Bulgaria

Area: 110 994 km2
Time zone: UTC/GMT +8
Population: 7 202 198
System of government: parliamentary republic
Capital: Sofia (1 316 557 million d.)
Official language: bulgarian
Other languages spoken: Turkish
Major religions: Christianity (Orthodox), Islam (Sunni)
Currency: lev (1.00 EUR = 1.95583 BGN)
Phone codes: +359

Visa regime The Republic of Bulgaria applies the Common Visa Policy of the European Union under the terms of the Treaty of Accession of 1 January 2007. Travel within the Union by nationals of the Member States shall be carried out only by means of an identity document. Visa-free regime for Schengen visa holders for stays of up to 90 days. From January 25, 2012, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria decided that until the date of full accession to the Schengen area, Bulgaria will unilaterally apply a visa-free regime to holders of valid Schengen visas. They will have the right to enter and reside on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of no more than three months within each six-month period, starting from the date of first entry, without the need to hold a Bulgarian short-term residence visa.
From the date of accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria began to apply a special regulation that defines the visa regime for third countries whose citizens must hold a visa/or are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the external borders of the countries- members. For more information, visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.mfa.bg
Митнически изисквания Лицата, пресичащи границата на Република България могат да внасят и изнасят неограничено количество парични средства (пари в брой и платежни инструменти на приносител) като парични средства на стойност до 10 000 евро не подлежат на писмено деклариране пред митническите органи при внос или износ. When the imported/exported cash amounts to 10,000 euros or more, the person declares in writing in a Cash Declaration the total value of the cash in euros, its origin and purpose, transport route, means of transport. When exporting cash over BGN 25,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency, it is necessary to present a certificate from the National Revenue Agency that the person has no arrears, and its number is entered in the currency customs declaration. Foreign individuals may export cash over BGN 25,000 without a certificate from the National Revenue Agency, after declaration to the customs authorities, if the value of the exported cash does not exceed the value of the imported and declared funds at the person’s last entry into Bulgaria, for which a previous currency customs declaration is submitted upon importation.
The import and export of precious stones and precious metals by local and foreign individuals is regulated by the Minister of Finance and is free in the following amounts:

• gold and platinum in unprocessed and semi-processed form – up to 37 grams
• gold and platinum jewelry and accessories – up to 60 grams
• silver in unprocessed and semi-processed form, as well as jewelry – up to 300 grams
  Pursuant to Art. 31 of Regulation 918/83 defines goods that are admitted free of import duties, but limited to the following quantities:
• tobacco products:
• 50 cigarettes or
• 25 cigarilloс (cigarillo with a maximum weight of 3 grams each), or
• 10 cigars, or
• 50 grams of tobacco for a pipe or other way of smoking.
  Alcohol and alcoholic beverages:
• distilled beverages and spirits with more than 22% volume alcohol content – 1 liter or
• distilled beverages and spirits, wine- or alcohol-based aperitifs, with a volume alcohol content not higher than 22%; sparkling wines, liqueur wines – 1 liter or
• still wines – 2 liters.
• perfumes – 50 grams or eau de toilette – 0.25 liters.

The exemption from import duties for each individual shipment is limited to the total value of 45 euros, including the value of the goods specified above.
Exemption from VAT in both of the above cases, according to VAT, is in accordance with customs legislation.

Any passenger over the age of 17 may bring:
a) tobacco products:

• 200 cigarettes, or
• 100 cigars (cigars with a maximum weight of 3 grams each), or
• 50 cigars, or
• 250 grams of tobacco for a pipe or other way of smoking;
  b) alcohol and alcoholic beverages:
• distilled and sports drinks with an alcohol content of more than 22% undenatured ethyl alcohol with an alcohol content of 80% and more – 1 liter, or
• distilled and spirit drinks and wine- or alcohol-based aperitifs, tafia, sake or similar drinks with a volume alcohol content not higher than 22%, sparkling wines, liqueur wines – 2 liters, or
• still wines – 2 liters;
  c) perfumes – 50 grams, and toilet waters – 0.25 liters;
  d) medicines – in quantities corresponding to the passenger’s needs;

Road traffic
Right-hand traffic on roads. When entering Bulgaria with a motor vehicle, a vignette must be purchased against the provided vehicle ticket. The vignette fee on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is paid in BGN. Users can pay vignette fees when crossing the border of the Republic of Bulgaria at the relevant border point in BGN or EUR. The owner or the user of a road vehicle has the right to use the republican roads of the Republic of Bulgaria, passing on them or on their sections with the road vehicle, only when a vignette fee has been paid for the relevant period and a valid license plate has been affixed to the windshield of the road vehicle vignette. The vignette fee is paid by any Bulgarian or foreign natural person or legal entity-owner or user of a road vehicle, which for a certain period will use the republican roads or their sections.
The driver of a motor vehicle is obliged to wear:
1. license for driving a motor vehicle of the relevant category and the inspection ticket attached to it;

2. 1. license for driving a motor vehicle of the relevant category and the inspection ticket attached to it;
3. a document for compulsory motorist’s liability insurance for the motor vehicle he drives and for the trailer towed by it;

Crime and security
When traveling in Bulgaria, you should take into account petty crime – pickpocketing and the theft of documents, money, mobile phones, etc. from cars.
Citizens should be especially careful when visiting large shops, markets, train stations, bus stations, as well as when stopping at gas stations and roadsides (for rest or car repairs).
We advise not to leave bags and objects that attract the attention of thieves unattended in the car.
In case of theft, you should contact the nearest police station.
Emergency telephone number: 112

SOURCE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria