Borders and visas

The information was updated on 12 September 2024

Bulgaria has been a Member State of the European Union since 2007 and enforces European Union visa rules. Due to its location, Bulgaria is assigned to guard the European Union’s external borders (the Bulgaria–Serbia border, the Bulgaria–Turkey border and the Bulgaria–Republic of Macedonia border).

Visa information

While EU citizens do not need a visa and may enter and leave the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria only with a valid ID card or passport, most third-country nationals can’t.

Find out if Bulgaria requires a visa for your country on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Unfortunately, seeking asylum does not entitle you to an entry visa.

Types of visas

If you need a visa to enter Bulgaria, there are 3 types of visas:

1. Airport transit visa (Category A)

2. Short-stay visa (Category C), if you intend to stay for up to 3 months (90 days) - you can read more about visa type C on this link.

3. Long-stay visa (Category D), if you intend to stay for more than 3 months

To apply for a Bulgarian visa, you must hold a regular travel document (e.g. national passport) that meets the following requirements:

• The document expires at least 3 months after the planned date of departure from Bulgaria. In case of multiple visits, it expires 3 months after the last scheduled date of departure.
• The document has at least two empty pages
• The document has been issued within the last 10 years.

You should submit your filled and signed visa application form personally at the consular representation of the Republic of Bulgaria responsible for your country of nationality or the country where you reside legally. You cannot apply for a visa for Bulgaria from the territory of Bulgaria. 

You can download the visa application form from here in Bulgarian, English, French, Turkish and Russian.

As a third-country national, you may be subjected to thorough checks by the border authorities. They may ask you for other supporting documents such as an invitation letter, proof of lodging, return or round-trip tickets and documents to show that you have enough money for your stay and return.

Enter and exit the Bulgarian borders only at border checkpoints. 

Schengen area

As of  31.03.2024 Bulgaria is part of the Schengen area of the European Union by air and by water. The Schengen area is an area in the EU consisting of 29  European countries that do not require a passport and border controls at their common borders. This means that  if you travel by plane or ship across the Black Sea to and from Schengen countries you will only go through a security check, and no passport check. However, you will still be asked to show an an ID when you board the plane to check that the ticket you present is in your name.

Schengen visa

As of 31.03.2024, Bulgaria will issue uniform (Schengen) visas. With this visa you can travel throughout the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within each 180-day period. These 90 days start counting from the moment you enter the Schengen territory, including the moment you arrive in Bulgaria as the first country of your trip. You can calculate your days at this link.

The application for a Schengen visa must be lodged at the diplomatic and consular representation of:

1) the country that is your only destination;

2) the country on whose territory you will be staying the longest, if you will be visiting several; or

3) if no single or main destination can be determined, then the country whose border you will cross first will be competent.

The documents required when applying for a Schengen visa are as follows:

1. Application for a uniform Schengen visa (in English);

2. Passport (must have been issued within the last 10 years, have at least 3 months of validity after the intended date of departure from the Schengen area and have at least 2 blank pages);

3. A passport-size photograph of you  taken within the last 6 months;

4. Medical travel insurance with a minimum cover of €30,000 for all costs related to emergency medical treatment, repatriation for medical reasons or death;

5. An application fee, which is 80 EUR and free for children under 12 years of age [2].

Can I travel short-term to other EU countries if I reside in Bulgaria?

If you have been granted one of the following forms of residence permit in Bulgaria:

• Registration card of a foreigner granted temporary protection;
• Continuous, long-term and permanent residence;
• Continuous residence permit for an unaccompanied migrant child
• EU Blue Card or single residence and work permit;
• Seasonal work permit;
• Residence permit for students/students/trainees/volunteers.
• Persons with recognised refugee status. Important! If you have humanitarian status, you should check with the representation of the country you wish to travel to whether you should obtain a C visa.
• Other types of permits listed in Annex 22, which can be found in English at this link.

You are entitled to a visa-free short stay in other Schengen countries in accordance with Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period) and within the validity period of your residence permit, regardless of checks at internal land borders. The 90 days start from the moment you leave Bulgaria for the other Schengen country. You can calculate your days at this link.

If you entered “illegally”

Your entry is considered illegal when you:

• Cross the country border without a government permit (visa, passport), issued by the respective government bodies or when, although
• You have a permit, but you do not enter Bulgaria’s territory through the designated border checkpoints

If you have entered Bulgaria illegally and you wish to seek asylum, find a state official immediately, such as a police officer or border police, and state the reasons for your illegal entry.

By law you have a right to stay in the country as soon as you make an asylum application.

If criminal charges are brought against you

According to Article 279(5) of the Bulgarian Criminal Code, border crossing is not a criminal offense if you are crossing to seek asylum. If criminal charges are brought against you for an illegal border crossing, you can refer to Article 279(5) when standing trial before a judge and refuse to plead guilty.

If you are sentenced for illegal border crossing, the sentence is usually suspended. This means that your punishment (several months of imprisonment) will not be enforced as long as you don’t commit the same crime again during a certain period of time determined by the judge.

If you attempt another illegal border crossing (for example you try to leave Bulgaria) during this period, you will be sent to prison where you will serve the sentences you received for both crimes.

If you don’t apply for asylum

If you enter the country illegally, do not apply for asylum and do not hold any other residence status in Bulgaria, you risk being detained for forced return in a detention center for irregular immigrants and later deported back to your country of origin. This “administrative” detention may last for up to 18 months.

For more information on detention go here:

Detention in Bulgaria

Alternatives to detention