PCR testing in Bulgaria: who needs it and why

To perform a PCR test, the doctor takes a swab from the nasopharynx. Unlike an ordinary rapid test, this method of testing is considered the most accurate, since it detects the DNA or RNA of the virus as early as the day after infection, even before symptoms appear. The test takes 5 hours and has an accuracy of 99%, which is why it is widely used to identify infected people.

Most states have no interest in infected individuals entering their territory, so they require arrivals to present a certificate of a negative PCR test.

Is a test required to travel to Bulgaria?

Citizens of the EU, as well as of twenty-one other non-EU countries, may travel to Bulgaria without taking a coronavirus test or observing a two-week quarantine. Ukrainians arriving in Bulgaria are also exempt from presenting a certificate of a negative PCR test. Citizens of other countries must present a certificate of a negative test taken no earlier than 72 hours before entry, or observe quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the country. There is no need to translate the entire certificate, but the test method (PCR) and the result (Negative) must be given in Latin script. If there is no test, quarantine for 14 days is mandatory after crossing the border.

Important! For Russians, a negative test alone is not enough to enter Bulgaria — grounds for the trip are also required, for example a long-term residence permit, a permanent residence permit, EU long-term resident status or a type D visa.

Is a coronavirus test required for those arriving in Ukraine from Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is in the so-called “red” zone, i.e. it has been designated a dangerous territory by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health. Accordingly, strict requirements apply to those arriving in Ukraine from Bulgaria: you must present a PCR test (with a negative result) taken within 48 hours before entry, or sign an undertaking to observe quarantine for two weeks.

Is a PCR test required for those arriving in Russia from Bulgaria?

Russia requires all foreigners to take a PCR test no earlier than three days before crossing the border or within three days after that (in the latter case the test is paid for). Russian citizens must also be tested in advance or within three days after arrival. There is an alternative as well — self-isolation for 14 days. The certificate confirming the absence of the virus must be in Russian or English.

Travel to other countries

A certificate of a negative PCR test is mandatory for those travelling from Bulgaria to Greece, Austria, the Czech Republic and some other countries. Other states (such as Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands) impose mandatory quarantine on arrivals from Bulgaria, while entry into Lithuania, for example, is closed to foreign nationals coming from Bulgaria altogether.

Where can you take a PCR test in Bulgaria?

Taking a coronavirus test in Bulgaria is now relatively straightforward; the service is offered by many laboratories in almost all of the country’s large cities. For those who want to take the test of their own accord, for example for a trip to another country, it costs around 100 – 130 leva. At the Ramus laboratory chain, for instance, the test costs 100 leva.

Most laboratories see patients in the first half of the day by prior appointment, since taking a swab takes about three minutes on average. It is not always possible to book for the next day, and sometimes you have to wait, so it is worth arranging the test well in advance.

In some places you can take the test on a first-come, first-served basis. Certain clinics offer a home visit by a doctor to take the swab, but this option is mainly available to residents of the capital.

The test results are translated into English in accordance with the details in the person’s identity documents. The certificate must bear the date the test was taken and the laboratory’s blue stamp — only in this form is the document accepted by border services. In some cases an additional fee is charged for the translation.

Please note! Laboratories may also offer cheaper rapid tests. In this case, however, the saving is not justified: crossing borders requires specifically a PCR test, which is highly accurate. It cannot be replaced with a more affordable rapid test. You can save in another way: some laboratories offer family or group discounts — if you take the tests as a group, the testing will cost 10-15% less.

PLANNING TRIPS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The situation in Bulgaria – August 2020

Expired type D visas due to the state of emergency in the country