Covid-19: Bulgaria adds US, Ireland, N Macedonia to red list of countries with travel restrictions
Bulgaria’s caretaker Health Minister Stoicho Katsarov has issued an order amending the list of foreign countries classified respectively as red, orange or green zones according to their Covid-19 situations. The changes take effect as of September 1.
Added to the list of red zone countries are the United States, the Republic of North Macedonia, Ireland, Montenegro, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Saint Lucia and the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis.
Italy is reclassified from a red to an orange zone.
Germany, Estonia, Croatia, Italy and San Marino are reclassified from green to orange, while Romania is reclassified as a green zone.
The Bulgarian Health Ministry’s current criteria for classifying a country as a Covid-19 red, orange or green zone may be found in English here (that older order’s list of countries is now out of date). These classifications determine the rules for entry to Bulgaria.
The same order establishes a list of countries whose Covid-19 vaccination, testing and disease certificates are considered equivalent to the EU Digital Covid certificate. The list includes North Macedonia, San Marino, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vatican City State (only in respect of issued vaccination certificates).
Katsarov’s order says that from September 1, foreign students holding a Type D visa for long-term residence for the purpose of study from countries in the red zone are allowed into Bulgaria.
Pupils, students and doctoral students who live in Greece, Turkey, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Romania, and travel daily or at least once a week to Bulgaria for study, as well as pupils, students and doctoral students who live in Bulgaria and travel daily or at least once a week to Greece, Turkey, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Romania for education are allowed into Bulgaria without the need to submit Covid-19-related documents.
The full list of green zone countries is Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Finland, Norway, Vatican City State, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Romania.
Countries listed neither as red or green zones are regarded as orange zones.
Red zone countries are India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar (Burma), Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Seychelles, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Suriname, Belize, El Salvador, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Fiji, Georgia, Israel, Eswatini, Iran, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, the United States, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Ireland.
(Photo: Apostoloff)
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