Bulgaria visa for Ukrainian citizens

Cost note

Visa-free entry is free. A separate ETIAS travel authorisation (EUR 20, valid 3 years) will be required once ETIAS launches, expected Q4 2026; applicants under 18 or over 70 are fee-exempt.

What you need

• Biometric Ukrainian passport (the visa-free regime applies only to biometric passports)
• Passport valid at least 3 months beyond the intended departure from the Schengen area
• Proof of purpose of stay, accommodation and sufficient funds may be requested
• Travel medical insurance may be requested
• Onward or return travel may be requested

Why this verdict

Holders of a biometric Ukrainian passport enter Bulgaria visa-free for tourism or business for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Bulgaria became a FULL Schengen member on 1 January 2025 (internal land border checks lifted, per the European Commission), so the 90/180 allowance is now shared across the entire Schengen area including Bulgaria. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), live since 10 April 2026, records biometric data at the border; ETIAS (EUR 20) will be required once it launches, expected Q4 2026. Visa-free travel does NOT permit work or long-term residence. Beneficiaries of EU temporary protection hold a separate residence-based status that may affect certain EES/ETIAS formalities - see exceptions.

Conditional rules

• Holder of EU temporary protection in Bulgaria (status extended to 4 March 2027) Visa-free

  Temporary-protection beneficiaries hold a separate residence-based status linked to displacement from Ukraine. That status may change how EES/ETIAS formalities apply, but it is not a second version of short-stay visa-free travel. Confirm with Bulgarian authorities.