Last updated: 15 August 2026 · Reviewed by Małgorzata Zep, lawyer and travel industry specialist
Bulgaria’s Schengen position changed recently, and most information online is out of date. This guide sets out what applies now, where to apply, and what the insurance condition requires.
Do You Need a Visa for Bulgaria? Entry Requirements
Bulgaria is part of the Schengen Area, so there is no separate “Bulgarian visa” for short visits. You apply for a Schengen visa (type C), which allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all 29 Schengen countries — not 90 days in Bulgaria plus 90 elsewhere.
Whether you need one depends on your nationality. Holders of a valid Schengen visa or a residence permit from a Schengen state can enter Bulgaria without applying separately.
| If you hold a passport from | For a short stay you |
|---|---|
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | Need no visa at all — you have free movement |
| The US (Americans), UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and around 60 other visa-exempt countries | Do not need a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. From Q4 2026 you will need an ETIAS authorisation (€20, valid 3 years) — an online form, not a visa |
| India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, South Africa, the Philippines and most other countries | Must apply for a Schengen visa before travelling, with the documents below |
| Any nationality holding a Schengen residence permit or valid Schengen visa | Need no separate visa for Bulgaria |
⚠️ Visa-free entry is not unlimited entry. The 90/180 rule applies to the Schengen Area as a whole, and since the EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026 your entries and exits are recorded electronically — overstaying is now detected automatically at the border.
⚠️ Bulgaria is now a full Schengen member. Land border controls with Romania, Greece and Hungary were lifted on 1 January 2025, after air and sea borders opened in March 2024. A separate Bulgarian short-stay visa is no longer needed — the standard Schengen visa applies. (In French sources you may see Bulgarie Schengen — the same thing.)
Bulgaria Visa Types: Tourist, Business, Visit and Transit
All of these are the same document — a short-stay Schengen visa. What differs is the purpose you declare and the supporting evidence you attach.
- Tourist visa — holidays and sightseeing. Evidence: accommodation bookings and an itinerary.
- Visit visa — family or friends. Evidence: an invitation from your host in Bulgaria, with their address and status.
- Business visa — meetings, conferences, negotiations. Evidence: an invitation from the Bulgarian company and proof of your employment.
- Transit visa — changing flights airside. Most nationalities do not need one; a few do, so check before booking a connection.
⚠️ Declare the purpose that matches reality. A tourist visa used for paid work, or a visit visa where no host exists, is a misrepresentation — and consulates cross-check invitations.
Where to Apply: the Main Destination Rule
You do not choose freely. Under the EU Visa Code you apply to the country that is your main destination — where you will spend the most nights. If nights are split equally, you apply to the country you enter first.
So you apply to Bulgaria only if Bulgaria is where you will spend most of your trip. Applying to the wrong consulate is a common cause of rejection, and the €90 fee is not refunded.
In practice you will file at the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, or at the visa centre it has contracted to collect applications and biometrics.
Bulgaria Visa Requirements: Documents You Will Need
- Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages
- Completed application form and a recent passport photo meeting the biometric standard
- Travel medical insurance — minimum €30,000, valid in all Schengen states, covering repatriation
- Proof of accommodation for the whole stay — bookings, or an invitation from a host
- Round-trip travel booking showing your itinerary
- Proof of sufficient funds — recent bank statements
- Proof of ties to your home country — employment letter, studies, family or property
Because Bulgaria’s accession is recent, some older guidance still refers to a national “type C Bulgarian visa”. Apply on the Schengen rules; that is what consulates now use.
Bulgaria Visa Cost, Fees and Processing Time
| Adults | €90 |
| Children 6–11 | €45 |
| Children under 6 | Free |
| Decision | 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 in individual cases |
| Apply from | Up to 6 months before travel |
| Apply by | No later than 15 days before departure |
The fee is charged for processing, not for the visa, and is not refunded if you are refused. Visa centres charge their own service fee on top. Apply early in peak season — appointment slots, not processing, are usually the bottleneck.
Bulgaria Visa for Indians and Travellers from the USA
Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa for Bulgaria. Applications are lodged through the contracted visa centre, with an appointment for biometrics, and the requirements are the standard ones set out above — the €90 fee, €30,000 insurance and proof of funds and ties. See our guide to the Schengen visa for Indian citizens for the documents Indian applicants are asked for most often.
Travellers from the USA are in the opposite position: no visa is needed for a short stay, and from Q4 2026 only an ETIAS authorisation. If you are a US resident on a non-US passport, your nationality decides — not your residence.
Bulgaria and the Euro
Bulgaria still uses the lev (BGN), pegged to the euro. Euro adoption is planned, but until it happens your everyday spending will be in leva, and card acceptance is good in cities and weaker in rural areas.
The visa fee itself is fixed in euro at €90 regardless of where you apply, though visa centres may collect the equivalent in local currency plus their own service charge.
Travel Insurance for a Bulgaria Visa
Travel medical insurance is a legal condition of the visa under Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, not a recommendation. It must cover at least €30,000 in medical expenses, including emergency treatment and repatriation, and be valid in every Schengen state — not only Bulgaria.
⚠️ The rule that catches people out: cover valid only for Bulgaria is refused. Your visa lets you travel across the whole zone, so your policy must too.
Our cover meets the requirement and starts at €20 for 30 days, with a certificate accepted at the consulate. See Schengen visa medical insurance or read what the policy covers.
Entry Rules Changing in 2026
Two systems affect everyone travelling to the Schengen Area, including Bulgaria:
- EES (Entry/Exit System) — rolled out from 12 October 2025 and fully operational since 10 April 2026. It registers your entries and exits electronically, replacing passport stamps, and records fingerprints and a facial image.
- ETIAS — expected in Q4 2026. A travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationalities only, costing €20 and valid three years. It is not a visa, and if you need a Schengen visa, ETIAS does not apply to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bulgaria in the Schengen Area?
Yes. Bulgaria became a full Schengen member when land border controls were lifted on 1 January 2025, following air and sea borders in March 2024.
Do I need a separate visa for Bulgaria?
No. A Schengen visa now covers Bulgaria, and a visa issued by Bulgaria is valid across the whole Schengen Area.
Can I enter Bulgaria with a Schengen visa from another country?
Yes, provided the visa is valid and you have days remaining in your 90-in-180 allowance.
Does Bulgaria use the euro?
Not yet. The currency is the Bulgarian lev, though the visa fee is set in euro.
What insurance do I need for Bulgaria?
At least €30,000 medical cover including repatriation, valid across all Schengen states.
How long can I stay in Bulgaria?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period — counted across all Schengen countries together, not per country.
What are the Bulgarian visa requirements?
A passport valid 3 months beyond departure and issued within 10 years, a completed form and biometric photo, travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 covering repatriation across all Schengen states, proof of accommodation and return travel, sufficient funds, and evidence of ties to your home country.
How do I get a tourist visa for Bulgaria?
Apply for a short-stay Schengen visa declaring tourism as your purpose, at the Bulgarian consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence, up to 6 months before travel and no later than 15 days before departure.
