No visa needed

Do citizens of the United Kingdom need a visa for Bulgaria?

Citizens of the United Kingdom don’t need a visa for Bulgaria and can stay up to 90 days. 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 the United Kingdom: the passport opens 115 countries visa-free; London — Sofia: ≈ 2,010 km, about 3 hours of flying.

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

At a glance

No visa needed

Stay: 90 days

Can I travel to Bulgaria without a visa on a United Kingdom passport?

Yes, citizens of the United Kingdom don’t need a visa for Bulgaria for up to 90 days. A valid passport is enough.

Bulgaria visa rules at a glance

With a United Kingdom passport you can visit 115 countries visa-free, 32 with a visa on arrival and 32 with an e-visa; 19 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the United Kingdom passport ranks 34th of 199.
United Kingdom passport: visa-free access to 115 countries; Bulgaria passport: 119.
Citizens of the United Kingdom and Bulgaria can travel together visa-free to 110 countries, for example: Belgium, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Denmark, Andorra, Monaco, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovenia, and Austria.
Bulgaria has an embassy in your country of citizenship, so you can apply without travelling abroad.
Citizens of Bulgaria, in turn, need an e-visa to travel to the United Kingdom. United Kingdom visa for citizens of Bulgaria

Travelling to Bulgaria: good to know

London — Sofia: about 2,010 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 3 hours.
Time difference with your country’s capital: +2 hours.
Local time: London 12:00 — Sofia 14:00.
Local currency: Euro.
Languages: Bulgarian.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ €0.88.
Bulgaria is the 40th closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom has an embassy in Bulgaria — contact it if you lose your passport or need consular help during the trip.