General Visa and Passport Information for Bulgaria
The Bulgarian visas are issued by the Bulgarian embassies and consulates abroad, not at the airports or the land and sea passport control points in Bulgaria.

 

By applying for a Bulgarian visa, the applicant agrees that his/her personal data appearing on the application form would be electronically stored and processed, and if necessary, passed over to the appropriate authorities of other countries in execution of Bulgaria's international obligations.

 

A visa is issued only to holders of passports or travel documents that are valid for Bulgaria for at least 3 months after the end of the intended stay and that contain a blank page for affixing of visa vignettes.

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: All foreign visitors should bear in mind that under Bulgarian Law they are required to contact their local police station within 48 hours of arrival in Bulgaria and present in writing the address at which they will be staying. If they are staying in a hotel or private lodgings, the hotel management/host bear the obligation to register them at the local police station.

 

 

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.

 

 

The transit visa is 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”) 

 

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!)

• 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!)

• 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!)

• 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!)

• 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.

• Tourism

For Non-pre-arranged (individual) tours, the applicant must present:- 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);
- 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-Term Visas (Type “D”)

1. Work permits D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who have a work permit subject to clearance by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. (Reference to Art. 24 (1) 1 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Evidence of accommodation during the applicant's stay in the country, and address Work permit issued by the Employment Agency at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.   Documents for D-type visas are submitted in person

2. Companies and Businesses. D-type visas can be granted to foreigners involved in commercial activities inside the country and who, as part of these activities, have hired Bulgarian citizens. (Ref. to Art. 24 (1) 2 of the Foreigners in Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Certified copy of a court ruling for entry in the commercial register Certified copy of the tax registration document BULSTAT registration Court certificate about the current state of the company (the document is valid for three months from the date of issue; applicants are required to submit the original or a certified copy) A certificate from the National Social Security Institute (applicants are required to submit the original or a certified copy) for the company. The certificate should contain the following sections establishing that the applicant: а) is self-insured; b) is registered as a self-insured person; c) has hired Bulgarian citizens under an employment contract; d) has no outstanding tax payments A certificate from the tax office about the applicant's declared financial results showing the amount of the taxes paid (applicants are required to submit the original or a certified copy); A bank certificate: а) for no outstanding payments; b) for an existing account and a recent full bank statement A document certifying the status of the applicant in the company (manager, associate, etc.) Evidence of accommodation in Bulgaria and address in Bulgaria. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

3. Students D-type visas can be granted to foreigners admitted to licensed educationalestablishments for full-time education. (Ref. Art. 24, (1) 3 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport A certificate from the Ministry of Education and Science showing that the applicant has been admitted for tuition during the respective academic year (an original or a certified copy is required) A money transfer document issued by a Bulgarian bank The number of the bank account to which the fee had been transferred Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria Evidence of sufficient funds to cover the student’s living expenses. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

4. Foreign specialists D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who are foreign specialists residing in Bulgaria by force of international agreements to which Bulgaria is party. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 4 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport A document from the hoste organization in Bulgaria certifying that the applicant is residing in the country by force of an international agreement Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria Evidence of sufficient funds to cover the applicant’s living expenses. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

5. Married to a Bulgarian citizen D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who have reasons to be granted a permanent leave to remain status or who have married a Bulgarian citizen/ or a foreigner residing permanently in the country. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 5 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents require for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport A certificate for marriage to a Bulgarian citizen or to a foreigner residing permanently in the country; If the marriage has been entered into with a foreigner residing permanently in the country, a photocopy of the foreigner’s ID needs to be submitted Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

6. Company representatives D-type visas can be granted to foreigners representing a foreigncommercial company registered with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 6 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documentsrequired for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport A court ruling for entry in the commercial register of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (the document should have been issued no earlier than one month before submition) Company tax registration document (legalised with a notary public) Evidence of availability of sufficient funds to cover the applicant’s living expenses Evidence of accommodation and address Official authorisation by the company whose representative office is being opened in Bulgaria stating explicitly the powers that are being delegated to the applicant A bank account opened in the name of the representative office A document for registration with the National Social Security Institute, stating that the company has no outstanding payments. Documents fora long-term visas are submitted in person

7. Parents Foreigners who are the financially independent parents of foreigners permanently residingin the country can be granted D-type visas. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 7 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport An official birth certificate of the offspring A certificate issued by the foreigners control service authorizing the parent's stay, ID card Evidence of sufficient funds to cover all expenses during their stay in the country Evidence of accommodation and address; declaration by a Bulgarian citizen certified by a notary public in cases where the parent will be staying in rented accommodation. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

8. Medical Treatment D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who have been admitted to a Bulgarian clinic for medical treatment and who have the required financial means.(Ref. Art. 24 (1) 8 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act)) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Certificate issued by a medical establishment containing the applicant's treatment plan Documents certifying that the applicant has sufficient funds for support during the stay in the country (€50 day). Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

9. Media Representatives D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who are foreign media correspondentsand who have been accredited to Bulgaria. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 9 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Accreditation document issued by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

10.Pensioners D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who receive a pensionand have sufficient funds to cover their living costs in the country. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 10 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents requiredfor applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Document, showing that they are entitled to a retirement income, issued by the country of origin and legalised with a notary public Document from a bank in Bulgaria certifying that the applicant has a valid bank account to which regular transfers of his/her pension will be made Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

11. Foreign Investors D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who perform activities under the Foreign Investments Act. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 11 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required to apply Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Document issued by the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance, in evidence of an already existing direct investment A notary-certified copy of a document certifying the investment Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

13. Members of Family D-type visas may be granted to foreigners who are members of thefamilyof a foreigner with a D-type visa. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 13 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Document certifying the relationship (marriage/birth certificate bearing a registration number, date and place of issue) Photocopy of the applicant's ID card Evidence of accommodation and address in Bulgaria. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

14. Parents/Partners/ D-type visas can be granted to foreigners who are parents, partners(household assistants) of foreignerswho have D-type visas under Art. 28 (5). (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 14 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport A note by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office addressed to the Bulgarian Embassy A note by the British Embassy to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry A work permit issued by the Employment Agency at the Bulgarian Labour and Social Policy Ministry; A document certifying the address at which the applicant is residing Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

15. Free-lance ProfessionalsForeigners doing free-lance workmay receive D-type visas subject to clearance by the Bulgarian Labour and Social Affairs Ministry. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 15 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Evidence of accommodation and address for the duration of the applicant's stay in the country    Work permit (or a certified copy) issued by the Bulgarian Employment Agency at the Labour and Social Policy Ministry. Documents for long-term visas are submitted in person

16. Foundations Foreigners wishing to perform not-for-profit activities may obtain D-type visas subject to clearance by the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice within the terms and conditions that have been set out in an ordinance of the justice minister in coordination with the interior minister. (Ref. Art. 24 (1) 16 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act) Documents required for applying Application form and two passport-size photographs Passport Permit issued by the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice (original or a certified copy) or a letter having the power of a certificate issued by the Denominations Agency at the Bulgarian Council of Ministers Evidence of accommodation and address for the duration of the applicant's stay in the country Document certifying that the applicant works for the foundation. Documents for long-term vissa are submitted in person