United States Department of State

Bulgaria has made significant progress in reducing the percentage of US visa denials, with only 6.02% of applicants rejected in 2024. This represents a sharp decrease from the previous year, when 11.61% of visa applications were denied, marking the lowest denial rate in the last 18 years.

In July, Cypriot authorities made contact with Delta Air Lines, based in Georgia, with the aim of establishing a direct flight connection between Cyprus and the US. Efforts are ongoing, and not just with that airline. Targeting the American market requires coordinated actions that extend beyond the jurisdiction of a single ministry and involve many stakeholders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs activated the emergency telephone line 210 3681017 for the provision of consular assistance to Greek citizens regarding the situation in Lebanon.

The previous recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (29.7.2024) regarding the avoidance of visits and departure of visitors from the country remains in force.

Romania is making strides toward joining the Visa Waiver Program, a significant milestone that would enable its citizens to travel to the United States visa-free for up to 90 days. The country considers this inclusion a vital national objective and is steadily progressing towards meeting the necessary technical requirements.

US President Joe Biden has nominated Kenneth Merten as new US ambassador to Bulgaria. This is stated in a statement by the White House.

Merten (b. 1961) is a career diplomat. Until recently, he was a Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Haiti. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Global Talent Management.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Tuesday warned of a forceful response if North Korea carries out its first nuclear test explosion in nearly five years as she traveled to Seoul to meet with South Korean and Japanese allies and discuss the escalating standoff.

Statement by the United States Department of State on the embassies in Belarus and Russia

The United States' new ambassador to Turkey, Jeffrey Lane Flake, presented his credentials to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Jan. 26.

Flake, a former Republican senator, arrived in Turkey on Jan. 7 , replacing David Satterfield, who will serve as the U.S. special envoy to the Horn of Africa.

The Consular Section at U.S. Embassy in Sofia is pleased to announce the resumption of visa appointments for all categories of nonimmigrant visas on a limited basis. Beginning December 8, we will offer a limited number of appointments for visitor visas (B1, B1/B2, B2).

China and the U.S. have agreed to ease restrictions on each other's media workers amid a slight relaxation of tensions between the two sides.

The official China Daily newspaper on Wednesday said the agreement was reached ahead of Nov. 16's virtual summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden.