Bulgaria is making strides toward joining the US Visa Waiver Program, with Foreign Minister Ivan Kondov recently noting the country’s progress in meeting the necessary criteria. He pointed out that if Bulgaria can lower its B visa rejection rate to under 3% by fiscal year 2025, it could wrap up negotiations successfully.
Kondov’s remarks came in a written response to a question posed by Martin Dimitrov, a member of the Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria party, and were shared on the National Assembly’s official website.
One of the key benchmarks for inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program is maintaining a tourist visa refusal rate for Bulgarian citizens under 3%. As of November 2024, Bulgaria’s refusal rate for the previous year was 6.02%, a notable improvement from 11.61% in 2023.
Looking at the data from the US Department of State, Bulgaria’s B visa refusal rate has been below 10% only twice since 2006. This year’s 6.02% is the lowest rate recorded to date.
To further support its bid, Bulgaria launched an awareness campaign in December 2024, aimed at educating the public about US travel visas and helping to reduce B visa refusals. The campaign, which features 2021 Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, carries the message: “You don’t need an Oscar to get a US visa.”
In December 2023, Bulgaria and the US also agreed on an Enhanced Border Security Partnership, which is expected to assist Bulgaria in meeting the US Visa Waiver Program’s criteria.
If Bulgaria achieves this goal, its citizens would be able to visit the US for tourism or business for up to 90 days without needing a visa.
While Bulgaria and Romania both became full members of the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, their paths toward joining the US Visa Waiver Program have diverged. Romania has already been granted membership in the program and, starting March 31, 2025, Romanians will be able to travel to the US without a visa for short stays.
Romania’s ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, welcomed the announcement, calling it a significant and joyous milestone for Romania, reflecting the growing strength of the bond between the two countries.