South Korea Visa Requirements for Bulgarian Citizens (2026)
No — Bulgarian citizens can enter South Korea without a visa. Maximum stay: 90 days. Every number on this page carries the date we last verified it.
Specifically for Bulgarian passport holders
- •Bulgarian passport holders are on South Korea's visa-free list and may stay in the country for up to 90 days. [1]
- •Any stay beyond 90 days falls outside the visa-free entry and needs a Korean visa for another purpose, such as study or employment. [1]
Required documents
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of arrival
- Return or onward ticket from South Korea
- Proof of sufficient funds for stay
- K-ETA information (if required after exemption period)
- Q-Code (quarantine) submitted online before arrival
Fees & processing
| Processing | ~90 working days |
|---|
From official-portal extracts (captured ):
- •There is no visa fee for Bulgarian tourists because the 90-day visit is visa-free.
- •If a K-ETA is required after 31 December 2026, it costs KRW 10,000 per person, about USD 7 to 8, paid by card (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners Club, Discover, UnionPay or Alipay+). [6]
- •An online payment processing fee of roughly 3 percent may be added on top of the K-ETA fee. [6]
- •The K-ETA fee is non-refundable once paid, whatever the outcome of the assessment. [6]
How to apply
- For a visit of up to 90 days no visa application is needed; travel with your passport and an onward or return ticket.
- If you travel after 31 December 2026, when the K-ETA exemption ends, apply at www.k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA mobile app before departure. [5]
- Complete the online form: accept the terms, verify your email, enter your passport details and application information, check everything, then submit. [8]
- Assessment is generally finished and the result given within 72 hours. [5]
Before you fly
- •Bulgarian visitors may stay up to 90 days without a visa for tourism, family visits or simple business meetings rather than work.
- •You must hold a return or onward ticket when you arrive in South Korea.
- •K-ETA is not required for Bulgarians through 31 December 2026; from 2027 expect a KRW 10,000 K-ETA before boarding.
- •South Korea's quarantine rules still apply, so submit the Q-Code health form online before you arrive.
Full South Korea entry guide — customs, health, long stays — on the destination page.
Watch out for
Bulgarian citizens can enter South Korea as a short term visit (e.g., tours, visiting relatives or friends, attending simple meetings) up to 90 days without a visa, though you should remain aware of the quarantine requirements. You must also have an onward or return ticket. It is illegal to work on a tourist visa, whether as a teacher or in any other capacity.
Overstay: 2009 saw concern raised over Chinese nationals who overstayed their visas.
It is illegal to work in South Korea on a visa-free tourist entry, whether as a teacher or in any other job.
Apply for K-ETA only at www.k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA app; lookalike agency sites charge high fees. [5]
Recent changes
- · upcomingOn 25 February 2026, South Korea announced that it will be expanding the tour group visa-free policy towards citizens of Indonesia in the future.
- · confirmedQatar
- · confirmedUnited Arab Emirates
- · confirmedKazakhstan
- · confirmedRussia
- · confirmedUruguay
- · confirmedVenezuela
- · confirmedJapan
- · confirmedChile
- · confirmedGuatemala
- · confirmedLatvia
- · confirmedBrazil
Policy updates affecting this route
- · confirmedE-9 workers were assigned to a specific site; transfer to another site permitted only in limited cases → Allowed to transfer to another site belonging to the same construction company (same employer) where the new site meets E-9 requirements — South Korea loosens E-9 worksite transfer rules
Frequently asked
How long can Bulgarian citizens stay in South Korea?
Up to 90 days visa-free.
What documents are required?
Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of arrival; Return or onward ticket from South Korea; Proof of sufficient funds for stay; K-ETA information (if required after exemption period); Q-Code (quarantine) submitted online before arrival.
What happens if I overstay in South Korea?
2009 saw concern raised over Chinese nationals who overstayed their visas.
How long does K-ETA approval take?
Assessment is generally completed within 72 hours. Apply only through the official K-ETA website or the official mobile app.
What does the K-ETA cost?
KRW 10,000 per person, about USD 7 to 8, plus a payment processing fee of roughly 3 percent. The fee is non-refundable.
When does the K-ETA exemption for Bulgarian travellers end?
It currently runs through 31 December 2026. After that date Bulgarians will need an approved K-ETA before travelling to South Korea.
Sources & last verified
Fact data cross-checked against English Wikipedia “Visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens” and “Visa policy of South Korea”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 — attribution, not copied text.
Official-source extracts captured : [1] k-eta.go.kr [2] visa.go.kr [3] visa.go.kr [4] visa.go.kr [5] k-eta.go.kr [6] k-eta.go.kr [7] visa.go.kr [8] k-eta.go.kr [9] visa.go.kr [10] k-eta.go.kr [11] visa.go.kr [12] visa.go.kr [13] k-eta.go.kr [14] visa.go.kr [15] visa.go.kr [16] visa.go.kr [17] visa.go.kr [18] visa.go.kr. Attribution to the publishing agencies; every bracketed number above points to its row here.
Last verified: . Entries, fees and rules change — confirm on the official portal before you travel.
This is general travel information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change and enforcement varies at the border — always confirm on the official portal before you travel.