University of Economics – Varna

In the light of latest developments with the newly found SARS-CoV-2 virus variant (B.1.1.529), designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Variant of Concern and named Omicron, as of 28 November 2021 a travel ban will be imposed for passengers arriving from the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Botswana, the Republic of South Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of Zimbabwe. This travel ban will not be applicable to Bulgarian citizens and persons with the status of permanent, long-term or continuous residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and their family members.

Green zone
Vatican City State, Kingdom of Spain, Republic of Malta, Kingdom of Sweden

People arriving from countries within the green zone are allowed on the territory of the country upon presentation of one of the following documents:

• a valid EU digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate,
• a valid EU digital COVID-19 recovery certificate,
• a valid EU digital COVID certificate for conducted testing (a document showing a negative result from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted up to 72 hours before entry into the country or a negative result from a rapid antigen test conducted up to 48 hours before entry into the country from the date of sampling entered in the document),
• a similar document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID certificate (for vaccination/recovery/testing)

Note: In the absence of the aforementioned documents, the person shall be quarantined for 10 days at home or in another place of accommodation where he/she has indicated that he/she will reside.

Orange zone (countries outside the red and green zone)

People arriving from countries within the orange zone are allowed on the territory of the country upon presentation of one of the following documents:

• a valid EU digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate,
• a valid EU digital COVID-19 recovery certificate,
• a valid EU digital COVID certificate for conducted testing (a document showing a negative result from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted up to 72 hours before entry into the country or a negative result from a rapid antigen test conducted up to 48 hours before entry into the country from the date of sampling entered in the document),
• a similar document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID certificate (for vaccination/recovery/testing).

Note: In the absence of the aforementioned documents, the person shall be quarantined for 10 days at home or in another place of accommodation where he/she has indicated that he/she will reside.
Note: Not less than 5 percent of the entrants from countries in orange zones are tested for COVID-19 with a rapid antigen test by the border health authorities.

Red zone

Republic of Bangladesh, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Kingdom of Bhutan, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Republic of Maldives, Republic of South Africa, Republic of Botswana, Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Republic of Zimbabwe, Republic of Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Zambia, Sultanate of Oman, Turkmenistan, Republic of Tajikistan, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, State of Mongolia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Chile, Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Federative Republic of Brazil, Republic of Paraguay, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Republic of Suriname, Republic of Panama, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Guatemala, Belize, Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Saint Lucia, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Barbados, Singapore, Brunei, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Georgia, Montenegro, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Litva, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Estonia, Romania, Slovenia, Republic of Croatia, Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Republic of Austria, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ireland, Czech Republic, Kingdom of Belgium, Hungary, Kingdom of Denmark, Island, Repubic of Geece, Federal Republic of Germany, Principality of Liechtenstein, Principality of Andorra, Republic of Poland, Swiss Confederation, Republic of San Marino, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Principality of Monaco.

Red zone entry ban exemptions:

• Bulgarian citizens (and their family members) and persons with the status of permanent, long term or continuous residence on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
• citizens of the European Union, of the European Economic Area, of the Swiss Confederation, citizens of the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland and citizens of the countries listed in Annex 4 of the Ordinance and their family members arriving from a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation, from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland or from a country listed in Annex 4 of the Ordinance;
• medical workers (incl. professionals, researchers, suppliers of medical products and devices), state of officials and diplomats, humanitarian workers, seasonal agricultural workers and workers in the field of tourism
• foreign students, holding a type “D” visa for long-term residence for study purposes;
• persons, who have received approval from the Minister of Health or a Deputy Minister authorized by him, made on the basis of a motivated written proposal of a Minister, when this is required for particularly important specific reasons.

The persons falling under the exceptional categories listed above are allowed on the territory of the country upon presenting one of the following documents:

• a negative result from a test conducted up to 72 hours before entering the country by the method of polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19 (PCR test), certified by a valid EU digital COVID certificate for testing, or a similar document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID certificate for testing, or
• a valid digital EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or
• a valid digital EU COVID-19 recovery certificate, or
• a similar document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID-19 vaccination or recovery certificate.

NOTE FOR: Citizens of the European Union, of the European Economic Area, of the Swiss Confederation and citizens of the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland, and citizens of the countries listed in Annex 4 of the Ordinance and their family members arriving from a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation and from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Northern Ireland or from a country listed in Annex 4 of the Ordinance are allowed on the territory of the country upon presenting one of the following documents:

• a negative result from a test conducted up to 72 hours before entering the country by the method of polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19 (PCR test), certified by a valid EU digital COVID certificate for testing or
• a valid digital EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or
• a valid digital EU COVID-19 recovery certificate, or
• an equivalent document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID-19 vaccination, recovery or testing certificate.

Children up to the age of 12 are exempt from the requirement to present COVID-19 related documents irrespective which country they arrive from.

Persons transiting through the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the cases when the immediate departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria can be guaranteed, are also exempt from the requirement to present COVID-19 related documents. In such cases all the travelers have to make sure that they comply with the COVID-19 travel restrictions introduced by the authorities in their final destination.

Source: https://www.mfa.bg/en/customnews/main/24737

01 Dec 2021