Covid-19: Travel Advice for Irish citizens in Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia (current as of 22 June)
News
16 March 2020General advice
Ireland continues to recommend staying at home as far as possible and advises against all but essential overseas travel. Please note, if you are considering travel outside of the island of Ireland, that anyone entering Ireland, including any Irish citizen or resident returning from a trip abroad, should self-isolate for 14 days after arriving (unless transiting, or travelling for a limited number of specific economic, employment, medical or humanitarian reasons). For further information and advice please click here.
The situation regarding Covid-19 is a developing one and measures outlined below are subject to change. We advise checking latest regulations on the websites of the relevant authorities, which can be found below. Please also monitor the situation in Bulgaria, Georgia and Armenia through the Embassy’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as local media and contact the Embassy at sofiaconsular@dfa.ie if you have specific concerns. If you are an Irish citizen abroad, register your contact details through our Citizens’ Registration system so that the Embassy will be able to contact you quickly in the event of any major developments that may affect you.
Bulgaria
Irish citizens are in principle permitted to enter Bulgaria but may be subject to 14 days' self-quarantine if travelling to Bulgaria from certain countries.
Regardless of citizenship, anyone who is permitted to enter Bulgaria between 15th and 30th June after travelling from Portugal, Sweden, and any non-EU/Schengen (etc.) country including the UK (but not Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro or Serbia) is required to self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival, unless undertaking permitted transit and immediately leaving Bulgaria or travelling for a limited number of specific economic, employment, medical or humanitarian reasons.
Anyone who is permitted to enter Bulgaria and who has travelled from Ireland is at this time not required to self-quarantine. The authorities have confirmed that this applies even if transiting through another country en route, as long as the passenger has proof that the journey originated in Ireland (e.g. boarding passes). However, to avoid complications, we recommend a) avoiding transit through one of the quarantine-required countries and b) transiting through a single airport.
Please note that the Bulgarian authorities may change entry and quarantine requirements at any time, without warning.
As of 15th June, the self-quarantine requirement is lifted from anyone who entered Bulgaria from Ireland between 2nd and 14th June, regardless of transit through any other country. Anyone planning to travel to Bulgaria from Ireland and back again, however, should be aware that Ireland advises against any non-essential overseas travel at this time and requires anyone arriving in Ireland, including Irish citizens returning from abroad, to self-isolate for 14 days. This does not apply to people transiting through Ireland (including people returning to Northern Ireland via Dublin etc.).
In the absence of direct flights between Ireland and Bulgaria and vice versa, anyone who needs to travel between the two countries is advised to check with the authorities of the intended transit country to make sure that there are no restrictions on doing so.
Regarding measures in place in Bulgaria: Until 30th June, Bulgaria is under a state of 'epidemic emergency', under which measures to counter the spread of Covid-19 may remain in place or be introduced. Further information on measures being taken in Bulgaria may be found on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Bulgaria (BG).
Georgia
In connection with the Covid-19 global pandemic, the government of Georgia declared a state of emergency on 21st March 2020. As of this date, all scheduled flights to and from Georgia have been suspended with permission only granted for a limited number of Georgian Airways and specially chartered repatriation flights. Irish citizens visiting/living in Georgia who wish to return to Ireland (or another place of residence) should contact us at sofiaconsular@dfa.ie for information on how to enquire about bookings on the remaining available flights. For up-to-date information on the situation in Georgia including any Covid-19 measures in place please visit StopCov.ge.
Armenia
At present,there are extremely limited air connections between Yerevan and Europe via Minsk with Belavia. For up-to-date information on restrictions in Armenia, please visit the websites of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.