Minister Petrova Discusses Bulgaria’s Accession to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program with U.S. Department of State Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker
21 May 2026 News
Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova held a meeting with Allison Hooker, Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Our country's top diplomat highlighted Bulgaria’s accession to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program at the earliest possible opportunity. Minister Petrova underlined Bulgaria’s fulfilment of the technical criteria and emphasised the importance of lifting tourist and business visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens, as well as the significance of this step for maintaining balance in the strategic relationship between Bulgaria and the United States. During the meeting, the U.S. side reaffirmed its commitment to continuing discussions on the matter.
As strategic partners and NATO allies, Bulgaria and the United States reaffirmed their readiness to continue working together to strengthen cooperation in the fields of security and defence, the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, energy diversification, trade and investment, science and technology.