A visa to bulgaria how much is done. Visa to Bulgaria for Russians: step-by-step instructions for self-registration Apply for Schengen in Bulgaria

A trip to Bulgaria is not only a vacation on the Black Sea coast and treatment at balneological resorts, but also an opportunity to ski on snow-covered slopes in the mountains. Russians wishing to relax in Bulgaria need a national visa. The country is part of the European Union, but is not a member of the Schengen Agreement. Therefore, in 2020 you can enter Bulgaria by Schengen, but visit European countries by Bulgarian visa will not work. If the traveler does not have a Schengen visa, you will have to apply for a national visa. The rules for its issuance are generally similar to the European ones.

Simplified entry

Holders of Schengen visas of categories "C" and "D" issued by other Schengen states can freely enter the country without first obtaining a Bulgarian visa. Moreover, the time of residence in Bulgaria on this visa is not taken into account when calculating the time of stay in the Schengen area. Russians with visas or residence permits for Cyprus, Croatia, Romania can also visit Bulgaria without issuing an entry document. In all other cases, Russians receive a national visa to Bulgaria. This can be done both at visa centers, and by personal contact with the consulate of the country.

Bulgarian visas are short-term(category "C") and long-term (category "D"). The former are issued for tourism, doing business, visiting friends and crossing the country. Long term visas are received by applicants for long-term residence in the state with the subsequent receipt of a residence permit.

Short stay visa

The simplest type of visa issued for a trip, visiting friends or relatives.

You will need a minimal (let's call it basic) package of documents:

1. . All sections are filled in, personal signature the applicant.
2. Passport with a "margin" of 3 months and a copy of its first page.
3. Color photo (3.5x4.5 cm), made on a light background (provided for each minor over 6 years old, entered in the parents' passport).
4. Medical policy, valid in European states, with a coverage of 30,000 euros.
5. Tickets for a trip (copies or reservations with specific dates). If the trip is made on your own vehicle, then a technical passport, a "Green Card", and a driver's license are additionally provided.
6. Confirmation of hotel reservation(original, fax or copy) signed and stamped. The dates of the trip and hotel details are indicated. It contains information about the fact of payment and all persons are indicated by name, if several people are leaving at the same time.
7. Material security documentation. The consular officer must make sure that the applicant has funds for the trip (50 euros per day for one tourist, but not less than 500 euros for the entire trip, even if it only takes one day). Traveller's checks, recent bank statement, foreign currency purchase certificate and so on are accepted.
8. Help from work on the company letterhead.

For minors

For a trip with a child, a full package of documentation is drawn up for him and attached:

• Birth certificate;
• Power of attorney from the second parent, if the trip is made only with mom or dad.

If the child makes an independent trip, then a copy of the power of attorney from both parents and a certificate from the educational institution where the minor is studying is required.

For non-working

1. Sponsorship letter.
2. Copy of the sponsor's passport.
3. Help from the sponsor's work.

For persons of retirement age

• Sponsorship letter or confirmation of material well-being.
• Pensioner's ID.

For a private visit

In addition to these documents, the following is provided:

1. An invitation from a private person living in Bulgaria (original and copy provided).
2. To open a multiple-entry visa, you will need a document confirming family ties.

Business trip

• Invitation from a company registered in Bulgaria (original version and copy). To open a multiple-entry visa, the invitation contains an explanation of the purpose for which frequent trips to the country are required.
• Help from work.

Transit

A transit visa for Russians is not issued if, when transferring from one aircraft to another, the applicant does not leave the airport area. In others, the situation opens transit visa with the right to stay in the state for 5 days each time you visit the country. For registration, in addition to the basic package of documents, you will need tickets to the destination and a copy of a visa to a third country.

Visiting close relatives

In addition to the basic package:

1. An invitation from a relative living in Bulgaria.
2. Documents proving family ties.

Filling out the questionnaire

Fingerprinting

To open Schengen visas, you must go through the fingerprinting procedure and provide a digital photo. In view of its possible accession to Schengen, Bulgaria has also introduced these requirements, and a visa can now be obtained only after fingerprinting. This procedure will need to be completed every 5 years - this is how long this data will be stored in the database. But a digital photo is taken every six months. Children do not undergo fingerprinting, but they provide a photo.

Photo requirements

A photo can be taken in any photo studio, usually its employees are familiar with all the requirements for image quality, or directly at the visa center.

Sponsorship letter

The letter can be drawn up not only by a relative, as is required in all Schengen countries, but also by any other person. Such a document is required if the foreigner does not have his own source of income (student, student, pensioner) or works without official employment and cannot present a certificate of employment.

Sample sponsorship letter for a visa

The letter indicates:

• Full name, passport number, registration address of the applicant and sponsor;
• date of travel.

The letter is accompanied by documentation on the sponsor's solvency (bank statement, ATM statement on the balance of money on the bank card). It should be noted that a certificate from work at the Bulgarian Consulate is not considered a confirmation of solvency. The sponsor personally signs the letter. With his signature, he guarantees that he will bear all expenses related to the applicant's travel (travel, accommodation, meals, medical treatment and other unforeseen expenses).

Insurance

To open a visa, you need an insurance policy with coverage of 30,000 euros, issued by a company accredited to provide such services. Moreover, the same requirements are imposed on insurance as for similar documents required to obtain a Schengen type. Still, Bulgaria has long sought to join Schengen and is trying to comply with the EU rules for obtaining entry documents.

Long Term Visa

Visa category "D" allows you to stay in the republic for more than 90 days in each half of the year. Usually it is drawn up for a long stay in the state (training, employment, family reunification, maintenance entrepreneurial activity and so on) and, as a rule, opening a long-term visa is the first step towards obtaining a residence permit.

The documents are submitted personally by the applicant to the Bulgarian consulate without prior arrangement of the visit. This must be done no earlier than 3 months before the desired trip. Parents apply for children under 14 years of age. When a minor leaves with only one of the parents, a travel permit is required from the other. If the child goes to Bulgaria on his own (for example, to study), such consent will be required from both mom and dad.

The following documents should be prepared:

1. Passport with a stock of 18 months, as well as its copy. Wrinkled and damaged documents with torn or dirty pages with traces of being in water are not accepted.
2. Color photo 3.5x4.5 cm.
3. Insurance with coverage of 30,000 euros, issued for at least 6 months.
4. Material security documentation.
5. Documents confirming the existence of housing in the state (own real estate, flat rent). Simply put, the consular officer must be sure that the applicant will have housing.
6. Certificate of no criminal record.

Depending on the grounds on which visas are opened, the following are provided:

• An employment contract and a letter from the employer on the provision of housing or a rental agreement for residential premises (if the purpose of the trip to Bulgaria is employment).
• A copy of the certificate of registration in the commercial register (doing business).
• Marriage certificate (conclusion of a marriage union with a citizen of Bulgaria).
• Letter from medical institution(for treatment).

For retirees

Any Russian pensioner who has such a desire and has the means to live in this country can move for permanent residence in Bulgaria. The pension paid in Russia will be transferred to a bank account in the republic. In addition to the documents already mentioned, pensioners provide:

1. Pensioner's ID;
2. Help from pension fund about pension for the last 3 months;
3. A document from a Bulgarian bank where the pension will be transferred.

All documents drawn up in Russian are translated into Bulgarian with notarization.

Visa centers

When registering through visa centers, which are located in all major cities of Russia, the applicant provides.

Visa centers act as intermediaries who provide services for a certain fee: they check the correctness of filling out the application, the presence of all the necessary papers, certificates, copies and transfer the package of documentation to the consulate. In such organizations, as a rule, some useful services are provided:

• Filling out the questionnaire;
• Photographing;
• Copying;
• Courier delivery;
• Insurance registration;
• Order SMS notifications about the readiness of documents.

Procedure for obtaining a Bulgarian visa

A visa can be opened with a personal appeal to the consulate of the republic, and with the assistance of visa centers located in the largest cities of Russia. The documents are submitted by:

1. The applicant himself;
2. Close relatives of the applicant;
3. An employee of the organization (business trip, business visit) by power of attorney;
4. Representative of an accredited travel agency;
5. Third party by proxy.

Embassy of Bulgaria in Moscow

When contacting the consulate, the documents are folded in a certain sequence:

• International passport and its copy.
• Application form.
• Paid hotel reservation or other confirmation of the purpose of the trip.
• Insurance.
• Booking tickets.
• Help from work.
• Confirmation of material security.
• Documentation for children.

When applying to the consulate, the applicant must have a Russian passport with him.

Visa cost

The consular fee for a type "C" visa is 35 euros for regular registration and 70 euros for urgent opening. To obtain an entry document of type "D" you will have to pay 100 euros. Foreigners who have their own business in Bulgaria pay 200 euros.

The fee is not collected from the following categories of persons:

1. Children under 6 years old.
2. Disabled people.
3. Close relatives of citizens of Bulgaria and the European Union.
4. Students and teachers who accompany them if the trip is educational in nature.
5. Persons visiting the country for humanitarian reasons, for the purpose of emergency treatment or the need to attend a relative's funeral.

If a foreigner applies for a free visa application, then he must provide supporting documents, certified government bodies Bulgaria.

When contacting visa centers, an additional service fee is paid. Its size is 1,368 rubles, regardless of the category of the entry document.

You will also need to pay for insurance. Its cost is about 1 euro for each day of residence in the country. Other expenses include payment for photography, copying and translation of documents (if necessary).

Terms of issue

The visa application is reviewed within 4 days. In some cases, the embassy may extend the processing time for an application up to 30 days. If issued urgent visa, then this time is reduced to 2 days, but you will need documents confirming the need for an emergency visa opening (death of a relative, urgent treatment, solving important business issues).

Visa readiness

You can find out at what stage the application is being considered on the website of the visa centers: bulgariavac.ru/track.aspx. To verify the information, you will need a registration number, last name or date of birth. It is possible to order in advance the service of informing by SMS.

If the documents were submitted to the embassy, ​​then you can check their status at bolgaria.ru/visa. In the window that opens, the surname, first name or passport number is indicated.

If ready, a passport with a glued-in visa can be obtained at the place of application. You should bring your Russian passport with you. Courier delivery of documents (about 1000 rubles) is available to residents of the capital and a number of other cities.

Refusal to issue a visa

Bulgaria is very loyal to Russian tourists, so the number of refusals is minimal, especially if the applicant has purchased a tourist voucher.

The main reasons for refusal:

• All sorts of shortcomings in the paperwork.
• Material disadvantage of the applicant: low salary, insufficient amount of money in the bank account.
• Previous trips were in violation visa regime, there are unpaid fines.
• The application is submitted for a visa category that does not correspond to the purpose of the trip.
• Providing an incomplete list of documents.
• The statement contains conflicting information.
• During the verification process, the information provided was not confirmed (for example, the contact phone number of the inviting party was changed and the consular officer could not get through to her).
• Providing information that does not correspond to reality.

The refusal is stamped in the passport, the applicant is notified of the reasons for the refusal. If the applicant does not agree with the refusal, he can appeal by providing the necessary supporting documents.

How to avoid rejection?

As in other countries, the consular officer initially “suspects” each applicant of immigration intentions, that is, the desire to enter Bulgaria, for example, for tourism purposes and stay in the country forever on illegal grounds. Therefore, it is important to provide documents that clearly indicate the purpose of the trip and guarantee a return home. These can be canceled passports with Bulgarian or Schengen visas, copies of ownership rights to an apartment, garage, cottage, marriage or birth certificates of children (even if they remain in Russia).

Bulgaria is the ideal destination for any kind of holiday. In this country, you can find the most ancient sights, improve your health and relax in the most beautiful seaside resorts. But before the trip, you should find out if you need a visa to Bulgaria.

Entry to Bulgaria

Addresses and contacts of visa issuing centers in large cities:

1. Moscow- Suschevsky Val, 31, building 2 (within walking distance from the Maryina Roshcha or Savelovskaya metro stations);
2. St. Petersburg- Chkalovsky prospect, 7 (metro station "Chkalovskaya", landmark - TC Chkalovsky, 2nd floor);
3. Ekaterinburg- st. Kuibysheva, 44 (landmark 2nd floor of the Panorama business hotel);
4. Krasnodar- st. Komsomolskaya, 6;
5. Nizhny Novgorod- st. Osharskaya, 16;
6. Samara- st. Sadovaya, 263.

Acceptance of documents takes place from 9 am to 4 pm, and their delivery is from 10 am to 4 pm. Usually, the time of reception is appointed by the employees of the visa center.

It is important to remember that preliminary submission of documents (online via the Internet) to visa centers not provided and all of them are provided directly in person. To start the process, you need to collect the established package of documents, make an appointment at the visa center, pay consular fee, and then submit documents to the appropriate window and receive a ready-made entry permit.

If a D visa is required, then you will need pre-entry to the embassy or consulate of Bulgaria. This category of visa is not issued in visa centers. But on the website of the embassy there is a useful button "checking the readiness of visa D", by clicking on which, you will find out the status of the registration.

Required documents

Depending on what kind of visa is required to travel to Bulgaria, tourists must have a full set of documents with them. For every traveler who wants to get to this country, not excluding children, you need to collect the following standard package:

• Filled out and carefully checked new form "Application form" certified by the signature of the applicant;
• The photo meeting the requirements for a Schengen visa;
• International passport , the validity of which must be at least 90 days;
• Acting internal passport with copies of all completed pages;
• Medical insurance policy calculated for the insurance amount of 30,000 euros;
• Tickets with the exact dates of the trip or a printout of the booking of railway, air, buses;
• Help from the place of work, which indicates the position, length of service and salary;
• Certificate from the pension fund about the amount of pension for 3 months (for pensioners).

Ancient buildings of Sofia, religious shrines of Burgas, architectural monuments of Plovdiv - these and other sights of Bulgaria c.

The necessary documents are added to the list of these documents. different types visas. So, for example, for a tourist visa, you will need to attach hotel reservation printed by a printer or fax. The form must contain information such as payment, surname, name and patronymic of the applicant, hotel details. You will also definitely need a tourist voucher - the most important document, confirming the ability to support themselves throughout the trip around the country.

For the following types of visas, additional documents will also be required:

1. Unorganized tourists- hotel reservation and traveller's check (or account statement);
2. By private invitation- invitation and traveller's check (account statement);
3. Business visa- invitation from the company and sponsorship letter;
4. Transit visa- hotel reservation and tickets to a third country.

In order to obtain a category D immigrant visa, tourists will need to have documents confirming validity stay in the country during such long term.

Requirements for photo and filing of documents

Easy enough to apply on one's own following the correct design algorithm. To do this, you need to go to the portal of the embassy and find the item "questionnaire to fill out" on it, there you will also find a sample.

In the questionnaire, you should carefully enter all your data in printed form or by hand, having previously printed the document.

Requirements for the questionnaire the following:

• Full name is filled in exclusively in capital Latin letters;
• Dates are entered in numbers in the format DD.MM.YYYY;
• Floor specified in the format: female - F, male - M;
• Passport data are prescribed without number and spaces;
• Voucher Number written as numbers and dots;
• Tour operator, hotel and resort names fit in Russian letters.

If you approach the paperwork with all responsibility, then there should be no problems when applying for a visa.

It is especially important to approach with all responsibility to photographs... To avoid mistakes, they can be made at the visa center or directly on the spot. The questionnaire requires a color format 35 * 45 mm without white corners. There should be no glasses or strands of hair on the face, and it is also important that the photo is up-to-date - consistent with the real appearance.

Design features for a child

Regardless of age, children will also need to obtain a visa to enter Bulgaria. To do this, parents need to apply to the visa center standard set of documents such as a birth certificate, a passport, a photo form, and a letter from the sponsor and a certificate from the school.

The nuances of a visa for young tourists are as follows:

1. For children under 14 years old is served birth certificate;
2. For those who travel without parents - certified consent;
3. For a trip with only one parent - permission from the second;
4. For babies under care - letter from guardian.

If the child does not have his own foreign passport, then the visa is stamped in the parent's passport, and if there is, then the visa is put directly in the child's document. Wherein price such an entry permit will cost the same as for an adult.

Important points

There are a lot of options for a visa to Bulgaria, so tourists can easily choose the one that suits them. But at the same time, it is necessary to know some points that are equally important in this case.

Insurance

A mandatory point to be able to enter Bulgaria is availability of medical insurance.

It must be received from an accredited company with a specified amount of at least EUR 30,000.

Validity of this document must completely cover the entire period of stay in the country. To find the best insurance option, you should tell the agent about the purpose of the trip, as well as that the trip will take place in Bulgaria.

Price

The question of the cost of a visa to Bulgaria is always relevant, so you should pay due attention to it. Since this country is a member of the Schengen Agreement, the price for a visa will be standard - 35 euros... It is worth noting that this amount is not refundable in case of refusal, so careful attention to the filing of documents will minimize costs.

In addition to the principal amount, tourists are charged consular fee in the amount of 19 euros. Payment can be made both in rubles at the appropriate rate at the time of submission, and in European currency. Visa and fee money is transferred to the immigration representative through the same "window".

From payment released the following persons:

• Children up to 6 years old;
• Disabled;
• Relatives residents of Bulgaria;
• Pupils v educational institutions country;
• Members international delegations;
• Participants exchange programs;
• Residents of the Russian Federation entering from humanitarian purpose.

Insurance for a pregnant woman has its own characteristics. Read about it in.

The list of services of visa companies includes urgent visa... It is done in 1 day, and its cost is 70 euros. However, the service charge of € 19 remains the same.

When applying through a travel agency, the amount for obtaining an entry permit can cost 10-20 euros more, since agents charge certain interest... But at the same time, throughout the entire process, employees will accompany and advise, which significantly minimizes the number of errors. In general, this service is justified, especially if where the applicant lives, there is no visa center or there is no way to collect documents on his own.

Terms of approval

Standard deadlines obtaining a visa to Bulgaria - from four working days, urgent - from 1 to 2 days, excluding the date of application. In regional visa application centers, such terms may differ.

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All Russians who are interested in a tourist or business trip to Bulgaria require an appropriate visa. This European state is a member of the European Union, which is why there is a strict migration order on its territory. Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen zone has not yet happened. Therefore, many still do not have an idea about the procedure for visiting this country. To dispel all doubts, it is necessary to consider in detail what constitutes a visa to Bulgaria.

Bulgaria and Schengen visas

Since Bulgaria is not a member of the Schengen Union, a different state visa is required to visit it. However, in the presence of Schengen, it is possible to enter a European state. A Schengen visa is formally equated to a Bulgarian permit. This allows Schengen holders to freely visit the territory of the state. In turn, having a Bulgarian visa does not make it possible to make an unimpeded trip to the countries of the union.

Important! Bulgaria, which does not yet need Schengen, may change the rules of entry. This is planned for the near future, which is why it is recommended to clarify the latest information before the trip.

Who doesn't need a visa to Bulgaria?

Before considering the procedure for obtaining a tourist or business visa to Bulgaria, it is recommended to clarify the list of persons who are exempted from obtaining a permit. The current legislation of the country determines that holders of multiple Schengen are not required to pre-draw up a national form. This also applies to those persons who have a multivisa. Considering whether Russians need a visa to Bulgaria, it is also necessary to highlight that the holders of permits in Croatia, Romania and Cyprus are exempted from issuing a national Bulgarian visa.

Required documents

Since Bulgaria is not included in the Schengen area, a different type of visa is issued to visit its territory. This provides for other requirements for a set of documents, which must contain the following papers:

1. Application for a permit.
2. Medical insurance and photography.
3. The applicant's consent to the processing of personal data.
4. Reservation of a hotel or other place of residence.
5. Proof of official income.

If necessary, a copy of the purchased tour and another list of papers may be required, about which the applicant will be notified at the consulate. If the trip is planned by car, then documents for vehicle and a driver's license.

Registration rules

To get a worker or tourist visa to Bulgaria, there are standard rules for obtaining a permit to enter the country:

• the application is filled in in electronic format or handwritten in print;
• the applicant for whom the visa is issued signs the application;
• the validity of the passport must be 3 months longer than the duration of the trip to Bulgaria;
• the personal signature of the applicant must be affixed in the passport (does not apply to children under 14 years old);
• the insurance coverage of the policy is equal to the minimum figures for Schengen visas (30 thousand euros).

The traveler undertakes to confirm his income and the availability of funds for the trip. The minimum cost of living in Bulgaria is set at around 50 euros per day.

Photo requirements

To apply for a visa, a standard photograph must be attached to the application, which meets the Bulgarian requirements and restrictions of the countries belonging to the Schengen zone:

• color photo on a white or light background;
• photo size 35 by 45 millimeters;
• the presence of a neutral emotional color;
• lack of accessories that obstruct the view of the face;
• there should be no bevels or other corners in the frame;
• the picture may include a face, neck and part of the shoulders.

It is allowed to have headdresses in the photo that the applicant wears solely for religious reasons.

The procedure for the formation of the applicant's package

Applications for the presentation of a visa permit are accepted subject to the correct formation of the applicant's package, which has the following procedure:

1. Foreign passport of the applicant.
2. Application form with a color photo already pasted in.
3. Copies of the main pages of the applicant's foreign passport.
4. Confirmation of the purposes of entry to Bulgaria.
5. Medical insurance with adequate coverage.
6. Reservation or copies of transport tickets.
7. Certificate of income confirmation.

At the very end, other documents are attached, which will be requested at the consulate when accepting the application.

Registration process yourself

Russians have the right to apply for registration on their own. The application is submitted through the consulate or visa center. The embassies are located in several large cities of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk, Ufa). A complete list of settlements where there is a consulate is presented on the official website of the General Institution. The easiest way is to send your request through the Visa Application Center. No prior registration is required. Fingerprinting and biometrics are not required for travel to Bulgaria. The request can be submitted in person, through a close relative, employer, travel operator or legal representative interests.

Important! A category D national visa is issued exclusively through the Bulgarian consulates present in Russia.

Registration through a travel agency

On the official website of the consulate there is a list of accredited tour operators through which you can obtain the appropriate permission to travel to Bulgaria. This is allowed for all types of visas, with the exception of the national form of category D. It should be borne in mind that tour operators, like visa centers, charge an additional fee for their intermediary services when issuing a permit.

Price

The cost of making a visa for an applicant directly depends on the type of document being drawn up. A tourist permit will cost 35 euros (urgent receipt of 70 euros). National form D costs 100 euros for half a year, 200 euros for a year. There is a list of persons who are exempt from collection:

• children under the age of 6;
• family members of residents of Bulgaria;
• representatives of diplomatic missions and officials;
• job seekers who travel for education;
• disabled people, as well as their accompanying persons;
• participants in sports and cultural competitions;
• employees of scientific institutions.

Also, it is not required to issue a permit for the visit for those who visit Bulgaria on a humanitarian mission.

Visa to Bulgaria for a child

Until Bulgaria enters Schengen, the standard entry procedure is in force not only for adults, but also for children. Permission is granted in one of two scenarios:

1. The permit is pasted into the parent's passport, provided that the child is also on the document.
2. The visa is affixed to children's document, provided that the child has a foreign passport.

To obtain a permit for minors, the following papers are required:

• foreign passport (if there is a form);
• original birth certificate;
• an application for a permit with a photo pasted in;
• certificate from the place of study;
• sponsorship letter.

The Bulgarian authorities strictly control the process of entry of children. Therefore, if a child travels with one parent, a power of attorney will be required from the other. This is also the case when a minor travels with a legal representative.

Transit

To travel through Bulgaria in transit, you can issue two types of document: a Schengen visa A or B, or a national Bulgarian permit. Schengen is required if a trip to the country of the union is planned in the future. It is required to understand that Bulgaria cannot be the first country to visit the Schengen Union. National transit is issued for visiting the country for a period of not more than a day.

Terms of registration

The form is drawn up from four working days. In such a situation, weekends and holidays are not counted. The urgent form is issued within two days. If the documents are sent through a regional office, then the time intervals necessary for sending the forms are added.

Dates of validity

The validity of the visa directly depends on the type of document chosen. In practice, the following periods of time are distinguished:

• tourist permit - up to 90 days;
• transit visa - up to 24 hours;
• a long-term document is valid for up to six months.

If a work or educational visa is issued, then it will be active for one year from the date of issue.

Refusal

Despite the fact that it is quite simple to apply for a visa to Bulgaria, it is also easy to get a refusal to issue a permit. This usually happens due to an incorrectly formed application. Also, a negative decision is made in the case of inaccurate data, insufficient consistency, due to forgery of documents and errors in the application. If you refuse, you can appeal the decision, or try to apply again after a few months.

Each person determines what kind of visa is needed to travel to Bulgaria, but one has to take into account some of the difficulties that arise when obtaining a permit.