Address
186-188 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5HL

Phone
020 7589 3763
КОНСУЛСКА СЛУЖБА КЪМ ПОСОЛСТВОТО НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ В ЛОНДОН, ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
Visa Section Admission Hours at the Embassy:
Monday to Friday between 09.00-13.00 h. by appointment
Bulgaria and the Schengen Area
General Information
Visa issuing
What changes after Brexit?
Regulation (EU) 2018/1806
Requirements when entering the country
Short-stay Schengen visas for 90 days and less (C visas)- General rules and information
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa allowing its holder to travel in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period.
Schengen visas for Bulgaria (type C) can only be applied through our external service provider VFS GLOBAL. To apply at a VFS GLOBAL CENTRE visit the company’s website:
Please make sure that you book your appointment in the correct visa C category- unorganized tourism, private visit, business i.e.
British citizens are exempted from visas for the Schengen States for a stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
According to Council Decision (EU) 2024/210 of 30 December 2023 on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, as of 31 March 2024, the Republic of Bulgaria is part of the Schengen area by initially abolishing checks on persons at internal air and sea borders.
The Council will endeavor to take a decision on the abolition of checks on persons at internal land borders. This decision will be taken by the Council, acting unanimously in accordance with Article 4(2) of the 2005 Act of Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania.
The Bulgarian visas are issued by the Bulgarian embassies and consulates abroad only, not at the airports or the land and sea passport control points in Bulgaria.
By applying for a Bulgarian visa, the applicant agrees that his/her personal data appearing on the application form would be electronically stored and processed, and if necessary, passed over to the appropriate authorities of other countries in execution of Bulgaria’s international commitments.
A visa is issued only to holders of passports or travel documents that are valid for Bulgaria for at least 3 months after the planning day of return and that contain 2 blank pages.
Gratis visas are issued to all children under the age of 12.
From the date of accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria started to apply Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15.03.2001, which was codified by Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council as of 14.11.2018. It defines the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.
As of 31 March 2024, if nationals of the countries listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 hold a valid uniform (Schengen) visa, the time spent by them in the Republic of Bulgaria will be considered part of the 90 days allowed to stay in the Schengen area for any 180-day period, regardless of border (air, land or sea), which these citizens have passed in order to enter the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and regardless of whether it concerns short-term stay or transit.
The list set out in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 lists the countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the EU's external borders. Pursuant to Art. 4 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 they shall be subject to visa-free regime for a period of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
From 01.01.2021 British citizens may visit Bulgaria visa-free for short-term stay /up to 90 days in any 180-day period starting from the date of first entry/.
The required passport validity is 3 months after the planned departure from Bulgaria.
From 01.01.2021 holders of British travel documents issued to refugees, persons granted humanitarian protection and stateless persons will need a short-term visa to enter Bulgaria for a short stay /up to 90 days in any 180-day period starting from the date of first entry/.
For detailed information on short-term visas, please inform yourselves from the visa list below/or from our external service provider VFS GLOBAL:
The required passport validity is 3 months after the planned departure from Bulgaria.
From 01.01.2021 British residence permits issued to EU/EEA Family Members can no longer be used for visa free travel to EU.
From 01.01.2021 British citizens who plan to stay more than 90 days in Bulgaria will have to apply for long-term visa. This includes British citizens who are family members of Bulgarian citizens. For detailed information on long-term visas, please visit our section above.
A foreigner may enter the Republic of Bulgaria if he/ she is a holder of a regular foreign travel document or another equivalent document as well as a visa if required.
A foreign citizen wishing to apply for a Bulgarian visa shall hold a regular travel document that meets the following requirements:
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its validity expires at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria or in case of multiple visits - after the last scheduled date of departure from the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
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contains at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes;
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has been issued within the last 10 years.
Visas are issued by the diplomatic and consular representations of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Visa applications
Visa application forms are submitted personally or through an authorized agent no earlier than 3 months before the date of the intended travel, with the exception of humanitarian cases.
Visa applications for minors or judicially disabled persons shall be submitted by their legal representatives or by persons expressly authorized to do so.
Visa applications for underage persons or persons with limited judicial disability shall be submitted by their legal representatives, trustees, or persons expressly authorized.
All fields in the application shall be filled in legibly in typed letters. The names shall be filled in with Latin letters (the way they are spelled in the foreign travel passport). The rest of the information shall be filled in in English or Bulgarian. The application shall be signed by the applicant personally. The members of the family of European Union citizens shall fill in only those fields of the visa application form that indicate their family relationship.
Obligatory personal interview when applying for a type “D” visa
No exception shall be made to the requirement for a personal interview when applying for a long-stay visa.
Documents to be submitted with the visa application:
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A photocopy of the first page of the foreign travel document;
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A photocopy of the last Bulgarian and Schengen visas or visas for the UK and the US, if any
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A full-color photograph 3,5 cm х 4,5 cm against a light-colored background (the same holds for a child entered in the passport) – a full-face photo with a clear, large enough face which takes up 70-80% of the photo; eyes must be red; the following is ineligible: photos with dark glasses; non-professional photos or cut out of amateur photos
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A medical insurance is valid for the EU member states for the whole period of the trip, covering all costs for repatriation and for urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment for the period of the stay indicated in the visa. The insurance amount cannot be less than 30 thousand euro
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Tickets (original and copy) or ticket booking conformation or financial means
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Copy of the technical passport of the car of the trip
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For under-aged children traveling without their parents or trustees, the following documents shall be submitted:
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a copy of the birth certificate
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original and photocopy of a power of attorney notary certified by both parents/ trustees or by one parent trustee that they agree their child to travel unaccompanied by them.
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The following persons are exempt from fees for visa application processing
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Foreign citizens who as of the date of the visa application are under 12 years
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Members of Bulgarian and EU citizens’ families
The refusal to issue a visa may be appealed before the higher administrative authority - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 1113, Sofia, 2 "Alexander Zhendov" str. (e-mail: priemna@mfa.bg), or Administrative Court Sofia-city, 1301, Sofia, 17 George Washington str. (e-mail: registratura@sfg-adc.justice.bg);
You can download Visa Application form here:
PLEASE NOTE: Visa C appointments could be made by offices of our external partner VFS GLOBAL. To apply at a VFS CLOGAL CENTRE visit the company’s website:
КС Лондон 2024