Bulgaria is Close, but Still Does Not Meet Requirements for Visa-Free Travel to the US
Bulgaria continues to work actively toward the removal of US visas for its citizens. Despite the progress made, the country still does not meet all the necessary criteria of the United States. This became clear from the latest data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main requirement that Bulgaria must fulfill is related to the visa refusal rate. According to US rules, for a country to be included in the Visa Waiver Program, the refusal rate must be below 3%. Currently, for Bulgarian applicants, this rate stands at 5.11%.
Although the figure is above the limit, a positive trend is observed compared to previous years. Bulgarian authorities and the US Embassy are working together to inform citizens on how to correctly fill out their documents. The goal is to reduce errors that often lead to automatic refusal.
Joining the Visa Waiver Program is an important goal for Bulgaria. This would significantly facilitate travel for tourism and business purposes, saving time and costs for citizens. However, until the criteria are fully met, the standard visa application procedure remains in effect.