Bulgaria’s visa policy is heavily influenced by the general policy of the Schengen Zone despite not being a Schengen nation. Most nationalities coming to Bulgaria require visas to enter the country, excluding those who qualify for visa waivers. Under the visa waiver agreement, visitors from selected countries enjoy visa-free entry.
The factors determining visa waiver qualifications are twofold: on the one hand, the multilateral and bilateral agreements. Bulgaria has with other countries and the visa policy implemented by members of the Schengen zone. Furthermore, European citizens are free to visit Bulgaria without visas; all they need is a valid ID card, and they are good to go. EU citizens can reside anywhere and pursue their interests indefinitely as long as they are legal.
As for other visa-free citizens, they are allowed to stay for up to 90 days and only for tourism, business visits, and transit.
Bulgaria Schengen Visa
Bulgaria’s application to be accepted into the community of Schengen nations has not been accepted, but it observes many existing Schengen protocols. Although Bulgarian embassies do not issue Schengen visas, holders of such visas can still enter the country with the same instead of applying for a Bulgarian national visa.
Visa holders can enter Bulgaria and stay up to 90 days within 6 months. They can also travel to any other Schengen country in the zone for multiple entries. However, the Bulgarian government has announced they Schengen visa holders will no longer be allowed to enter Bulgaria with this visa if they have not used it to enter a Schengen state first.
This policy change means that if you intend to visit with a Schengen visa, you must visit the country that issued the visa before making your way to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria ETIAS
The European Commission has introduced the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, a Web-based authorisation permit for foreign nationals. ETIAS is what is given to the visitor who is exempt from a visa, and a Schengen visa is what is given to the non-visa-exempt visitor. Just like in the SCHENGEN visas, Bulgaria does not grant this permit to tourists, but accepts it as it is a member of the European Union. The ETIAS policy replaces the former policy that existed before, which enabled visitors from visa-exempt countries to travel in the region using their passports.
ETIAS will become a requirement for all qualified visitors in 2024. This travel permit is meant to improve the European countries’ border security, even in Bulgaria. The applicants will be required to make an online application and await the processing, which will take a few minutes. Upon filing the form, the ETIAS system will scan several databases with the information against threats. In case of a security trigger, the application will not be granted, and in the case of a lack of such a trigger, the application will be granted.
ETIAS will be utilised to enter practically every single country in Europe, except the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, with the exception of Bulgaria.
In case you do not belong to the countries with which the European Union has signed a visa-free agreement, you cannot register for ETIAS. You will have to register either a Schengen or any other type of national Bulgarian visa.
Visit one of the countries in the Schengen area before entering Bulgaria
The Bulgarian government does not allow ETIAS permit holders to enter the country first before travelling to other EU countries. This used to be acceptable, but it is no longer acceptable. In case you happen to need to visit with ETIAS, then you have to initially gear your way to another Schengen country and even stamp your passport before you can find your way to Bulgaria. The foreigners who visit Bulgaria for the first time when Etias is operational will be rejected.
Do not overstay: Do not overstay on your visit, as an ETIAS visitor will be barred from staying in the country beyond 90 days.
The same applies in case you choose to visit two or more countries in the region. You begin to accrue your stay immediately you land in any European country other than the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.
Remember the 6-month cycle: The 6-month cycle should also always be kept in mind, and the 90-day stay is not taken into consideration on its own. According to the rule, visitors without visas should not spend over 90 days within 180 days.
It is restricted to visa-exempt visitors: The ETIAS approval is only for visa-exempt foreign nationals. Once it is eventually required, you will have to enter Bulgaria or any other Schengen state using a valid passport to be eligible in applying to ETIAS. Do a self-check to ascertain your eligibility.
Same passport: Make sure you carry the same passport that you used in filling the application, as your ETIAS is connected to that passport and not another one. The officers in charge of immigration will identify you by cross-checking your passport number.
Application Fee: Only individuals over 18 but under 70 years old pay the application fee of ETIAS. Individuals who are outside of this age group do not have to pay the fee.
Bulgaria Visa online – apply for a Bulgaria e-Visa using VisaHQ
You might have to apply for a visa at a place that is not a visa-exempt country. International visitors can gain entry into Bulgaria on a visa or a travel authorisation permit, which is accessible online.
You can also view these;
Finding a job in Bulgaria as an expat
Assessing social benefits and welfare as an immigrant in Bulgaria
Preparing for the immigration interview in Bulgaria