GENERAL TRANSIT VISAS INFORMATION FOR BULGARIA

Visas are issued only by a Bulgarian Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Visas are issued only to holders of passports or travel documents that are valid for at least three months beyond the holder's period of stay in Bulgaria and have at least one blank page.

By applying for a Bulgarian visa, applicants agree that their personal data, appearing on the application form, would be electronically stored and processed, and if necessary, passed on to the relevant authorities of other countries as required by Bulgaria's international obligations.

I.  Holders of valid ordinary passports from the following countries do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a maximum of 90 days within each period of six months:

Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

II.  Holders of valid ordinary passports from the following countries do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for a maximum of 30 days within each period of six months:

Andorra, Australia, Canada, Estonia, the Republic of Ireland, Israel, Macedonia, Monaco, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Serbia and Montenegro, UK, USA and the Vatican.

Passport holders from the countries listed above need a visa only if their stay in Bulgaria exceeds 30 days, if they need to enter the country repeatedly for a longer period of time, or if they need a long-term visa.

(NB In the case of the UK, the above applies to British citizens only.)

III. In accordance with current international agreements, citizens of the following countries can enter Bulgaria without a visa, provided they hold valid ordinary passports:

Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Republic of Korea, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia,  Yugoslavia.

IV. All passport holders from countries not mentioned in I, II and III sections need visas to enter Bulgaria. They should obtain an entry visa in advance from the Bulgarian Embassy or Consulate in their country. For this they will need to provide a letter of invitation from a Bulgarian host, on a standard form, provided by the municipality, or a business partner, as well as a letter from their company or institution if they are travelling on business.

Applicants for visas should note that incomplete forms, absence of photographs or inadequate payment usually result in the return of the application to the applicant without further action, and that turnover in the embassies is quite slow.

Visa applications take approximately 10 working days to process, since each application needs to get clearance by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia.

Foreigners entering Bulgarian territory in a motor vehicle have to present a vehicle ownership document, if such ownership is not explicitly mentioned in the vehicle's registration documents.

Important Notice:

Under Bulgarian law all foreign visitors should, within 48 hours of arrival in Bulgaria, register with a local police station, stating in writing the address at which they will reside during their stay  If staying at a hotel or in private accommodation, the hotel management/hosts have the responsibility to register them at the local police station.

Transit Visas

Transit visas allow a stay in Bulgaria of 24 hours or less. Airline tickets and evidence of right of entry into the next country of travel will be required.
Possession of airline tickets does not guarantee the granting of an entry visa.

Staying On

For those wishing to stay longer than the permitted period the situation is different.. In order to obtain a residence permit (1 or 5 years) one should either own a company which employs at least 10 Bulgarian staff and/or invest at least $500,000 in the country.
What is more, to get a 5 year residence permit you will soon have to sit a test in Bulgarian language proficiency.

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