Bulgaria Implements Updated Visa Regulations Following Schengen Membership: Essential Information to Understand

Here's What You Need to Know About Bulgaria's New Visa Rules Following Its Schengen Membership

1. Bulgaria has implemented new visa regulations since joining the Schengen Area on March 31.
2. Travelers holding short-term visas issued by Bulgaria before March 31 can still enter Bulgaria, Romania, and Cyprus, but not other Schengen Area countries.
3. Third-country nationals can now apply for a Bulgarian visa at 60 locations in nine different countries.

As of March 31, Bulgaria officially became a member of the Schengen Area, along with Romania, eliminating internal air and sea border controls with other Schengen countries. Consequently, the country has introduced new visa rules affecting all visa applicants, aligning with the Common Visa Policy of the European Union, which Bulgaria has followed since joining the EU on January 1, 2007.

According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of March 31, the country has commenced issuing Schengen visas at various locations, in line with Schengen regulations, despite retaining internal checks at its land borders.

Short-stay visas issued by Romania and Bulgaria before March 31 will remain valid until their expiration date. However, holders of these visas can only travel to Bulgaria, Romania, and Cyprus, not to other Schengen Member States. Travelers intending to visit other Schengen countries will need to obtain a regular Schengen visa.

Residence permits and long-stay visas issued by Bulgaria remain valid, but holders are subject to the same rules as other Schengen travelers, limiting their stay to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Bulgaria has partnered with VFS Global to process Schengen visa applications. Currently, 60 visa processing centers are operational in nine countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Additionally, the time spent in Bulgaria now counts towards the 90/180 days permitted stay in the Schengen Area. Previously, travelers could use Bulgaria and Romania as a base to reset their stay in the Schengen Zone, but this is no longer possible, as every stay in these countries is now counted towards the total permitted stay in the Schengen Zone.