South Africa lifts visa requirements for Bulgarians
Holders of ordinary Bulgarian passports may enter and reside in the Republic of South Africa without the need for a visa for a period of up to 90 days for short-term visits, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said on October 16.
The change took effect as of October 7, the ministry said.
The visa-free regime does not cover travel for the purpose of studying, working, managing or registering a business, receiving medical treatment and other activities specified in sections 13–24 of the Immigration Act of the Republic of South Africa.
“This decision reflects the high level of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of South Africa and will contribute to facilitating contacts between citizens, tourism and business exchange,” the Foreign Ministry said.
As The Sofia Globe previously reported, South Africa closed its embassy to Bulgaria as of June 30, transferring responsibility for diplomatic and consular matters to the embassy in Greece’s capital city Athens.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has a list of visa-exempt countries on its official website.
