Short-stay visas to Bulgaria: categories and visa-free entry

To file documents for a short-stay visa to Bulgaria, the applicant must decide independently on the category of visa being requested, which must correspond to the purpose of the upcoming trip to Bulgaria.

What you need to do

Below is a list of the short-stay visa categories that currently exist. Where necessary, we assist with preparing documents for particular types of visas by arrangement. For more detailed information, contact us through the feedback form in the “Contacts” section.

Categories of short-stay visas:

• Property owners — applies to 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 persons travelling 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 persons passing 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.
• Independent tourism — applies to persons planning individual tourism and submitting documents prepared by themselves for this purpose.

Visa-free entry and stays of up to 90 days

An applicant may also stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days per 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, or a visa of Cyprus, Croatia or Romania.
• They hold a national visa (D) of one of the Schengen Union countries or of Cyprus, Romania or Croatia.
• They hold a residence permit in one of the Schengen Union countries or in Cyprus, Romania or Croatia.

The applicant may not stay in Bulgaria beyond the number of days indicated in the visa. The number of days spent in Bulgaria is not deducted from the visa.

Extension of tourist visas to 3 years