Bulgaria is intensifying its push to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), arguing that one of Washington's most important NATO allies in southeastern Europe should no longer be excluded from visa-free travel to the United States.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev has made the issue a top diplomatic priority, raising it directly with President Donald Trump during a recent phone conversation.

At stake is the U.S.'s use of its strategically located air base in Sofia for military transport aircraft important for U.S. operations in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

The Bulgarian government is under domestic pressure from opposition parties to end U.S. access to the bases.

Radev has argued that lifting visa restrictions, even temporarily, would ease concerns about the use of the air bases.

"In my conversation with the American president, I insistently raised the issue of lifting U.S. visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens, and I expect this matter to be considered urgently," Radev said in May, according to Reuters.

The VWP allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism and business for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

Travelers instead receive approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The program currently includes more than 40 countries that meet strict security, border-control, and information-sharing requirements.

Bulgaria is one of only three European Union member states that remain outside the program despite being a NATO ally for more than two decades and a growing strategic partner of the United States.

Bulgarian officials argue that Sofia has already met most of Washington's technical requirements.

During consultations between Bulgarian and U.S. experts earlier this year, both sides highlighted what officials described as 'excellent bilateral cooperation' and Bulgaria's substantial progress toward accession.

The meeting included representatives from Bulgarian institutions led by National Coordinator Dimana Dramova, alongside experts from the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security.

Officials noted the completion of the necessary bilateral legal framework, strengthened procedures to prevent abuse, and expanded coordination on border security and information exchange.

Bulgaria's tourist and business visa refusal rate is close to the program's 3% threshold, a key metric used by the State Department.

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova recently pressed the issue during talks with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Sweden.

Petrova emphasized Bulgaria's fulfillment of technical criteria and argued that lifting visa requirements would help balance the increasingly close strategic relationship between Sofia and Washington.

According to Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry, the U.S. side reaffirmed its commitment to continue discussions.

The visa dispute comes as Bulgaria hosts significant U.S. military operations on its territory.

American military aircraft, including Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport planes, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift aircraft, and KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft, have been operating from facilities near Sofia under bilateral defense agreements.

In a sign of growing frustration, Radev recently linked future military hosting arrangements to progress on the visa issue.

After the Trump administration declined to immediately support visa-free travel for Bulgarians, Radev announced that Bulgaria would extend permission for U.S. military aircraft and personnel to remain at Sofia Airport only through the end of June.

"I called for the suspension of visas for Bulgarian citizens during my conversation with the U.S. President, but I have not received a positive answer," Radev said.

"While I fully understand the complexity of all the regulatory procedures, we also have our priorities, and we cannot respond positively to the request for long stays of aircraft and tankers at Sofia Airport."

The Bulgarian government approved an extension allowing up to 15 U.S. military aircraft, associated equipment, and as many as 500 personnel to remain through June 30 while allies explore longer-term arrangements.

Supporters of Bulgaria's admission argue that the country has become an indispensable NATO partner on the alliance's eastern flank, particularly as instability in the Black Sea region continues to reshape European security.

Bulgaria is one of a handful of NATO countries fully in compliance with U.S. requirements of 2% GDP spending on military with a plan to hit 5% in the next several years.

Radev contends that granting Bulgaria entry into the VWP would recognize its military contributions, strengthen transatlantic ties, and eliminate one of the last remaining barriers between the United States and one of its most dependable allies in southeastern Europe.

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