to:

• take a COVID-19 test before you travel to England
• quarantine when you arrive in England

If you qualify as fully vaccinated and you will arrive in England after 4am, Sunday 9 January, you can choose to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR test after you arrive in England.

If you take a lateral flow test and test positive, you will need to self-isolate and take a free confirmatory PCR test.

You must book the test before you travel to England. You can book lateral flow tests from 4am Friday 7 January.

You cannot use a lateral flow test until after 4am, Sunday 9 January. Before 4am Sunday 9 January, you must use a PCR test after arrival.

The fully vaccinated rules also apply to children aged 17 and under, people taking part in an approved vaccine trial, and people who are unable to have a vaccination due to medical reasons.