Arrested in Bulgaria?

Arrested Abroad

While in a foreign country, a citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States, and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in other countries for similar offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, fined, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs may be strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. If arrested abroad, a citizen must go through the foreign legal process of being charged or indicted, prosecuted, possibly convicted, and sentenced, as well as any appeals process. Within this framework, U.S. consular officers provide a wide variety of services to U.S. citizens arrested abroad and their families.

Consular Services: Consular officers abroad provide a wide variety of services to U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad. Specific services vary depending on local laws and regulations, the level of local services available in the country in question, and the circumstances of the individual prisoner. The frequency of U.S. consular visits to citizens arrested abroad may likewise vary, depending upon circumstances.

Consular services may include:

Upon initial notification of arrest: visiting the prisoner as soon as possible after notification of the arrest; providing a list of local attorneys to assist the prisoner in obtaining legal representation; providing information about judicial procedures in the foreign country; notifying family and/or friends, if authorized by the prisoner; obtaining a Privacy Act Consent; relaying requests to family and friends for money or other aid.

On-going support to incarcerated Americans: providing regular consular visits to the prisoner and reporting on those visits to the Department of State; providing loans to qualified destitute prisoners through the Emergency Medical/Dietary Assistance (EMDA) program; arranging dietary supplements (vitamins/minerals) to qualified prisoners;

arranging for medical and dental care if not provided by the prison, to be paid for from prisoner's funds, funds provided by family, or funds loaned to the prisoner by the U.S. Government under the EMDA program for destitute Americans incarcerated abroad under the conditions specified at 22 CFR 71.10.; arranging for examinations by an independent physician if needed; arranging special family visits, subject to local law;

protesting mistreatment or abuse to the appropriate authorities; attending the trial, if the embassy/consulate believes that discrimination on the basis of U.S. nationality might occur or if specifically requested by the prisoner or family, if possible;

providing information about procedures to applications for pardons or prisoner transfer treaties, if applicable.

Discretionary support provided as needed: providing reading materials subject to local laws and regulations; arranging with the American community to provide holiday meals;

providing personal amenities such as stamps, toiletries, and stationery, if permitted by prison authorities, from prisoner's or family's private funds; assisting in finding ways to expedite prisoners' mail; inquiring about the possibility of prison employment;

assisting in arranging correspondence courses; arranging for American community volunteer visits to prisoners.

A consular officer cannot: demand the immediate release of a U.S. citizen arrested abroad or otherwise cause the citizen to be released; represent a U.S. citizen at trial, give legal advice, or pay legal fees and/or fines with U.S. Government funds.

All Countries
Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe