Sunny and hospitable Bulgaria is glad to tourists: the current visa legislation is one of the mildest among the EU countries. Schengen holders do not have to think about obtaining a visa: they are allowed a free three-month stay on the territory of Bulgaria for six months. If not, the first time you visit the country, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a tourist short-stay visa. Getting it is not associated with any difficulties, and the traveler may well request the necessary document on his own. According to COUNTRYAAH, Bulgaria is a country that starts with letter B.
The country is free for the entry of Russians who have an open Romanian, Cypriot or Croatian visa or a residence permit of these states.
Tourist visa to Bulgaria: general information
| Do they give multivisa? | given for at least six months |
| Term of receipt | 4 working days, not counting the day of submission |
| Validity limit | 3 months from the end of the trip |
- The cost of a regular visa
35€
- Express visa
70€
- Visa fees
14€
Visa types
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria issues 4 types of visas:
- Short-term (tourist) – issued to independent travelers, as well as to persons who decide to visit relatives living in Bulgaria. Valid for 90 days within 6 months, after which you need to leave the country. Regardless of the type of visa (it can be single, double or multiple), the total number of days of stay in the country should not exceed 3 months.
- Group – issued for a group of travelers – citizens of one country. It allows you to enjoy Bulgarian hospitality for no more than 30 days in six months, while the composition of the group should not change.
- Transit – suitable for tourists passing through Bulgaria to other countries. With it, you can leave the airport building and walk around the area during the day.
Russians who change flights at Bulgarian airports and do not plan to leave the airport do not need a transit visa.
- Immigration – necessary for those who plan to study or work in the country or seek to immigrate. With this visa, a foreigner can reside in Bulgaria for a year, engage in entrepreneurial activities and subsequently apply for citizenship.
Applying for a visa yourself
To obtain an entry permit, it is enough to prepare a standard package of documents and submit it to the Embassy of Bulgaria or the nearest visa center of the country. When submitting documents to the embassy, you will only need to pay a consular fee of 35 EUR, when applying through a visa center – another 14 EUR for their services. Children under 6 years of age are exempt from contributions. In the event of a visa refusal, fees are non-refundable. The prices on the page are for September 2022.
Questionnaires are considered within 4 working days (excluding the day of application).
But it is optimal to apply a month before the trip: in this case, the applicant will have enough time to re-submit documents if for some reason the visa is denied.
Documents for a visa to Bulgaria
Required documents for obtaining Schengen category C:
- Survey
Must be completed in block letters in English (can be completed online) without blots and corrections, signed by the applicant himself;
- international passport
The validity period must not exceed 3 months from the date of departure from the Schengen area, and a photocopy of its first page;
- Photo
3.5 x 4.5 cm (see photo requirements below);
- Copy of tickets
A photocopy of air tickets or round trip tickets for any type of transport.
- Help from the place of work
Certificate of employment with the prescribed position and salary;
- Bank statement
The statement must be fresh, not older than 6 months. The account must have at least 500 EUR;
- Hotel reservation
Confirmation of the booked room in the hotel / hostel. The document must contain all members of the incoming family/company, as well as data on payment for accommodation;
- sponsorship letter
In addition to the listed documents, students – a certificate from the educational institution, a copy of the student card. Pensioners – a copy of the pension certificate. And also to all of them and to those who are not working – a statement of sponsorship, a certificate from the sponsor’s work, a copy of his internal passport and a document confirming the degree of kinship.
- For a business visa: an invitation and a copy of the contract
From the host party, a company registered in the Republic of Bulgaria, there must be an invitation – in two versions: original and photocopy; In addition, a copy of the contract, which must confirm the existence of partnerships between organizations. Instead, you can provide a letter of recommendation from the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
- For a private visit: invitation and/or proof of kinship
From the receiving party it is necessary to receive an invitation written strictly according to the model. You can view it at the Visa Application Center or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria; If the host is a close relative (parent, spouse, child or sibling), copies of proof of kinship documents are required;
- For transit
A photocopy of the visa of the state to which the trip is planned. If a visa is not required to visit him, then documents that establish the purpose of the trip are suitable: for example, copies of air tickets, hotel reservations, etc. But if a traveler from Russia does not plan to leave the airport and the flight does not wait more than 24 hours, he does not need a transit visa will be needed.
Obtaining a business visa is usually not associated with any additional checks, the document is prepared in 4-6 days, depending on the workload of the Visa Application Center. You don’t need to go through an interview.
If a tourist enters Bulgaria by car, it is necessary to attach copies of the vehicle registration certificate, driver’s license, received Green Card and the itinerary of the trip in any form.
Visa processing for children
It is necessary that a child under 14 years of age be included in the parent’s passport. For children over 14, their own foreign passport is issued. For each minor, you need to fill out a separate form and attach a photocopy of the birth certificate to it.
To quickly cross the border, it is better to have the original birth certificate with you. It can be requested from both the Russian and the Bulgarian side.
If children leave Russia with one parent, a notarized permission to leave from the second parent will be required. In the case when there is no second parent/guardian, documents establishing this are required (for example, a death certificate). If minors are traveling with third parties, they must provide a notarized authorization from both parents/guardians.
Fingerprinting
Persons applying for Schengen for the first time, as well as those who have not previously undergone the fingerprinting procedure, are required to personally arrive at the visa application center to submit biometric data. The information remains up-to-date and stored in a single database for 59 months, during which there is no need to repeat fingerprinting when applying for the next Schengen visa. Also, children under 12 years of age and people with a damaged pattern of papillary lines due to physical injuries are exempted from it.
Photo Requirements
The application must be accompanied by one color photograph measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm on a light plain background, taken no more than six months ago. The applicant’s face must be clear, detailed, without dark glasses or other objects that distort the features. Only full-face photos are allowed, strictly without the “red-eye” effect.
Photographs cut from amateur photos or taken by yourself are not accepted. You also need to prepare photographs of each child entered in the passport. The inconsistency of the image with the requirements listed above is the most common reason for refusal to issue a visa.
The picture is taken full face, a slight smile is acceptable. Dimensions: 3.5×4.5 cm, the head should occupy 70-80% of the image (approximately 3 cm).
Consular fee – 35 €
Before obtaining a visa, you will need to pay a consular fee of 35 EUR and 14 EUR as a service fee. Payment is made in national currency (rubles) at the current exchange rate of the Embassy of Bulgaria directly at the Visa Application Center at the time of application. If all documents are filled out correctly, the entry permit will be prepared in 4-6 business days.
Also, the applicant can request an urgent visa – then the consular fee will be 70 EUR, the size of the service fee does not change. The visa will be ready in two days.
