Understanding Bulgaria Visa Requirements: Types, Process, and Essentials

(BULGARIA) Bulgaria now issues uniform Schengen visas, so a single short-stay visa covers Bulgaria and the wider Schengen Area. That shift started on March 31, 2024, and it changes how tourists, business visitors, and families plan routes, bookings, and border crossings.

If you’re from the United States (🇺🇸), Canada (🇨🇦), the UK, Australia, Japan, or another visa-exempt country, you still enter visa-free for short trips, but ETIAS becomes required in late 2026. For travelers who need visas, the process remains document-heavy, yet timelines and the 90/180-day rule are more strictly tracked as Europe rolls out new entry systems.

The Bulgaria-to-Schengen journey: planning and entry

Start by matching your nationality to the right tool:

• Schengen C visa for visa-required nationals (short stays).
• Visa D for long stays (work, study, family reunification, retirement).
• ETIAS for visa-exempt visitors once it starts.

Short stays mean up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area, counted across countries, not per country.

Longer plans usually start with a national Visa D and then move to a Bulgarian residence permit after arrival. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, Bulgaria’s post-2024 Schengen alignment has pushed applicants to treat Bulgarian consulates like any other Schengen gatekeeper, with similar standards and scrutiny.

Applying for a Bulgarian short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) — step by step

You can lodge a C visa application no earlier than three months before your trip. Most applicants must apply in person at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate. Some locations use VFS Global for intake, but the decision comes from consular officials.

1. Use the official Schengen visa application form:

– Complete it in English, Bulgarian, or Latin letters.
– Print and sign using the European Commission’s form: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/default/files/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/docs/application-form_en.pdf.

1. Passport requirements:

– Issued within the last 10 years.
– Two blank pages.
– Valid at least three months after planned departure from Schengen.

1. Proof consulates check first: purpose, money, and safe return plan:

– Tourism: bookings, itinerary, bank statements, travel medical insurance that matches required coverage.
– Photos: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, white background, taken within seven months.

1. Fees, biometrics, and timing:

– Consular fee: $107 USD for most short-stay and airport transit applications (exemptions for certain children or EU family members).
– Biometrics taken at appointment unless recent Schengen fingerprints are on file.
– Standard decision time: 15 calendar days (peak season can be longer).
– 2024 Schengen visa rejection rate for Bulgaria: 9.4% — common causes: missing documents or past overstays.

Long stays with Visa D and moving to residence — step by step

Choose a D visa when your plan exceeds 90 days (study, work, family reunification, retirement).

• A personal interview is mandatory for Type D; treat it as a legal declaration because answers become part of the file.
• Fees:
• $118 USD for a 6-month D visa.
• $236 USD for a 1-year D visa.
• Processing:
• Usually 35 business days.
• Complex cases can take up to six months — plan employment start dates and university enrollments accordingly.

Requirements by purpose:
– Work: employer sponsor and labor authorization.
– Study: university invitation and proof of enrollment.
– Family reunification: relationship documents; relatives of EU or Bulgarian citizens often receive fee/document relief under EU rules.

After arrival, D visa holders apply to Bulgaria’s Migration Directorate for a residence permit, which then supports travel within Schengen for 90/180 days during its validity.

ETIAS and new border systems (2025–2026)

• ETIAS is an online travel authorization (not a visa) for people who do not need Schengen visas for short visits.
• Bulgaria plans to require ETIAS starting the last quarter of 2026 for visa-exempt travelers entering Bulgaria or any other participating country.
• Cost: €7.
• Validity: up to three years or until passport expiry.
• Free for travelers under 18 and over 70.
• Most decisions arrive in minutes to days; approval does not override a border officer’s power to refuse entry.

• The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) launches in October 2025:

• Replaces manual passport stamping with digital records and automated overstay flags.
• When EES is live, a small counting error can follow you across borders — track every entry and exit carefully.

Important: Once EES is active, overstays are recorded digitally and can trigger fines and future entry bans. Accurate record-keeping is essential.

Practical timeline and what authorities look for

For a summer trip:
– Start assembling documents 8 to 10 weeks before departure.
– Book your appointment as soon as consulate slots open.

Authorities test whether your story matches your paperwork:
– Keep hotel dates, employer letters, and bank balances consistent.
– Show strong reasons to leave on time, especially if requesting multiple entry or if past travel shows long stays.

Other checks:
– If driving into Bulgaria: bring the vehicle’s technical passport and documents linking you to the car (ownership and insurance remain focal points).
– For minors: include birth certificate and notarized parental consent — missing consent commonly delays family applications.

Where to verify rules and avoid scams

Use official sources first:
– Bulgaria’s MFA visa guidance: https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria
– ETIAS official portal and information: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
– EU 90/180-day calculator: https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/calculator.htm?lang=en

Apply only through the real ETIAS portal to avoid scam fees and fake approvals.

Five actions that prevent most refusals and border problems

1. Match the visa type to your purpose — don’t use a tourist C visa for work or study.
2. Apply early:

– 15 days for many C visas.
– 35 business days for many D visas.
3. Build a clean document set:
– Copies of prior visas, clear proof of funds, insurance that meets stated coverage.
4. Respect the clock after arrival:
– EES will record entries/exits; overstays can trigger fines and bans lasting 1 to 5 years.
5. Keep travel proof with you:
– Copy of your visa or residence card and, from late 2026, your ETIAS email approval (airlines will check).

Special situations: Romanian documents, appeals, airport transit, and repeat travel

• Holders of valid Romanian national visas or Romanian residence permits issued before March 31, 2024 can use them in Bulgaria until they expire. This helps families mid-process.
• If refused:
• Bulgaria allows an appeal within 14 days to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to the Sofia Administrative Court. Read the refusal letter carefully.
• Airport transit:
• Confirm whether you need a Visa A — transiting without entering Bulgaria still triggers rules for certain nationalities.
• Transit fee matches $107 USD.
• Repeat visitors:
• A multi-entry C visa reduces paperwork but does not reset your 90 days — keep a day-by-day log.
• For 2026 trips by visa-exempt travelers:
• Budget time for ETIAS even if approval is fast; airlines will check ETIAS before boarding.