There are two options for entering Bulgaria, depending on your citizenship – visa-free and visa regime. If you are eligible for visa-free entry, your stay should not exceed 90 days. This applies to those cases when you are traveling as a tourist, visiting family or friends, attending business meetings, cultural or sporting events, or for short-term training.

A longer stay is possible, but you must apply for an extension of your stay (see below).

PLEASE NOTE: Starting October 20, Bulgaria introduces a visa regime for Russian citizens holding diplomatic and service passports. 

To find out if you need a visa to enter Bulgaria, please follow the link. 

PLEASE NOTE! The European Union will not issue Schengen visas to citizens who have received Russian passports in the "DPR", "LPR", Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

All tourists must have biometric passports issued less than 10 years before the date of entry into the country (check the «date of issue») and valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the «expiration date»), as well as issue an insurance policy for the entire period of stay in the country.

A travel insurance policy must meet the following requirements:

• minimum coverage of 30,000 euros

• cover expenses related to repatriation for medical reasons, urgent health problems, emergency hospitalization or death.

Where can I apply for an extension of my stay?

You will need to contact the immigration authorities and apply for a visa extension. 

What do I need to provide to extend my stay?

• Confirmation of the address where you will live (namely, a notarized lease agreement)

• Confirmation of available funds. Usually, a bank statement will be sufficient, but if it is from a foreign bank, it will need to be transferred and legalized. The easiest way would be to open an account with a Bulgarian Bank and transfer the required amount from your personal bank account abroad. The problem is that Bulgarian banks won’t want to open a bank account for you, especially if you don’t have a residence permit in Bulgaria. 

• You will also need to provide a health insurance document.

Additional visa information

On March 31, 2024, Bulgaria partially joined the Schengen area. Bulgaria issues Schengen visas (type C) to tourists instead of national visas.

If you are a citizen of a country where a visa is required, you should apply for a short-stay visa type C. This type of visa allows foreign nationals to stay in Bulgaria for a maximum of 3 months within a 6-month period from the date of first entry.

How much does a Schengen visa for Bulgaria cost?

The cost of a Schengen visa for adults is 90 euros, and for children aged 6 to 12 years - 45 euros.

What are short-term visas?

Short-term visas with type C are divided into 2 categories (listed below), depending on the purpose of the trip:

• Visa with type C for transit. This short-term visa is granted to applicants who use Bulgaria as a transit stop on their way to their final destination. Basically, the applicant's itinerary includes a transfer in Bulgaria, and he/she can stay there, but they won’t have any other privileges. This visa is valid for up to 12 months and allows its holder to enter Bulgaria for one, two or (as an exception) three transit passes for up to 2 days.

• Type C visa for a scheduled visit. This visa allows applicants to enter Bulgaria several times for a period of no more than 90 days within a 180-day period. This type of visa is usually valid for up to 1 year or, as an exception, up to 5 years. To specify the purpose of the session, please provide an invitation letter.

Where can you apply for a visa C for Bulgaria?

All applicants must apply in person to the nearest Bulgarian Embassy/Consulate at their place of residence no later than 3 months before the visit. 

Foreign nationals from third countries (non-EU countries) who wish to stay in Bulgaria for more than three months must apply for a residence permit in Bulgaria.

The legislation stipulates that foreigners can apply for one of three types of residence permits in Bulgaria:

• Extended residence permits: they have a maximum validity period of one year; can be used by investors and other interested parties

• Long-term EU residence permits: they are issued for an initial period of five years, and then can be extended

• Permanent residence permits: they are granted after a certain amount of time spent legally in a country with a valid permit

• Residence permits: available for European citizens staying for more than three months, on a long-term basis for a maximum of five years, or on permanent residence.

What documents are required for obtaining a residence permit?

• valid passport

• confirm your local address

• proof of the reason for moving

• confirmation of the availability of financial opportunities for self-sufficiency.

Before applying for a residence permit in Bulgaria, non-EU foreign citizens must obtain a long-term D visa before the application process begins. This type of permit is valid for up to one (1) year. 

What documents should be submitted together with the application for a D visa:

• Photocopy of the first page of a foreign travel document

• Photocopy of the latest Bulgarian and Schengen visas

• Full-color photography

• Health insurance valid for EU member states for the entire period of travel, which covers all expenses for repatriation and for emergency medical care and emergency hospital care for the period of stay specified in the visa. The insurance amount can’t be less than 30 thousand euros

• Tickets (original and copy) or confirmation of ticket booking or financial resources

• Copy of the vehicle's Technical Data Sheet for travel

  
  For minor children traveling without parents or guardians, the following documents are submitted:

• a copy of the birth certificate

• the original and a photocopy of a notarized power of attorney certified by both parents/guardians or one of the parents that they consent to the child's unaccompanied travel.

The following persons are exempt from submitting documents confirming their residence and travel:

• Family members or households of citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area

• Persons applying for a long-stay visa for the purpose of gathering their families, in connection with obtaining refugee status or granting asylum in the Republic of Bulgaria - in accordance with a written decision of the state refugee agency under the Council of Ministers

• Holders of official and diplomatic passports.

For more information about the list of supporting documents for applying for a visa to Bulgaria, please visit the website.