Travelers should familiarize themselves with the location and contact details of other foreign embassies in case their country's embassy closes due to an emergency or some other unexpected circumstances. Another embassy can often provide assistance in such cases.

Emergency Services:

Contact information for select embassies in Bulgaria:

Note: This information is subject to change.

For most foreign nationals, the threat of kidnapping in Bulgaria is low. Kidnappings are not a regular occurrence, and kidnappers are more likely to target locals. The most likely type of abductions in Bulgaria are basic opportunistic kidnap-for-ransom and kidnappings related to organized criminal activity. Victims are usually released unharmed and relatively quickly.

Demonstrations in Bulgaria are generally held in response to specific political events, unpopular government policies, and political and socioeconomic grievances. Protests are relatively frequent but are generally considered to be peaceful, and they do not usually affect foreign nationals or expatriates directly. Demonstrations may involve thousands of people, and disruptions to overland travel can occur as a result of large gatherings on major thoroughfares.

Security Forces in Bulgaria are generally reliable. Responsiveness is adequate and overall security capabilities are moderate. Police in Bulgaria are typically unable to speak foreign languages, though English is becoming more common. Although Bulgaria has a number of different security forces, the National Police are likely to be the most relevant for foreign nationals and local staff.
Interaction with Travelers
In Bulgaria, travelers in need of assistance should contact their diplomatic missions in addition to security forces.

Bulgaria is a unitary multi-party parliamentary republic. The Prime Minister is the head of government, and the President is the head of state. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers form the government and exercise executive power. The unicameral parliament, or National Assembly, exercises legislative power. Presidential elections occur once every five years, while parliamentary elections occur at least once every four years. However, snap parliamentary elections are regularly called in response to political developments. The judiciary is nominally independent of the executive and the legislature but is widely regarded as corrupt and vulnerable to external pressures.
Coalitions featuring a cross-section of political parties are typically required to form the government. Despite regular government collapses and failure to form governments following elections, state institutions are competent and effective and provide reliable services across most of the country.

There is a low threat from terrorism. No major terrorist attacks have been reported in recent years. Elevated security measures at airports and transport hubs have proved effective. In recent years, several EU nationals, including French citizens, have been arrested in Bulgaria. The suspects were allegedly linked to Islamist organizations trying to reach Turkey to cross into Syria. Bulgarian and EU security officials have expressed their concerns that the country may be used as a transit area for militants traveling between conflict areas in the Middle East and Europe.
Minor bomb blasts have occurred in Bulgaria in recent years and have led to the loss of life. Such attacks, however, are generally associated with criminal activity, gang rivalries, or political tensions rather than international or sectarian terrorism. Attacks usually target specific locations, such as private businesses and residences, rather than heavily populated public settings.

Petty crime and violent criminal activity is a moderate cause for concern in Bulgaria. Theft is common and criminals often target foreign travelers due to their perceived wealth. Pickpockets and con artists are known to operate near transportation hubs, on the busiest tram and bus lines, on shopping streets, in markets, in popular tourist locations and in crowded outdoor areas. Clients should ask persons claiming to be government officials to show identification. Automobile theft and carjackings occur with a degree of frequency and are most common after nightfall. SUVs and European sedans are the most likely vehicles to be targeted. Very few stolen vehicles are recovered. There have been numerous reports of travelers being stopped after nightfall for shakedowns by bandits posing as police officers. Credit card and ATM fraud via skimming or cloning is common. These crimes involve the stealing of card information, either with an electronic scanning device or simply by writing down information from the card itself. Criminals will use this information to either create a new fake credit card or make purchases online without the card. Credit card thieves often target bars, restaurants and retailers frequented by tourists or other wealthy individuals.


Violent crime rates are lower in Bulgaria and organized criminal activity is unlikely to pose a threat to travelers. However, there have been reports of assaults occurring in Sofia and other tourist-oriented cities. Gangs and right-wing groups are known to threaten and harass individuals who appear to belong to ethnic or religious minority groups. Although uncommon, the risk of these isolated incidents cannot be ruled out. Bulgaria is a major transshipment point for drugs from southwest Asia and South America into the European market. Violent territorial wars between organized crime groups, which can involve public gunfights, assassinations and bombings, can occasionally harm bystanders. Although foreigners are not targeted, family members or associates of wealthy business people or politicians have been kidnapped by criminal gangs in the past.

Bulgaria is a European country that shares borders with Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey, as well as the Black Sea in the east. Bulgaria has been undergoing significant changes in recent years, most notably in its pursuit of economic and political integration with the West through accession to organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU). While the country has experienced several changes in government in recent years, the focus has remained on an agenda of economic expansion, although levels of social and economic welfare are generally lower than in Western European countries. Organized criminality is prominent in Bulgaria, although foreign travelers are rarely affected by it. The country faces low terrorist and conflict risks. Transport infrastructure is generally adequate, although conditions are variable in rural areas.