No visa needed

Do citizens of Italy need a visa for Bulgaria?

Citizens of Italy don’t need a visa for Bulgaria. You need a valid passport; border officers may ask for a return ticket and accommodation. For a longer stay you need a visa or an extension.

For citizens of Italy: the passport opens 122 countries visa-free; Rome — Sofia: ≈ 900 km, about 1.5 hours of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

At a glance

No visa needed

Can I travel to Bulgaria without a visa on a Italy passport?

Yes, citizens of Italy don’t need a visa for Bulgaria. A valid passport is enough.

Bulgaria visa rules at a glance

With a Italy passport you can visit 122 countries visa-free, 27 with a visa on arrival and 34 with an e-visa; 15 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the Italy passport ranks 6th of 199.
Italy passport: visa-free access to 122 countries; Bulgaria passport: 119.
Citizens of Italy and Bulgaria can travel together visa-free to 117 countries, for example: Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Tunisia, Albania, Liechtenstein, Malta, Switzerland, Kosovo, Serbia, and North Macedonia.
Both countries use the same currency — Euro — so there is no need to exchange money.
Citizens of Bulgaria, in turn, don’t need a visa for Italy. Italy visa for citizens of Bulgaria

Travelling to Bulgaria: good to know

Rome — Sofia: about 900 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 1.5 hours.
Time difference with your country’s capital: +1 hour.
Local time: Rome 12:00 — Sofia 13:00.
Local currency: Euro.
Languages: Bulgarian.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ €0.88.
Bulgaria is the 19th closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of Italy.