Bulgaria — Visa & Airports

Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025 (air and sea borders had opened on 31 March 2024), so days spent here now count against the shared Schengen 90/180 allowance for US, UK, Canadian and Australian passport holders — it is no longer a place to wait out the Schengen clock. The EU Entry/Exit System applies at external borders.

Sofia (SOF) is the main gateway year-round, with Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) handling heavy seasonal traffic for the coast, largely on low-cost and charter carriers from the UK, Germany and Israel.