Table of Contents

I. EU and EEA citizens holders of valid ordinary passports or ID Cards do not need visa to visit Bulgaria. EU and EEA citizens and members of their families wishing to stay in Bulgaria for a period longer than 90 days have to apply for this in Bulgaria.

Important!
From 1 January 2006 (in accord with art. 18 of the Law on the foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria - SG, issue 63 from 02.08.2005) on entry in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria the foreign citizen is obliged to fill in a registration form on the Border Check-Points, declaring the purpose of the visit and the address of stay.
The citizens of EU and EEA member states are relieved of this order as from 13 January 2006.

Important!
EU/EEA citizens’ family members, listed in Annex I of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, are exempt of the requirement for a visa if:

- are accompanied by the EU/EEA citizen, or

- are able to prove they are joining the EU/EEA citizen.

The EU/EEA citizens’ family members should be in possession of a valid passport and a valid residence permit. If not specified in the residence permit, the family member should present a proof of marriage or registered partnership with the EU/EEA citizen. Documents proving family bond should be properly translated in Bulgarian and certified.

Important!
Turkish citizens holders of valid passports and visas issued by EU-member country, or stay permits granted by Schengen area countries, EU, Switzerland or Lichtenstein, can enter the territory of Bulgaria and transit for a five-day period without a visa. The transit has to be to or from Turkey and the country that has issued the visa or the stay permit.

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2. Types of Visas and Documents for visa application

Airport Transit Visa (Type “A” Visa)

An Airport transit visa is issued to an alien who travels by aircraft, changes planes in the Republic of Bulgaria and proceeds with the journey by the next earliest connecting flight on the route.

An airport transit visa may be a single, double or, in exceptional cases, multiple visa with a period of validity not exceeding 3 months reckoned from the date of issue, which entitles the alien to disembark the aircraft during a stopover or change of planes in connection with a further section of the journey to a third State to be performed by the next earliest connecting flight, allowing the alien to stay in the transit zone for international flights for a duration not exceeding 24 hours.

An alien possessing an airport transit visa is treated as not cleared for entry into the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and has no right to leave the transit zone for international flights. The border passport control authorities retain the foreign-travel documents of any such alien until his or her exit from Bulgaria.

Citizens of the following States are subject to an airport transit visa requirement: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (former Zaire), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan.

Upon submission of an application for an airport transit visa, the applicant must present:

• a foreign-travel document issued in good and due form;
• a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document containing the personal data and the visas affixed and/or a photocopy of the residence permits held for the States of onward transit and for the State of final destination, should such permits be necessary;
• an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size (3.5 by 4.5 cm), glued to the application form);
• a flight reservation, and a copy of the reservation

Transit Visa (Type B Visa)

Issued to an alien who enters the Republic of Bulgaria from one State en route to another State and who leaves the territory of Bulgaria within 24 hours.

The period of validity of a transit visa may not exceed 12 months reckoned from the date of issue and entitles the alien to a single, double or multiple transit passages.

The number of transit passages through the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria authorized by a multiple transit visa may not exceed 90 within any six-month period.

Upon submission of an application for the issuing of a transit visa, the applicant must present:
a foreign-travel document issued in good and due form;

· a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document containing the personal data and the visas affixed and/or a photocopy of the residence permits held for the States of onward transit and for the State of final destination, should such permits be necessary;

· an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size (3.5 by 4.5 cm), glued to the application form);

· proof of guaranteed means of transport for the transit passage and a copy of this proof, and/or proof of possession of sufficient financial means for continuation of the journey;

· proof of possession of sufficient financial means to cover the subsistence costs for each transit passage, to the minimum amount of EUR 50 or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency and, in the case of an overland transit passage by a means of transport operated by the applicant, additional financial means to the minimum amount of EUR 200 or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency.

Short-Stay Visa (Type C Visa)

A short-stay visa is issued to an alien for a single or multiple entry into Bulgaria and a cumulative duration of the stay not exceeding 90 days within any six-month period, reckoned from the date of first entry.

A multiple entry short-stay visa may be with a period of validity not exceeding 12 months, save in so far as otherwise provided in an international treaty in force for the Republic of Bulgaria or in an act of the Council of Ministers.

Note: The duration of a short stay may not exceed 90 days, reckoned from the date of entry into Bulgaria. This duration may be extended by the aliens administrative control services for humanitarian reasons.

The purpose of travel may be:

Private visit, for which the applicant must present:

- A standard invitation to an alien's private visit to the Republic of Bulgaria (mandatorily presented in the original!)

- a foreign-travel document (passport) issued in good and due form and a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document containing the personal data and the valid visas or residence permits held;

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

· Business trip, for which the applicant must present:

- A standard invitation to an alien's business trip to the Republic of Bulgaria (mandatorily presented in the original!)

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

· Cultural exchange, for which the applicant must present:

- An invitation letter from the Ministry of Culture or a mayor of the relevant municipality (mandatorily presented in the original!)

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

· Sports, for which the applicant must present:

- An invitation letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports or from a relevant sports club (mandatorily presented in the original!)

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

· Medical treatment, for which the applicant must present:

- A certificate issued by the medical-treatment facility according to the established procedure, stating a plan for treatment and recovery;

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

· Tourism

For Non-pre-arranged (individual) tours, the applicant must present:

- an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size; glued to the application form);

- a reservation from a Bulgarian collective tourist accommodation establishment (hotel);

- a reservation or a two-way airline ticket (a reservation may be presented upon submission of the visa application, and the ticket itself must be presented upon the issuing of the visa itself), or proof of possession of financial means to cover the costs of the applicant's return.

For pre-arranged (individual) tours, the applicant must present:

- a tourist voucher issued by the sending tour operator

- a list of the tourists in the group.

Solely accredited tour operators may submit documents of package tourists.

A multiple entry short-stay visa may be issued to an alien who:

1. maintains continuous business contacts with Bulgarian natural persons or for-profit legal entities or with representative offices of non-resident legal entities, registered in the Republic of Bulgaria, upon presentation of documentary proof of the existence of such contacts;

2. has invested more than EUR 50,000 in the Republic of Bulgaria, as shown by a certificate issued by the InvestBulgaria Agency;

3. is an authorized representative of any persons referred to in Items 1 and 2;

4. satisfies the conditions referred to in Items 2, 4, 6 and 11 of Article 24 (1) of the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act and is in a position to certify this, while keeping his or her habitual residence abroad;

5. has contributed substantially to the promotion of bilateral relations with the Republic of Bulgaria;

6. is a family member or an antecessor or descendant up to the second degree of a Bulgarian citizen, while keeping his or her habitual residence abroad;

7. is in possession of a multiple entry short-stay visa issued by any of the following States: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, provided that the period of validity of this visa is equal to or exceeds 12 months.

Upon submission of an application for the issuing of a short-stay visa, the applicant must present:

· a foreign-travel document issued in good and due form;

· a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document containing the personal data and the valid visas or residence permits held;

· an application completed in a standard form and 1 colour photograph (passport size (3.5 by 4.5 cm), glued to the application form);

· documents supporting the visa application, and copies of these documents;

· proof of possession of sufficient financial means to cover the subsistence costs, to the minimum amount of EUR 50 for each day of the stay as requested by the visa application or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency, but not less than a total of EUR 500 or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency, or a document of pre-paid tourist services;

· proof of possession of sufficient financial means to cover the accommodation costs, to the minimum amount of EUR 50 for each day of the stay as requested by the visa application or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency, or a document of pre-paid overnight stay in a collective tourist accommodation establishment, or standard invitation from a Bulgarian natural person certifying that accommodation will be provided;

· proof of possession of sufficient financial means to cover the costs of leaving Bulgaria or a ticket and, in the case of crossing the border by land, sea or river by means of transport operated by the applicant, financial means to the minimum amount of EUR 300 or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency.

Long-Stay Visa (National Visa) (Type D Visa)

Issued to an alien wishing to settle durably or permanently in Bulgaria on any of the grounds listed in Articles 24 and 25 of the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.

A long-stay visa entitles the alien to a single entry into Bulgaria with a right to stay for a duration not exceeding 90 days. The period of validity of this type of visa may not exceed six months. This limitation on the duration of stay applies until receipt of a long-term residence permit from the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior.

Note:

Long-term residence is:

1. durable: of an authorized duration not exceeding one year;

2. permanent: of an indefinite authorized duration.

A durable residence permit may be granted to aliens who:

- wish to perform work under an employment relationship after obtaining a permit from the authorities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certified copy of the work permit.

- engage in commercial activities in Bulgaria according to the statutory procedure, and at least 10 jobs for Bulgarian citizens have been created as a result of these activities, unless otherwise agreed in an international treaty which has been ratified, promulgated and entered into force for the Republic of Bulgaria.

Upon first entry, any such aliens must present:

o a certified copy of the judgment of court on entry into the Commercial Register;

o a certified copy of the document on tax registration;

o a certified copy of the document on BULSTAT registration;

o a certified copy of the document on registration at the National Social Security Institute and documentary proof of payment of social and health insurance for 10 Bulgarian citizens working under an employment relationship, if such document is required by law.

Upon second and any subsequent entry, any such aliens must present:

· a court certificate on current status of the Commercial Register record of the company case

· a certificate issued by the tax office exercising competence over the applicant's registered office, to the effect that the financial results have been declared and the taxes due have been paid;

· a certificate issued by the National Social Security Institute, to the effect that the applicant does not incur any outstanding liabilities to the Institute.

- have been admitted for full-time study at licensed educational establishments.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a document certifying that the applicant has been admitted for full-time study and is attending the relevant school during the academic year (applicable to first-year students: a certificate issued by the Ministry of Education and Science; applicable to second- and further year students: a current certificate issued by the higher educational establishment);

o documentary proof of payment of tuition fees.

Note: Aliens of ethnic Bulgarian nationality are not required to submit proof of possession of financial means to cover the subsistence costs!

- are foreign specialists staying in Bulgaria by virtue of international treaties whereto the Republic of Bulgaria is a party.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o documents issued by competent authorities, proving that the applicant will stay in Bulgaria by virtue of an international treaty;

o a document issued by the relevant sending party;

o a document issued by the receiving party in the Republic of Bulgaria.

- have grounds to be permitted permanent residence, or have contracted a marriage with a Bulgarian citizen or with an alien permanent resident in Bulgaria.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certificate of civil marriage, updated, translated and legalized.

- are representatives of non-resident commercial corporations registered at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certified copy of the registration of the representative office at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;

o a current certificate, issued by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry not earlier than one month prior to its submission;

o a certified copy of the certificate of tax registration.

- are financially self-supporting parents of alien permanent residents in Bulgaria or of a Bulgarian citizen.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o an official document certifying the birth of the descendant;

o a certificate issued by the aliens administrative control services to the effect that the descendant has been granted permanent residence, or a document certifying that the descendant holds Bulgarian citizenship.

- have been admitted for long-term treatment to a medical-treatment facility and possess financial means to pay for such treatment and to subsist.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certificate issued by the medical-treatment facility according to the established procedure, stating a plan for treatment and recovery.

- are foreign mass-media correspondents who are accredited to the Republic of Bulgaria.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a document of accreditation, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

- possess a pension entitlement and sufficient financial means to subsist in Bulgaria.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a document issued by the competent authorities of the relevant State, certifying possession of a pension entitlement;

o a document issued by a bank within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, certifying that the applicant holds an account to which the relevant remittances of the pension will be credited.

- carry out activities under the Investment Promotion Act.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certificate on a direct investment made, issued by the Ministry of Finance.

- are members of the family of an alien who has been granted a durable residence permit.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o applicable to children: a translated and legalized birth certificate;

o applicable to spouses: a translated and legalized civil marriage certificate;

o a document certifying an address of residence;

o a copy of the document showing that the holder has been permitted durable residence.

- are parents of an alien or are de facto cohabitees of an alien who has been granted a durable residence permit in pursuance of Article 28 (6) of the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a note issued by the relevant embassy;

o a document certifying an address of residence;

o if necessary, a document issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, certifying de facto cohabitation.

- wish to work on a freelance basis after obtaining a permit from the authorities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in accordance with Article 24a of the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certified copy of a permit for work on a freelance basis, issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

- wish to perform non-profit activities after obtaining a permission from the Ministry of Justice under terms and according to a procedure established by an ordinance of the Minister of Justice in consultation with the Minister of Interior;

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a certified copy of a permission issued by the Ministry of Justice;

o applicable to religious communities: a certificate issued by the Religious Affairs Directorate with the Council of Ministers.

A permanent residence permit may be granted to aliens:

- of Bulgarian nationality;

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o documents proving qualification for the grant of permanent residence permit.

- two years after contracting a civil marriage with a Bulgarian citizen or with an alien permanent resident in Bulgaria.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

· a civil marriage certificate.

- children of a Bulgarian citizen or of an alien permanent resident in Bulgaria, who have not attained the age of 14 years or who have attained the age of 14 years but have not attained the age of 18 years and who are not married.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a birth certificate.

- parents of a Bulgarian citizen, where they provide the said citizen with the child support due under the law, or in cases of affiliation or adoption, after the lapse of three years since the affiliation or adoption.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

· a declaration of consent of both parents.

- who have resided within Bulgarian territory on a legal ground without interruption during the last preceding five years, not counting the duration of stay authorized under Item 3 of Article 24 (1) of the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a document certifying that the applicant has resided in the Republic of Bulgaria for at least five years without interruption.

- who have invested in Bulgaria more than 500,000 United States dollars according to the statutory procedure.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a document certifying that they have invested in Bulgaria more than 500,000 United States dollars.

- who are not persons of Bulgarian descent born within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, have lost the Bulgarian citizenship thereof under emigration agreements or at their own will, and wish to settle lastingly within the territory of Bulgaria.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a birth certificate;

o a document issued by the Ministry of Justice, certifying that the person does not hold Bulgarian citizenship;

o a document issued by the municipal administration of the municipality within whose territory the person resided prior to losing his or her nationality, certifying recording in the population register.

- who entered, resided, or were born within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria prior to 27 December 1998, and whose parent has contracted a civil marriage with a Bulgarian citizen.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document certifying entry and stay in the Republic of Bulgaria, provided the applicant holds such a document;

o in case the applicant is unable to present such a document, a check is conducted in the databases of the Ministry of Interior;

o the authorities of the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior require a document certifying birth, civil marriage contracted by the parent or another document certifying the residence of the alien in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The above-mentioned applicants must possess in all cases:

o a foreign-travel document issued in good and due form;

o an application in a standard form, completed in duplicate;

o two colour photographs (sized 3.5 by 4.5 cm);

o a foreign-travel document (passport) issued in good and due form and a photocopy of the pages of the foreign-travel document containing the personal data, the valid visas or residence permits held, and the last Bulgarian entry stamp;

o proof of provision of accommodation for the duration of residence in Bulgaria;

o proof of possession of financial means to cover the subsistence costs for the duration of residence in Bulgaria;

o compulsory commercial and social insurances for the duration of residence in Bulgaria.

Exceptions to the General Rules for Long-Term Residence

Authorization for stay in the Republic of Bulgaria, without fulfillment of the requirements under the Aliens in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, may be granted to aliens who have rendered services to the Republic of Bulgaria in the public and economic sphere, in the area of national security, science, technology, culture or sports.

To obtain a visa, any such aliens must present:

o A document showing the services rendered in the respective sphere, issued by the competent government minister, with the exception of the cases related to national security.

Time Limits for Processing of Visa Requests by the Consular Services of the Republic of Bulgaria

I. Legal Basis: Ordinance Establishing Terms and a Procedure for the Issuing of Visas, Chapter Four "Processing of Applications and Issuing of Visas," Articles 31, 41-45 and 49-53

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3. Visa application forms: click here

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4. Other useful information

Regardless of the validity of the short-stay entry “C”-type visa (for 3 or 6 or 12 months) it allows one stay in Bulgaria to be not longer than 90 days within each period of 6 months. No visa allows one stay in Bulgaria to be longer than 90 days. If applicant wishes to have a stay in Bulgaria longer than 90 days then he/she applies for “D”-type visa. Again, term of stay permitted by the “D”-type visa is up to 90 days but only under this visa the foreign person is allowed to apply in Bulgaria for receiving a residence permit. That residence permit allows a stay to be longer than 90 days.

Granting of Bulgarian visa does not mean a final assurance to enter Bulgaria. Bulgarian immigration authorities may deny admission, if they have sufficient evidence that the foreign person holder of Bulgarian visa intends to enter Bulgaria for purpose other than stated during the application for visa or if he/she tries to enter the country in violation of or with the intention to evade its immigration laws. Therefore, visa holders are advised to carry with them, for possible presentation to the Border Control authorities, the originals or copies of the documents submitted to the Embassy during the application procedure.

Applicant should be aware that by applying for Bulgarian visa his/her presonal data in the application form may be electronically stored, processed and if necessary passed over to the relevant authorities of other countries in accordance to international obligations of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Every foreign citizen who enters the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria by means of motor vehicle needs to present at the border a document of ownership of the vehicle, if such ownership is not explicitly mentioned in the documents of registration of the same vehicle.

In accordance with the Decree No 198 / 2001 by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria all foreign persons visiting Bulgaria for short-term stay, or passing transit through its territory, should have a valid medical insurance policy covering the duration of their stay in the country.

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5. Bulgarian Embassy Visa Section

· office hours: 9.00 - 12.00, every working day;

· 24 Hours on Demand Internet (Visa Application Form) Service;

· Individual inquiries on submitted applications etc.:

in English tel. 070-350 30 51 from 14.00 to 16.00 and

in Bulgarian tel. 070-350 30 51 from 14.00 to 16.00.

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