Health Minister issues order on entry into Bulgaria and quarantine rules

Bulgaria’s Minister of Health on June 12 issued an order regulating the entry into the Republic of Bulgaria from June 15 to June 30, the transit through the territory of the country and the rule for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

As of June 15 until June 30, 2020, a temporary ban on entry into the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is introduced for all persons, regardless of their citizenship, through all border crossing points, by air, sea, rail and road transport.

The ban does not apply to Bulgarian nationals, nationals of EU member states, the United Kingdom, Schengen visa zone member countries (including the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Vatican City State), the Republic of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, members of the families of Bulgarian citizens, as well as persons who are in actual cohabitation with a Bulgarian citizen, and foreigners with the status of permanent or long-term residence in Bulgaria and members of their families.

Also allowed to the territory of Bulgaria are:

• Medical professionals, medical researchers, social workers, and their supervisors where the purpose of the journey is related to the profession they are pursuing;
• Workers involved in the supply of medicinal products, medical devices and personal protective equipment, medical equipment, including its installation and maintenance;
• Transport staff engaged in the international carriage of passengers and cargo, crews of commercial aircraft and other transport staff as required, including vessel crews and persons involved in the maintenance of vessels;
• Foreign officials (heads of state, members of governments, etc.) and members of their delegations, as well as diplomats, officials of international organisations, military personnel, members of the security and public order services and humanitarian workers in the performance of their duties;
• People travelling for humanitarian reasons;
• Representatives of trade, economic and investment activities and people directly involved in the construction, maintenance, operation and ensuring the safety of the strategic and critical infrastructure of Bulgaria, implementation of projects certified under the Investment Promotion Act, analysis of projects of potential investors and other activities of importance for the economy of the country, certified by a letter from the Minister of Economy or another minister responsible for the respective activity, as well as people engaged in shipbuilding and ship repair;
• Seasonal agricultural and tourism workers;
• Cross-border workers.

The order also sets out who may transit through Bulgaria:

• Nationals of EU countries, the UK and Schengen member countries (including the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Vatican City State) and their family members in order to return in the country where they reside.
• Third-country (meaning, non-EU) nationals who have a long-term residence permit in another EU country, the UK, or in a Schengen country (including the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Vatican City State) and members of their families in order to return to the country of residence.
• Citizens of the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey in order to return to the country of which they are nationals.

Transit is allowed only in cases where immediate departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria can be guaranteed.

The requirement for the 14 day obligatory quarantine applies to all persons arriving on the territory of Bulgaria from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Portugal and Netherlands, as well as from all third (non-EU) countries except Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The quarantine should take place at home or other accommodation specified by the person and an advisory note should be issued by the director of the relevant regional health inspectorate or a person authorized by him/her.

The requirement for the 14-day quarantine rule does not apply if those arriving are Bulgarian citizens and citizens of other EU countries, the UK, Schengen countries, who are travelling for humanitarian reasons, or are trade representatives, or are involved in activities crucial to the strategic and critical infrastructure of Bulgaria, implementation of projects certified under the Investment Promotion Act, analysis of projects of potential investors and other activities of importance for the country’s economy, certified by a letter from the Minister of Economy or another minister responsible for the relevant activity, as well as persons engaged in shipbuilding and ship repair.

It also does not apply to:

• Bus drivers carrying out international carriage of passengers;
• Lorry drivers involved in international carriage of goods;
• Members of crews of vessels who are Bulgarian citizens.