Bulgaria Records New Lowest Rate of U.S. Visa Refusals
16 January 2026 News
Bulgaria has recorded a new historic low in the refusal rate for U.S. tourist and business visas during the United States’ 2025 fiscal year. This is shown by the official data published today by the U.S. Department of State. The achieved refusal rate of 5.11 per cent, the lowest recorded for our country in nearly two decades, follows a record decline in the previous fiscal year and clearly demonstrates Bulgaria’s steady and tangible progress in meeting this key criterion for inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver Program.
“Achieving an even lower refusal rate is a confident step towards the realisation of this strategic national objective,” said Georg Georgiev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. “I would like to express my gratitude to Bulgarian citizens for their responsible, honest and transparent approach to the visa application process over the past year. Only through the combined efforts of the state in meeting the technical requirements and of visa applicants who approach the process well prepared can we achieve success,” he added. Bulgaria’s chief diplomat also underscored the key role played by effective coordination and close cooperation with the country’s American partners, as well as enhanced inter-institutional cooperation in the field of security, in achieving this progress.
With the start of the new U.S. fiscal year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draws attention to the fact that, at such low levels, each individual visa refusal has an impact on the overall national result, which must not exceed the required threshold of 3 per cent. Therefore, it is important that every visa application be carefully prepared, accurately submitted and truthfully presented to the U.S. consular authorities.