Visa Plovdiv

Bulgaria and the European Union’s Common Visa Policy

Since 1 January 2007 the Republic of Bulgaria has been applying the European Union’s Common Visa Policy, subject to the terms of the Accession Treaty.

According to Article 4 of the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, the provisions of the Schengen acquis specified in Annex ІІ to that Act shall be binding on and applicable in the Republic of Bulgaria from the date of accession (1 January 2007), while the rest shall be applicable from the date of the Council’s decision on Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area.

Bulgaria and the Schengen Area

Joining the Schengen area is a key priority of our country. The Bulgarian government is highly committed to fulfilling one of the key national priorities – Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. A well-functioning coordination between ministries and institutions has been established to this end on political and expert level.

The efforts in the preparation process have been focused on meeting the high Schengen standards and securing reliable external borders.

In order to meet the Schengen criteria Bulgaria undertook all necessary actions in view of harmonizing immediately the national to the European law, updating our international base of treaties, providing the relevant state-of-the-art technical equipment and infrastructure and enhancing the administrative capacity whereby our country uses the best practice of the EU member states.

Currently Bulgaria issues national visas only. Those visas do not give their holders the right to enter the Schengen area.

Visa-free regime for holders of Schengen visas for a stay of up to 90 days

On 25 January 2012 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria adopted a decision according to which by the date of Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, our country will unilaterally apply a visa-free system for holders of valid Schengen visas. They will have the right to enter and reside in the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of no more than three months in any six-month period from the date of the first entry, without needing to have a Bulgarian short-stay visa. The decision entered into force on 31.01.2012.

Visa-free regime for holders of valid visas and residence permits issued by Romania, Cyprus and Croatia for a stay of up to 90 days

On 03 July 2014 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria adopted a decision according to which by the date of Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, our country will unilaterally apply a visa-free system for holders of valid visas and residence permits issued by Romania, Cyprus and Croation for a stay of up to 90 days. They will have the right to enter and stay in the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period period , without needing to have a Bulgarian short-stay visa.

Council Regulation (EC) № 539/2001 of 15.03.2001

Since the date of its accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria has been applying Council Regulation (EC) № 539/2001 of 15.03.2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

To learn more information about the visa policy of Bulgaria, please visit: http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/109/