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Travel from Istanbul to Sofia

Last activity 27 July 2021 by janemulberry

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GuestPoster7087

I am a British passport holder and currently living in Istanbul since 2020
I want to travel to Sofia for two weeks . I heard as U.K. is in red list of Bulgaria.
How I can enter to Bulgaria?

gwynj

@irfan8972

It is the UK (and hence direct travel from UK to BG) that is on the Red Zone list, not UK citizens.

So you need to check Turkey status, and related restrictions.

I think it's currently Orange Zone, and this would apply:

"4.2.  Orange zone  – permitted on the territory of the country only upon presentation of
a  valid  EU  digital  COVID  certificate  for  vaccination,  for  recovery  from  the  illness  or  for
conducted testing, or of a similar document containing the same data as the EU digital COVID
certificate. At least 5 percent of all persons entering from orange-zone countries ought to be
tested for COVID-19 with a rapid antigen test. "


This info came from recent Ministry of Health update (translated):
https://www.mh.government.bg/media/file … _final.pdf

GuestPoster7087

Thank you so much for reply
Actually I am here in Istanbul since October 2020 and now I want to go back to the U.K. but unfortunately Turkey is in red list of U.K. and I can’t travel directly from Istanbul to London.
Someone told me if I go to Bulgaria and stay there 10 days then I can go directly to London from Bulgaria because Bulgaria is in green list of the U.K. .
I have taken first doze of vaccination on 14/07/2021 and second is due on 04/08/2021
I want to travel after second dose .
Do you think I won’t be stopped by Bulgaria borders because I am willing to get bus from Istanbul to Sofia .

janemulberry

Irfan, as Gywn said, if Turkey is on Bulgaria's orange list, you'd need to show evidence of a recent negative Covid test to cross into Bg.
I doubt you'd be able to just turn up on the bus and get across the border. It would be the same as if you arrived by plane - you'll need to show some evidence of your Covid status.
Read the document Gywn linked to to see what documentation you'll need.

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