Somalia
Last update 13 September 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 4: Termination warning throughout the country (except in case of extreme necessity)
4
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We call on Bulgarian citizens to refrain from travelling!
The Republic of Bulgaria does not have a functioning embassy in Mogadishu. Bulgarian citizens residing in Somalia on a short or long-term basis may address consular matters to the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Ethiopia
Address: Bole KK, Kebele 04/06/07, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mailing address: P.O.Box 987 Addis Ababa, FDR of Ethiopia
Telephone: +251 11 66 100 32
Fax: +251 11 66 162 70
Working hours: 08:00 – 18:00
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/ethiopia
Bulgarian citizens can apply for visas and validation of documents issued by the Somali authorities at the Somali Embassy in Moscow.
Embassy of Somalia in Moscow
Address: Simferopolsky Bulvar 7a-145, 117556 Moscow
Telephone: +7 495 317 15 72; +7 495 317 06 22
Fax: +7 495 317 06 22
E-mail: [email protected]
General information
Security level:
Attention! Given the ongoing hostilities and terrorist attacks in the country, we advise against travelling to Somalia.
Healthcare:
An international yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for passengers arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission and for passengers who have transited through the airport of a country at risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022 the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning for poliomyelitis in Africa; Somalia is currently considered a high-risk country for travellers with poliomyelitis; the CDC recommends that all unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with unknown poliomyelitis vaccine status complete the routine poliomyelitis vaccine series prior to any international travel; prior to travel to a high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who have previously completed the full routine poliomyelitis vaccine series receive a single lifetime booster dose of vaccine.
There are almost no hospital facilities. There is a risk of malaria infection.
Recommended vaccines and personal hygiene advice:
For up-to-date information on mandatory and/or recommended vaccines you may contact the Regional Health Inspectorates in the country. Yellow fever vaccine is administered at the following regional health inspectorates: Sofia Regional Health Inspectorate; Varna RHI; Burgas RHI; Pleven RHI; Plovdiv RHI; Blagoevgrad RHI and Ruse RHI.
Specifics of the local legislation:
a bicameral federal parliament consisting of:
Senate (54 seats; senators are indirectly elected by state assemblies for 4-year terms)
House of People's Representatives (275 seats; members are indirectly elected by electoral colleges, each consisting of 51 delegates chosen by 136 traditional elders in consultation with sub-clan elders; members serve 4-year terms).
Customs requirements:
Bulgarian citizens must ensure that their passport is valid on the date of entry and throughout their visit. They should also ensure that there is at least 1 blank page in their passport for each entry stamp that will be required.
Road traffic:
An international driving permit is required.
Driving side of the road: Right
Practical advice:
Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria recommends Bulgarian citizens NOT to travel to Somalia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health problems, kidnapping and piracy.
Cultural practices: The left hand is considered impure and should not be used for handshaking.
Tipping Guidelines:
Tipping is optional. For exceptional service, an extra tip is always welcome. Hotels and restaurants usually tip 5—10%, but luxury hotels and high-end restaurants may take 10—15% of the total bill as a service charge.
Local currency:
Somali shilling (SOS)
Climatic characteristics:
mostly desert; northeast monsoon (December—February), moderate temperatures in the north and hot in the south; southwest monsoon (May—October), hot in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons.
Travel papers and visas
Passport and visa required. There is no established universal visa for the entire country due to lack of statehood.
Competitive service
European Emergency Travel Document:
In extreme situations — in case of damage, loss or theft of a passport, Bulgarian citizens can apply for an Emergency Travel Document at an Embassy of an EU Member State in Mogadishu.
Certifications and legalizations:
Documents issued to Bulgarian citizens in Somalia shall bear the stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia. They are certified by the Somali Embassy in Moscow and then by the Bulgarian Embassy in the Russian capital.
Once the documents have been so prepared, they must be translated into Bulgarian by an authorized translation agency in Bulgaria and the translation must be certified by the Department of Certifications and Legalizations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.