Historical archive. The original text of 21 March 2020 is preserved in full. The measures and assessments described belong to the public health emergency of that period. Read the updated guides.

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This document records the situation in March 2020. The entry restrictions stated at that time are not instructions for present-day travel.

The text of the original article

Bulgaria — Border closure following the COVID-19 pandemic — image from the original website

All third-country nationals are prohibited from entering Bulgaria from 00:00 on 20 March until 17 April inclusive at all air, sea, rail and road border crossings. This was announced by the Ministry of the Interior's press centre, BNR reports. The Ministry also stated that the entry ban remains in place for persons arriving from certain EU Member States and Schengen countries: Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, except for Bulgarian citizens, family members of Bulgarian citizens and persons with permanent or long-term residence status in the Republic of Bulgaria.

Citizens of these EU Member States and Schengen countries and their family members are permitted to transit through Bulgaria to return to their country of residence or habitual residence.

The prohibition does not apply to citizens of other EU Member States and Schengen countries.

The prohibition does not apply to:

· Healthcare professionals, health researchers and elderly care professionals; · Freight transport personnel, aircraft crews engaged in commercial air transport and other transport personnel, where necessary; · Diplomats, employees of international organisations, military personnel and humanitarian workers in the performance of their duties; · Persons travelling for humanitarian reasons; · Third-country nationals holding a long-term residence permit in an EU Member State and passing through Bulgaria to return to their country of residence and habitation.