site.btaAt 5.11%, Bulgaria Records Lowest U.S. Visa Refusal Rate

Bulgaria has recorded the lowest refusal rate for U.S. tourist and business visas in the past two decades, at 5.11%, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. This is shown by the official data published by the U.S. Department of State for the 2025 U.S. fiscal year, the ministry added.

The achieved rate clearly shows that Bulgaria is making steady and visible progress in meeting this key criterion for the country’s inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, the ministry said.

"Achieving an even lower refusal rate is a confident step on the path toward realizing this strategic goal for our country," said outgoing Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev. "I would like to express my gratitude to Bulgarian citizens for their responsible, honest, and transparent approach to the application process over the past year. Only through the combined efforts of the state in meeting the technical criteria and of visa applicants who approach the process well prepared can we achieve success," Georgiev added.

The Bulgarian foreign minister also attributed the progress primarily to effective coordination and close cooperation with U.S. partners, as well as to enhanced interinstitutional cooperation in the field of security.

The Foreign Ministry says that at such low levels, every single refusal affects the overall national result, which must not exceed the required threshold of 3%. Therefore, it is important that each visa application be carefully prepared, correctly submitted, and honestly presented to U.S. consular services, the ministry specified.

Since 2006, the refusal rate for U.S. B-type visas issued to Bulgarian citizens has fallen below 10% only twice, with the lowest rate recorded in 2024 at 6.02%. This is according to information published on the U.S. Department of State’s website in September 2025. One of the technical requirements for Bulgaria’s inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program is that the refusal rate for tourist visas for Bulgarian citizens must not exceed 3%.