Foreign Minister Petrova discusses visa waiver process with US delegation

Minister Velislava Petrova met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a delegation from the US Department of Homeland Security, led by John Gountanis, Deputy Under Secretary for the Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans. Representatives of the U.S. Department State also took part in the meeting.

• Lifting U.S. visa requirements remains a key priority for Bulgaria

• Foreign Minister asks US to expedite visa waiver for Bulgarians

Bulgaria’s top diplomat said she viewed the visit as a sign of strong recognition of the country’s progress in meeting technical security requirements for inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program. She added that lifting tourist visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens would ensure a balance and mutual respect for the priorities of each country, while reflecting the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States.

The two sides discussed the next steps toward finalizing Bulgaria’s inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program, including the fulfillment of the remaining legal requirements. The final outstanding requirement is reducing the visa refusal rate to below 3%, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov