Visa required
South Africa citizens need a visa to enter Bulgaria. Apply in advance at an embassy or visa centre.
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visa-free countries
visa-free countries
countries both South Africa and Bulgaria can enter visa-free together
of the world — where both passports have the same visa access
Where South Africa and Bulgaria travel together — by entry type:
Travelling as a pair with two different passports? Here is the full list of countries where BOTH of you can enter without a prior visa — plus where your access differs.
Sort by max stay or the destination's passport strength (tap a header), and filter by region.
| Country | Max stay | Passport rank |
|---|---|---|
| Angola | 30 days | #168 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 180 days | #61 |
| Argentina | 90 days | #44 |
| Bahamas | 90 days | #53 |
| Barbados | 90 days | #48 |
| Belize | 90 days | #99 |
| Botswana | 90 days | #119 |
| Brazil | 90 days | #43 |
| Chile | 90 days | #45 |
| Costa Rica | 180 days | #62 |
| Dominica | 180 days | #70 |
| Dominican Republic | 90 days | #124 |
| Ecuador | 90 days | #104 |
| El Salvador | 180 days | #75 |
| Fiji | 120 days | #103 |
| Gambia | 90 days | #132 |
| Georgia | 360 days | #83 |
| Grenada | 90 days | #65 |
| Guatemala | 90 days | #73 |
| Haiti | 90 days | #175 |
| Honduras | 90 days | #78 |
| Hong Kong | 30 days | #46 |
| Israel | 90 days | #51 |
| Kiribati | 90 days | #84 |
| Macao | 30 days | #67 |
| Malaysia | 90 days | #41 |
| Mauritius | 90 days | #66 |
| Micronesia | 30 days | #89 |
| Nicaragua | 90 days | #86 |
| Palestine | 90 days | #193 |
| Panama | 90 days | #68 |
| Paraguay | 90 days | #64 |
| Peru | 90 days | #57 |
| Philippines | 30 days | #128 |
| Rwanda | 30 days | #143 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 90 days | #54 |
| Saint Lucia | 42 days | #69 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 90 days | #56 |
| Seychelles | 90 days | #58 |
| Singapore | 30 days | #12 |
| Thailand | 60 days | #110 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 90 days | #63 |
| Tunisia | 60 days | #131 |
| Uruguay | 90 days | #50 |
| Vanuatu | 120 days | #105 |
| Venezuela | 90 days | #90 |
| Zambia | 90 days | #139 |
Visa guides tell you whether a visa is required. This block answers the second question — will you get it. Figures come from the European Commission's official 2025 statistics, broken down per country pair.
The Commission counts applications by where they were filed — at consulates located in South Africa — rather than by the applicant's nationality. For most countries these nearly coincide, but applications filed there by other nationals are included too. 2025 data. Source: European Commission, DG HOME
We keep our own archive of visa-rule snapshots and diff them against each other. Here is what changed over the observed period.
The South Africa → Bulgaria rule itself held steady over the observed period. The context around it did move:
Comparison is built from our own dataset snapshots; the date marks when we recorded the change, not the official decision date. See all changes →
Capital
Currency
Time zone
Calling code
The usual basics for the trip. Always confirm exact requirements with the embassy or consulate.
Valid at least 6 more months
Proof you will leave the country
Enough money for your stay
Hotel booking or an invitation
Recommended, sometimes required
Obtained at the embassy in advance
Where else the South Africa passport can take you and how it ranks worldwide.