Applying for a visa to Bulgaria

Do Russians need a visa to Bulgaria? Yes, to visit this state of South-Eastern Europe, our compatriots draw up an entry document. Obtaining a Bulgarian visa has its own characteristics, because the country is not yet part of the Schengen area. But, as a rule, a visa to Bulgaria is granted to citizens of the Russian Federation without any problems. We will find out what kind of visa is needed to enter the republic, how to apply for a visa to Bulgaria, how much a visa is made and how much it costs.

Many residents of Russia dream of relaxing in Bulgarian resorts and seeing all kinds of sights. For a trip to Bulgaria with the whole family, you will not need as much money as, for example, to visit Western European countries. You can travel to Bulgaria cheaply almost all year round. The main concern of travelers will be the need to get a visa to Bulgaria.

Rest in Bulgaria is not the only purpose of entry of our fellow citizens. The country attracts not only tourists, but also businessmen, potential investors, professionals in various fields of activity, seasonal workers and students. All of them definitely need a Bulgarian visa.

1. For holders of a Schengen visa C. This may be a valid entry document for any Schengen country. The key requirement is that the visa be double or multiple entry. According to a single Schengen entry into the republic is no longer allowed.
2. For citizens who have a residence permit in any Schengen state. Such permits include national visas, residence permits, etc.
3. For holders of Romanian, Croatian or Cypriot visas.

How long they are allowed to stay in Bulgaria depends on the validity of the visa, the allowed time of stay and the number of entries. But in any case, no longer than 3 months in half a year. Holders of official and diplomatic passports are also entitled to live in a European country without a visa for 3 months. Everyone else entering Bulgaria needs a visa.

Key Features of Bulgarian Entry Documents

The following categories of visas are intended for various visits to Bulgaria in 2017:

Both types of Bulgarian visas are national. Their holders have the right to enter and stay in the territory:

• Bulgaria.
• Cyprus.
• Romania.
• Croatia.

Holders of Bulgarian visas cannot travel within the Schengen area. For such trips, you need an entry document from one of the Schengen countries.

In our article, we will pay special attention to the Bulgarian C visa. It is intended for short-term trips.

Almost according to Schengen rules

How to get a visa to Bulgaria for a short stay? When asking this question, it is important to remember that the country, although it is part of the European Union, has not yet entered the Schengen zone. Accordingly, the issuance of a visa to Bulgaria does not take place according to the Schengen conditions.

However, the procedure is very similar to that adopted throughout the Schengen area. Even the entry paper itself looks the same as any Schengen visa C. Since sooner or later Bulgaria will sign the Schengen agreements, its visa policy is already as close as possible to the pan-European one.

Main visa stages

A visa to Bulgaria for Russians in 2017 is issued almost without a hitch. Of course, if the candidates meet all the requirements of the host country. To obtain a visa to a European state, a citizen of the Russian Federation will need:

1. Decide on the category of the requested paper (C or D, the purpose of entry is tourism, work, study, etc.).
2. Fill out the form.
3. Collect the set of documents for a visa to Bulgaria. The list of papers varies according to the purpose of the visit.
4. Submit the documentation package in the chosen way.
5. Pay the visa fee.
6. In case of a positive decision, get a ready-made visa to Bulgaria.

Important! For a visa to Bulgaria, you do not need to submit biometric data. This is one of its few differences from Schengen entry papers.

How to fill out the form

• The Bulgarian C visa application consists of 3 pages.
• The form is downloaded on the Internet or taken at the embassy / consulate general or visa center. The application form is provided free of charge.
• The application must be completed by hand in blue or black ink.
• All words are written in block letters, neatly and legibly.
• A maximum of 3 corrections are allowed. Incorrect information must be crossed out with a horizontal line. The correct data is written in a free space and certified by the signature of the applicant.
• Information is entered in Cyrillic. An exception is the name and surname of the candidate. They are written in Latin (as in the passport).
• Dates are written in the sequence "day, month, year": 03/27/2017.
• Phone numbers are listed with a state code.
• If you need to choose one of the options, the answer is marked with a “tick” or “cross”.
• If a multiple-entry visa is requested, an appropriate signature is required (in the section on health insurance on the third page).
• If the questionnaire is filled out for a child under 14 years old, both parents sign for him.
• If the application is filled out for a child from 14 to 17 years old inclusive, both parents and the child put their signatures.
• From the age of 18, the petition is signed personally by the applicant.
• Total number of signatures:
  • 3 signatures (when requesting a double and multiple document).
  • 4 signatures (when applying for a visa in St. Petersburg).
• After entering the data, you should print the questionnaire on 2 sides.

What documents do I need to collect for a visa C

The list of documents depends on the purpose of entry. A visa to Bulgaria for business purposes requires the provision of business documentation. For a guest visit, it is required to present an invitation from a Bulgarian friend or relative. The most popular tourist visa is issued on the basis of hotel reservations.

Document Requirements

• Originals and photocopies of each paper are submitted, unless otherwise indicated.
• A separate set of documentation must be collected for each participant in the trip. This requirement also applies to children registered in the parent's passport.
• A set of required papers is allowed to be submitted 3 months before the scheduled tour. If an urgent visa is requested, 10 days prior to departure.
• The host party has the right to request additional documents and / or invite the applicant for an interview.

Basic Documents

Part of the visa papers is the same for all categories of travelers. For a visa to Bulgaria, the basic package documentation is as follows:

• (filled out and signed).
• International passport:
  • Valid minimum 3 months after the end of the trip.
  • Issued no more than 10 years ago.
  • With 2 blank sheets (plus 2 sheets for each child, if they are recorded in the parent's passport).
  • Additionally, a photocopy of the first page is submitted.

• Photograph:
  • Made a maximum of six months ago.
  • 1 piece.
  • 35 by 45 mm.
  • 70-80% of the field is occupied by the face.
  • Color.
  • On a light background.
  • The photo is also submitted for children entered in the parent's passport.
  • The photo card is attached to the application form.
• Russian passport (required when submitting documents).
• Transport documents:
  • Copies of air or railway tickets.
  • Or confirmation of the reservation of air or railway tickets.
• Documents for the car (when entering by car):
  • Vehicle registration certificate (copy).
  • Driving license (copy).
  • Green card (copy).
  • Power of attorney to drive (if the vehicle does not belong to the driver).
  • Itinerary in free form (indicating border crossing points).
• Medical insurance:
  • Valid throughout the country during the entire trip.
  • Covered from 30 thousand euros.

Additional documents for the child

1. Birth certificate (photocopy).
2. in free form plus financial guarantees of the sponsor. is not a financial guarantee. As confirmation of the financial security of the sponsor, the following are accepted:
   1. in the bank.
   2. An extract from an ATM about the balance of money on the card.
   3. Traveler's checks.
3. A copy of the tickets and visas of the parents/parent/accompanying person, the validity period of which “covers” the document requested for the child. Served if the child travels with parents/parent/accompanying person, but visas were not issued at the same time.
4. Notarized consent of mom and dad or one parent to leave.

Subtleties of granting an exit permit

If the child is under the guardianship of foster parents, the entry requirements are the same as with relatives mom and dad. Additionally, documents on adoption / adoption / guardianship are presented.

Documents for the purpose of the visit

Tourism

• Hotel booking confirmation:
  • Fax or scanned letterhead signed and stamped or printout from the electronic booking system.
  • The confirmation indicates all entrants by name, hotel details and length of stay.
• Proof of payment for the hotel (if not confirmed by the booking, other guarantees are required).
• If a citizen plans to live in apartments acquired in ownership, the following is required:
  • Or a preliminary contract for the purchase of residential real estate (photocopy). Plus, you need documents confirming the payment of at least 30%.
  • Or hotel reservation from the developer of the future apartment / house (fax or scan).
• Financial guarantees at the rate of 50 euros per person daily (at least 500 euros for the whole trip):
  • Current bank statement.
  • Traveler's checks.
  • Confirmation of the purchase of currency, etc.
• Help from work:
  • It is drawn up on the letterhead of the enterprise.
  • Certified by a seal and signed by an authorized person.
  • With address and work phone number.
  • With a record of the salary and position of the applicant.
• Copies of certificates of registration of IP and TIN (for individual entrepreneurs instead of a certificate of employment).
• A photocopy of the pension certificate (for pensioners instead of a certificate of employment).

Private visit

1. An invitation drawn up according to all the rules.
2. Guarantees of the legality of residence of the host in Bulgaria. For example, a copy of the residence permit and the first page of the passport.
3. Confirmation of kinship, if the visitor plans to visit close relatives (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.).

Visa for property owners and their relatives

• Notarial deed.
• Confirmation of payment of taxes and fees for the past year.
• Documents for spouse:
  • Help from work.
  • Pensioner's ID.
  • IP registration.
  • Or a sponsorship letter.
• Documents for children under 18:
  • Proof of relationship.
• Documents for children from 18 to 26 years old who are students and not married:
  • Proof of relationship.
  • Help from the university.
  • Residence permit from the parent who owns the property.
  • Document on the absence of marriage.

• Other close relatives:
  • Proof of relationship.
  • Residence permit from the property owner.

Business or business trip

1. An invitation from a legal entity or a representative of the receiving party (state institutions, organizations, etc.). For business visits, it is certified by the Bulgarian police at the migration department.
2. Letter of recommendation (for business visits). Certified/issued by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the Bulgarian-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moscow. Instead of a letter, it is allowed to provide a copy of the contract on joint business activities and intentions related to the planned trips (for applicants for a multiple-entry visa up to 1 year).
3. Certificate of employment (requirements as for a tourist visa).
4. Photocopies of certificates of registration of IP and TIN (for individual entrepreneurs instead of a certificate of employment).

Study or scientific, cultural or sports activities

• Letter of invitation from the host organization:
  • Bulgarian Ministry of Culture/Sports/Education.
  • Academy of Sciences.
  • educational institutions.
  • City Hall.
  • Sports federations, etc.
• Hotel reservation or other confirmation of accommodation (unless the host party specifies in the invitation that they will provide accommodation and maintenance).
• Certificate from an educational institution (for schoolchildren and students).

• Certificate of employment (for employed citizens).
• Copies of certificates of registration of IP and TIN (for individual entrepreneurs).

Transit

1. Visa to the territory of the state of destination (photocopy).
2. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip (if the entry to the destination is visa-free):
   1. Invitation.
   2. Booking a hotel room.
   3. Real estate documents, etc.

How to apply

The application form and other documents for a visa to Bulgaria are submitted in the way that the applicant chooses. To submit papers, you should contact one of the authorities:

• Consular service of the Bulgarian embassy in the Russian capital. You need to make an appointment by calling the call center numbers:
  • +7 (499) 709-92-81.
  • +7 (499) 703-37-48.
• Consulate General of Bulgaria in St. Petersburg or Yekaterinburg.
• Visa center «VFS Global» (only for short-term C-visas). The company's offices are located in 20 cities of the Russian Federation. There is no binding to the consular district. Pre-registration is not required.

• Accredited travel agency (only for short-term C-visas). The list of approved travel agencies is on the website of the embassy of a European power in Moscow.

It is worth considering that the decision on each application is not made by the visa center or the tour operator. This mission is entrusted to the diplomatic mission (in the case of visa C) and the competent authorities of the republic (visa D).

In the visa center, documents are allowed to be submitted both personally and through an authorized person (by power of attorney certified by a notary). In both cases, consent to the processing of personal data is additionally filled out.

How much to pay for a visa

How much does a visa to Bulgaria cost? The price depends on the category of entry paper - C or D. For Russians, the consular fee figures relevant for 2017 are as follows:

The consular fee is paid for any method of requesting type C documents (through a diplomatic mission, a visa center or a travel agency). Visa D, we recall, is allowed to issue only at the embassy / consulate general.

If a document for a short stay is requested from VFS Global, a service fee is included in the cost of a visa to Bulgaria. It is equal to 19 euros.

Fees are charged in euros (at the diplomatic mission) or in rubles at the current exchange rate (at the visa center). In this case, payments are non-refundable. Even if the candidate is rejected, the fees paid will not be returned to him.

Consular and service fees for a C-visa are not imposed:

• For children under the age of 6.
• For people with special health needs and those accompanying them.

How long to wait for a C visa

How long do visa applicants wait for a decision on their application? When submitting an application at the consular section of the embassy, ​​the consideration period is 10 days. When submitting an application at the visa center, each application is considered within 4 days. This does not take into account:

• Submission day.
• Time to send a package of documents from the regions to the diplomatic mission.
• Weekends and holidays.

Urgent visa to Bulgaria is issued in two days. This also does not take into account the day of submission, forwarding and non-working days.

When applying at the visa center, it is allowed to track the status of the application on the VFS Global website. To do this, follow the link and enter the required data.

Important! In case of any questions, the host party has the right to extend the consideration of the case for 1 month.

Who is at risk of being denied a visa?

The rejection rate for Bulgarian C-visas is quite low. But there is still a risk of getting a negative answer from the embassy / consulate. A trip to Bulgaria will not take place if the applicant:

• Provided false information about yourself.
• Provided fake certificates and statements.
• Failed to confirm the purpose of entry.
• Did not fully guarantee return to their home country when the visa expires.
• I violated the visa regime during a previous trip.
• Previously did not comply with Bulgarian laws.

The employees of the diplomatic mission will also make a negative decision in the absence of any data in the questionnaire. They also refuse those who have submitted an incomplete set of visa documents. But in these cases, everything is fixable. To apply for a visa, you will need to re-complete an application or provide the missing papers.