Bulgaria Embassy Washington

Before your visit

• Location: The embassy is in the Kalorama Heights area of Washington, D.C., about 1.9 km in a straight line from the White House; the nearest large airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), about 6.8 km away. The nearest Metro station is Dupont Circle (less than 1 km). (distances: OpenStreetMap, airports: FAA passenger boarding data CY 2025)

About the Embassy of Bulgaria in the United States

According to the State Department’s Order of Precedence, the embassy is currently led by Stefka Yovcheva as chargé d’affaires ad interim (rank: counsellor), since 7 May 2025. The Congressional Directory also lists 6 consular offices of Bulgaria in the United States – career or honorary – in Los Angeles (California), Sacramento (California), Boca Raton (Florida), Chicago (Illinois), Las Vegas (Nevada) and New York (New York); these will get their own pages in this directory. In Bulgaria, the United States is represented by the U.S. Embassy in Sofia (bg.usembassy.gov), according to the Congressional Directory.

Do I need an appointment?

Yes, for most services, according to the embassy’s official website (checked October 2026).

Do Bulgarian citizens need a visa for the United States?

Bulgaria is not one of the 42 countries in the US Visa Waiver Program (Department of Homeland Security), so Bulgarian citizens normally need a US visa before travelling to the United States, also for short visits; visas are issued by US embassies and consulates abroad, not by the Bulgarian embassy in the United States.

Documents checklist

Prepare these documents before your appointment. The lists are taken from official Bulgarian sources:

Bulgarian passport (application abroad)

• Apply in person at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate – signature, photo and fingerprints are taken there (posts without the equipment do not accept applications)
• Your old passport, which is handed in for destruction before the new one is issued
• If lost or stolen: a police document certifying the loss (notify the consular service within 3 days)
• Minors: both parents sign in front of the consular official with the child’s Bulgarian birth certificate (with personal number), or a notarised power of attorney from the absent parent
• Foreign documents need an apostille or legalisation
• Without any valid document: a temporary passport (valid up to 12 months) can be issued

Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria – passport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria – temporary passport (checked October 2026). Requirements and fees can change and individual posts may ask for more – confirm the current list with the embassy – the consular section receives visitors by appointment.

Other embassies in Washington, D.C.

175 other countries are represented in Washington, D.C., among them: Burkina Faso (embassy), Burundi (embassy), Cabo Verde (embassy), Cambodia (embassy), Cameroon (embassy), Canada (embassy), Central African Republic (embassy), Chad (embassy), Chile (embassy), China (embassy), Colombia (embassy), Costa Rica (embassy), Croatia (embassy), Cuba (embassy), Cyprus (embassy), Czech Republic (embassy), Côte d’Ivoire (embassy), Democratic Republic of the Congo (embassy), Denmark (embassy), Republic of the Congo (embassy). The full list of all 176 missions is on the overview page for the United States.

Closing days

The eleven US federal holidays are New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (19 June), Independence Day (4 July), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) and Christmas Day. A holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before, one that falls on a Sunday on the Monday after – in 2027, for example, on 18 June, 5 July and 24 December. The embassy may also close on public holidays of Bulgaria.

Emergency assistance

In an emergency, Bulgarian citizens should call the embassy on +1 202-387-0174. In the United States, dial 911 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police (GOV.UK travel advice). US citizens who need consular help in Bulgaria can contact the U.S. Embassy in Sofia.

Diplomatic missions of Bulgaria in the United States

Bulgaria in the United States

• Washington – Embassy of Bulgaria in the United States (this page)
• Los Angeles (CA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Sacramento (CA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Boca Raton (FL) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Chicago (IL) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Las Vegas (NV) – consular office (page in preparation)
• New York (NY) – consular office (page in preparation)