Bulgaria opens doors for foreign tourists and investments

Holders of Schengen visas can visit and stay in Bulgaria without Bulgarian visas

Based on a proposal of the Prime Minister, the Government decides that until the date of full integration for Bulgaria into the Schengen area, Bulgaria will keep unilateral visa regime which will apply to holders of valid Schengen visas.According to this decision, the owners of Schengen visas and residence permits can enter and reside in the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of not more than three months in any six-month period from the date of the first entry, without owning a Bulgarian visa for short stay.

As a whole, this decision will affect the citizens of all countries, which have a visa regime with Bulgaria and the EU respectively. Thus, citizens of China, Turkey, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and other countries that have already issued Schengen visas or residence permits will be allowed to stay in the territory of Bulgaria. Holders of such visas are primarily business people with strong economic potential, looking out for their investments, other potential beneficiaries of this decision are tourists who want to visit the Black Sea coast or the Bulgarian mountain resorts.

The incremental efforts of the government to ease visa requirements for nationals of third countries who visit Bulgaria for tourism and business have tangible results: in 2011 Bulgarian consulates issued 733,623 visas, an increase of 18% compared to 2010.

Holders of special Turkish passports won`t need Bulgarian visa to enter the country.

The Government adopted a decision on visa exemption for citizens of the Republic of Turkey, holders of special / green / passports.

Resolution adopted on a proposal by Prime Minister Nikolai Mladenov, provides Turkish citizens holding valid special passports to enter and transit through the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria without visas and reside temporarily therein for a period not exceeding three months within each six-month period from the date of first entry.

Almost all EU countries exempted from visa requirement the Turkish citizens, holders of special passports.

Granting free visa regime for Turkish citizens with special passports is an expression of goodwill from the Bulgarian side and is based on the context of our neighborly relations with Turkey. This act will give additional impetus to economy, cultural, commercial and academic relations between the two countries. This decision will facilitate human and business contacts between the citizens of both countries.