Fully vaccinated Brits can travel to the country, home to the popular Sunny Beach resort, without a pre-departure negative test for Covid-19 or have to quarantine on arrival if they can provide paper proof of having had both jabs in the form of a letter from the NHS.
The UK government has made clear throughout efforts to upgrade the NHS app to serve as proof of vaccination or a vaccine pass that a paper version would be available.
"The Bulgarian authorities have stated that only the letter version of the NHS Covid Pass is acceptable as evidence of vaccination," said the FCDO in an update issued on Friday (2 July).
"The digital app, or a print-out of the app version, does not meet their requirements."
Bulgaria is current on theUK’s amber list, meaning those arriving from Bulgaria must self-isolate at home for 10 days, and submit to tests on days two and eight of their return.
Last Thursday (1 July), Bulgaria introduced a new classification system for arrivals, sorting source markets into green, orange and red zones.
The UK has been categorised orange, meaning arrivals must meet one of three Covid entry requirements: vaccine certification demonstrating full vaccination against Covid-19 at least 14 days prior to arrival; or evidence of having had Covid-19 and recovered from the infection in the past 180 days prior to arrivals.
The third is a negative test result – this can either be a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours prior to arrival or a repid antigen test taken up to 48 hours prior to arrival.
The FCDO further warns Bulgaria is randomly testing "at least" 5% of all orange zone arrivals using rapid antigen tests; anyone who tests positive from a random test will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
