Annual reporting in Bulgaria from 2027: a single system
NSI, the National Revenue Agency (NAP) and the Registry Agency are introducing the "Single Entry Point" information system From 1 January 2027, a new procedure…
Short-stay visas
To submit documents for a short-stay visa to Bulgaria, the applicant needs to determine on their own the category of visa being requested, which will correspond to the purpose of the upcoming trip to Bulgaria.
Below is a list of the short-stay visa categories that currently exist. If required, we provide assistance in preparing documents for particular types of visas by arrangement. For more detailed information, contact us through the feedback form in the “Contacts” section.
Short-stay visa categories:
- Property owners — applies to those persons who own property in Bulgaria.
- Private visit — applies to persons who would like to visit friends or non-close relatives in Bulgaria.
- Business trip — applies to those persons who travel to Bulgaria for commercial purposes.
- Official trip — applies to persons who have official purposes for visiting Bulgaria. Usually these are members of official delegations who receive an official invitation and are to take part in official meetings, negotiations, consultations or exchange programmes.
- Transit — this visa category applies to those persons who travel through Bulgaria in transit, with another country as their final destination.
- Visit to close relatives — applies to persons whose purpose is to visit close relatives in Bulgaria: spouses, parents, children, grandfathers, grandmothers, grandchildren who are EU citizens or who are not, but reside legally in Bulgaria or the EU.
- Cultural, scientific, sporting activity or study — applies to applicants travelling for the purpose of cultural, sporting or scientific activity or study in Bulgaria.
- Unorganised tourism — applies to persons planning individual tourism and submitting documents prepared on their own for this purpose.
The applicant may also stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days in a six-month period without obtaining a visa to Bulgaria (pursuant to Decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria No. 459 of 03.07.2014) in the following cases:
- They hold a valid short-stay double-entry or multiple-entry Schengen visa, as well as visas of Cyprus, Croatia and Romania.
- They hold a national type D visa of one of the Schengen Union countries or of Cyprus, Romania and Croatia.
- They hold a residence permit in one of the Schengen Union countries or in Cyprus, Romania and Croatia.
The applicant may not stay in Bulgaria beyond the number of days indicated in the visa. The days of stay in Bulgaria are not deducted from the visa.
Extension of tourist visas to 3 years
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