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Republic of Bulgaria

Ministry of foreign affairs
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Diplomatic missions

Visa for Bulgaria

General information

Bulgaria and the Common Visa Policy of the European Union

Since 1 January 2007, the Republic of Bulgaria has been implementing the Common Visa Policy of the European Union under the conditions laid down in the Act of Accession.

Bulgaria and the Schengen Area

According to Council Decision (EU) 2024/210 of 30 December 2023 on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, as of 31 March 2024, the Republic of Bulgaria is part of the Schengen area by initially abolishing checks on persons at internal air and sea borders.

The Council will endeavour to take a decision on the abolition of checks on persons at internal land borders. This decision will be taken by the Council, acting unanimously in accordance with Article 4(2) of the 2005 Act of Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania.

Uniform (Schengen) visas

From 31 March 2024, the Republic of Bulgaria issues uniform (Schengen) visas valid throughout the Schengen area. A Schengen visa issued by the Republic of Bulgaria after 31 March 2024 will allow its holder to travel throughout the Schengen area in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period), regardless of internal land border checks.

The short-term stay (90 days in any 180 days) within the Schengen area begins to be counted from the moment of entry into the territory of Schengen, including for the Republic of Bulgaria.

Short-stay visas issued by the Republic of Bulgaria before 31 March 2024

In accordance with Art. 2 of Council Decision (EU) 2024/210, further explained in recital 8 of its preamble, national short-stay visas issued by the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania before 31 March 2024 shall remain valid for their period of validity. However, holders of these national short-stay visas will only be able to travel to the Republic of Bulgaria, Romania and also to Cyprus, but not to other Schengen Member States.

Holders of a national short-stay visa issued by the Republic of Bulgaria or Romania who wish to travel to other Schengen member states will need to apply for a Schengen visa.

Long-stay visas and residence permits issued by the Republic of Bulgaria

Residence permits and long-stay visas issued by the Republic of Bulgaria will continue to be valid after March 31, 2024 and during their period of validity, as specified in Art. 2 of Council Decision (EU) 2024/210.

Holders of long-stay visas issued by the Republic of Bulgaria, still valid after 31 March 2024, will be able to travel freely within the Schengen area in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period) after 31 March 2024, regardless of checks at internal land borders.

Holders of residence permits issued by the Republic of Bulgaria in a uniform format in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 380/2008, or any other residence permits notified to the Commission by the Republic of Bulgaria in accordance with Article 10. 39 of the Schengen Borders Code and published in Annex 22 to the Practical Guide for border guards that they are still valid after 31 March 2024, will be entitled to visa-free short-stay in the other Schengen countries in accordance with the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period) after 31 March 2024 and within the period of validity of those authorisations,  checks at internal land borders.

Visa-free regime for holders of valid visas and residence permits issued by Romania

National short-stay visas, national long-stay visas and residence permits issued by the Romanian authorities before 31 March 2024 shall be recognised, until their expiry date, as equivalent to Bulgarian national visas for transit and intended stay.

Regulation (EU) 2018/1806

From the date of accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria started to apply Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15.03.2001, which was codified by Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council as of 14.11.2018. It defines the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

As of 31 March 2024, if nationals of the countries listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 hold a valid uniform (Schengen) visa, the time spent by them in the Republic of Bulgaria will be considered part of the 90 days allowed to stay in the Schengen area for any 180-day period, regardless of border (air, land or sea),  which these citizens have passed in order to enter the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and regardless of whether it concerns short-term stay or transit.

The list set out in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 lists the countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the EU's external borders. Pursuant to Art. 4 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 they shall be subject to visa-free regime for a period of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Information about the Visa Regime for foreigners with ordinary passports for a short stay (until 90 days)
Information about the Visa Regime for foreigners with diplomatic and service passports

Types of visas

Requirements when entering the country

A foreigner may enter the Republic of Bulgaria if he/ she is a holder of a regular foreign travel document or another equivalent document as well as a visa if required.

Visa issuing

A foreign citizen wishing to apply for a Bulgarian visa shall hold a regular travel document that meets the following requirements:

  • its validity expires at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria or in case of multiple visits - after the last scheduled date of departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
  • contains at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes;
  • has been issued within the last 10 years.

Visas are issued by the diplomatic and consular representations of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Visa applications

Visa applications forms are submitted not earlier than 3 months before the date of the intended travel, personally or through an authorized agent, with the exception of humanitarian cases.

Visa applications for minors or judicially disabled persons shall be submitted by their legal representatives or by persons expressly authorized to do so.

Visa applications for underage persons or persons with limited judicial disability shall be submitted by their legal representatives, trustees or by persons expressly authorized to do so.

Download Visa Application Form

Requirements when filling in visa applications

All fields in the application shall be filled in legibly in typed letters. The names shall be filled in with Latin letters (the way they are spelt in the foreign travel passport). The rest of the information shall be filled in in English or Bulgarian. The application shall be signed by the applicant personally. The members of the family of European Union citizens shall fill in only those fields of the visa application form which indicate their family relationship.

Obligatory personal interview when applying for a type “D” visa

No exception shall be made from the requirement for a personal interview when applying for a long-stay visa.

Documents to be submitted with the visa application:

  1. A photocopy of the first page of the foreign travel document;
  2. A photocopy of the last Bulgarian and Schengen visas or visas for the UK and the US, if any
  3. A full color photograph 3,5 cm х 4,5 cm against light-colored background (the same holds for a child entered in the passport) – a full-face photo with clear, large enough face which takes up 70-80% of the photo; eyes must be red; the following is ineligible: photos with dark glasses; non-professional photos or cut out of amateur photos
  4. A medical insurance valid for the EU member states for the whole period of the trip, covering all costs for repatriation and for urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment for the period of the stay indicated in the visa. The insurance amount cannot be less than 30 thousand euro
  5. Tickets (original and copy) or ticket booking conformation or financial means
  6. Copy of the technical passport of the car of the trip
  7. For under-aged children travelling without their parents  or trustees the following documents shall be submitted:
    • a copy of the birth certificate
    • original and photocopy of a power of attorney notary certified by both parents/ trustees or by one parent trustee that they agree their child to travel unaccompanied by them.

The following persons are exempt from presenting proof for subsistence, accommodation and transportation:

  1. Members of the families or the households of European Union, European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation citizens;
  2. Persons applying for a visa for a long stay in view of gathering their families, in relation to a refugee status acquired or asylum in the Republic of Bulgaria – pursuant to a written decision of the State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers
  3. Holders of service and diplomatic passports

The following persons are exempt from presenting an insurance policy:

  1. Members of the families or the households of European Union, European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation citizens
  2. Holders of service and diplomatic passports
  3. Seamen who meet the criteria of Convention №108 of the International Labour Organization when submitting applications for short-stay visas with the purpose of transit
  4. Persons who can be deemed to be insured or can cover expenses in unforeseen circumstances due to their social or service status.

The following persons are exempt from fees for visa application processing

  1. Foreign citizens who as of the date of the visa application are under 6 years
  2. Members of Bulgarian and EU citizens’ families

Refusal to issue a visa

The refusal to issue a visa may be appealed before the higher administrative authority - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 1113, Sofia, 2 "Alexander Zhendov" str. (e-mail: [email protected]), or Administrative Court Sofia-city, 1301, Sofia, 17 George Washington str. (e-mail: [email protected]);

Visa Application Centers (Outsourcing Centers) 

In order to facilitate visa applicants, and to provide a better and quicker service, Bulgarian Consular Services started, on stages, accepting visa application forms through the so called Visa Application Centers (Outsourcing Centers), operated by the VFC Global Company, specialized in providing visa services. For now, visa application forms could be submitted in this way at the Visa Application Centers situated in the following countries and cities:

Russia

Moscow, St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Novorossiysk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saratov, Ufa, Vladivostok, Voronezh

India

New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Mumbai, Pune


Indonesia

Jakarta, Bali


Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur


Singapore

Singapore


United Kingdom

London, Edinburgh, Manchester


Turkey

Ankara, Istanbul, Antalya, Bursa, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Gaziantep, Izmir


Kazakhstan

Nur-Sultan, Almaty


China

Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xi'an


More detailed information about the Visa Application Centers’ locations, as well as regarding the terms and regulations of submitting the visa application forms you could find on the phones of the respective Bulgarian diplomatic Missions abroad and their websites.

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