Travel visa

The percentage of US visa denials for Bulgarians has steadily decreased in recent years, with 2024 marking a significant improvement at just 6.02%. This figure, the lowest since 2006, is still above the threshold needed for Bulgaria to join the US Visa Waiver Program, which requires the denial rate to remain under 3%.

On January 10, Romania will officially be accepted into the US Visa Waiver Program, marking the cancellation of visa requirements for Romanian citizens traveling to the United States.

Ferry services between the Greek island of Lesbos and the western Turkish city of İzmir's Dikili district will begin on May 16.

Rudy Youngblood, the Hollywood actor best known for his leading role in Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto," is being held at the Galatsi police station in Athens and faces potential deportation.

The assumption of the presidency of the US by Donald Trump on January 20 has put the academic communities on the other side of the Atlantic, among others, on alert. University administrations are concerned about the immigration policy that the newly elected president will pursue and are therefore advising students who have travelled outside the US for the holidays to return by 17 January.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on Dec. 30 called on European Union ambassadors to address visa delays hindering Turkish students from pursuing higher education abroad.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an awareness campaign aimed at reducing US visa refusals for Bulgarian citizens, with the goal of bringing the refusal rate below 3%. This would make Bulgaria eligible for visa-free travel to the United States, a significant milestone for many aspiring travelers.

The government has granted an extension until 28 February 2025 for the Golden Visa, giving breathing space to unblock 3,000 property cases and secure 750 million euros in revenue that was in danger of being lost.

Tourism spending in Greece increased by 14% in the period from October 2023 to September 2024 compared to previous 12-month period, according to Visa.

The migration and asylum minister announced on Tuesday a new institutional framework for legal immigration to drastically reduce times, shorten visa issuance procedures and extend the duration of the residence permit in special cases so as to fill in a timely manner the 100,000 job vacancies in Greece.