A Discovery to Share! Travel to Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a country in the Balkans with a varied landscape that includes a Black Sea coastline, a mountainous interior, and rivers like the Danube. With influences from Greek, Slavic, Ottoman, and Persian cultures, it is a fusion of cultures with a rich history of traditional dance, music, costumes, and crafts. Its capital, Sofia, which dates to the fifth century B.C., is located at the base of the octagonal Vitosha mountain.Call us right immediately to get your Bulgarian visa.
What type of Bulgaria Visa do you need?
On-arrival visa entry
The countries eligible for a Cyprus on-arrival visa are:
1. Australia
2. Argentina
3. Andorra
4. Antigua and Barbuda
5. Albania
6. Brunei
7. Barbados
8. Bahamas
9. Bosnia and Herzegovina
10. Brazil
11. Costa Rica
12. Chile
13. Canada
14. Columbia
15. Dominica
16. El Salvador
17. Georgia
18. Grenada
19. Guatemala
20. Hong kong
21. Honduras
22. Israel
23. Japan
24. Kiribati
25. Marshal Island's
26. Macau
27. Macedonia
28. Malaysia
29. Micronesia
30. Monaco
31. Mauritius
32. Mexico
33. Moldova
34. Montenegro
35. New Zealand
36. Nicaragua
37. Peru
38. Panama
39. Paraguay
40. Palau
41. Saint Kitts and Nevis
42. Saint Lucia
43. Saint Vincent and grenadines
44. Samoa
45. Serbia
46. Singapore
47. Seychelles
48. San Marino
49. Solomon Island's
50. South Korea
51. Trinidad and Tobago
52. Taiwan
53 . Timor Leste
54. Tonga
55. Tuvalu
56. Ukraine
57. UAE
58. USA
59. Uruguay
60. Vatican city
61. Venezuela
62. Vanuatu
63. Switzerland
What is the permitted stay duration for travelers eligible for a Bulgaria on-arrival visa?
The permitted stay duration for individuals eligible for a Bulgaria on-arrival visa is 90 days within any 180 day period.
Pre-arrival Visa
If the applicant is the holder of a Schengen visa they are allowed to travel to Bulgaria as it is a part of European country.
Since UAE is one of the countries eligible for an on-arrival countries, UAE nationals don't require a visa to visit Bulgaria. But expatriates living in UAE whose passport is not listed under the countries eligible for an on-arrival visa need to take a Bulgaria Visa from Dubai to visit the country. Getting a pre-arrival visa is easy with the right guidance. Get in touch with our visa consultants for our assistance throughout the visa process.
Type of Pre-arrival visa?
Bulgaria visas are divided into 3 categories to cater to different visa requirements. They are:
Tourism
Tourists or individuals visiting relatives, family or friends in Bulgaria should apply for the tourism visa.
Business
The business pre-arrival visa is suitable for businessmen, investors and entrepreneurs visiting Bulgaria for business or investment purposes.
Business
Individuals having a layover at Bulgaria need to apply for a transit visa.
Bulgaria Visa Prices From Dubai
The Bulgaria visa price depends on two factors; the applicant’s age and the type of visa they are applying for. Due to these factors, the price might fluctuate slightly. The visa fee is compulsory to obtain a Bulgaria visa from UAE. This fee should be paid with an additional amount of AED 200 for our visa assistance. Once paid, neither of the fees are refundable.
Supporting documents to apply for a Bulgaria visa from UAE
To make sure that your Bulgaria visa from UAE gets approved, the Bulgarian Embassy requires the applicant to hand over these supporting documents along with the visa application form.
Required documents for Bulgaria pre-arrival visa when applying from UAE
Please note that if any of these documents are in Arabic, they need to be translated in to English.
Required documents for Bulgaria pre-arrival visa when applying from UAE
Please note that if any of these documents are in Arabic, they need to be translated in to English.
Original Passport
having at least 2 blank pages and a validity period of at least 6 months from date of return and not older than 10 years.
Copy of passport and all other valid visa pages
A photocopy of the last Bulgarian and Schengen visas or visas for the UK and the US, if any
2 passport size photographs
with white background, not older than 6 months .
Original NOC letter
from applicant’s employer stating the applicant’s designation, monthly salary, start date of employment and the company has no objection for the travel (Stamped and Signed from the company on the company’s letterhead)
Confirmed hotel reservation
if applicant is travelling to multiple countries with varied stay duration, the country with the longest stay should be mentioned. If the individual is visiting multiple countries with similar stay duration, first country of visit should be mentioned
Residence visa
valid for at least 3 months from return date
Valid Emirates ID
Bank statement
3 months bank statement Of (original or bank-stamped copies)
Confirmed air ticket
Confirmed air ticket including return ticket
Travel insurance
valid for all the Europe and the whole length of the journey, with minimum coverage of 30,000 euro
Bulgaria Visa Processing
What is the usual procedure when applying for a Bulgaria visit visa from UAE?
The supporting documents listed above should be submitted to the Triumph visa consultant who is incharge of your Bulgaria visa. After that, the below mentioned procedures will be observed to ensure accuracy and approval of Bulgaria visa.
Procedure
1
The supporting documents listed above should be submitted to the Triumph visa consultant who is incharge of your Bulgaria visa. After that, the below mentioned procedures will be observed to ensure accuracy and approval of Bulgaria visa.
2
Primary check of supporting document by the visa consultant. Depending on your travel requirements the visa consultant will suggest the best visa type and clear any questions you have.
3
The Bulgaria visa application form will be typed out and the supporting documents rechecked.
4
You will receive an appointment date with the Bulgarian embassy to submit the visa application and supporting documents. Biometric procedures will also be carried out on this day.
5
The visa issue procedure begins which can take 7 working days.
6
You will receive a visa-ready notification.
7
Collect your passport with the stamped Bulgaria visa.
After all documents are submitted to the Bulgarian embassy, whats the duration for the Bulgaria pre-arrival visa to be issued?
The processing duration may vary anywhere between 7 to 10 working days.
Tips to know before travelling to Bulgaria
To be able to charge your phone while in Bulgaria make sure to carry a two-pin power extension. If you dont have mobile internet, head to any public place to get access to wifi. When you exit from the airport, dont catch any random taxi unless you want to fork out a fortune.
Carry Bulgarian Leva
Nod for no and shake head for yes
Payment with cards are accepted. However, small shops and boutiques will ask for payment in cash so its best to carry some spare Leva. Some hotels accept card payments some dont so think one step ahead and have some cash in hand.
This is confusing, so whenever you see someone nod their head ask them if they meant a yes or no before you continue the conversation.
Don't Bargain
Most signs are in Bulgarian
In Bulgaria prices are fixed so leave your bargaining hat at home. Dont even think of bargaining as it is considered disrespectful and might get you thrown out of the shop.
Most shop names, street signs and other boards are written in Bulgarian. Try and learn some Bulgarian before you visit Bulgaria. But, if you do have a problem locating some place you can qlways stop someone and ask because majority of the youngsters speak English.
Electric use
Always carry your ID
The UK output with 3 pins is used in Bulgaria and the standard is 240 V. Make sure to carry a 3 prong adapter to be able to use electricity.
According to Bulgarian law if a policeman stops you, you should be able to show your identification wth either an ID or passport. Its not a common occurence for a policeman to stop you, but make sure to carry either of the personal identification documents with you.
Drinking in public
Smoking is not permitted in closed areas
Drinking in public is considered shameful and disrespectful because part of the island are Turkish Muslim and other part are Greek orthodox. The island also has zero tolerance for drug use.
Although most Bulgarians break this rule, we suggest you not to smoke in restaurants, pubs andother closed public areas as you can get fined by the police if you are caught.
Attire etiquette
Spoken language
Bulgarians follows European attire conventions. However, while visiting religious or sacred places women should wear long skirts or trousers and cover their arms, whereas men should wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts.
Bulgarians speak Greek, Turkish and also English because it was a British colony. Most street signs are in English, Greek or Turkish depending on whether you are on the south or north.
Frequently asked Questions
No, you can't apply for a Bulgaria visa if your passport was issued more than 10 years ago because the embassy cannot enter it in the system.
Yes, you can if you are a pilot, cabin crew personnel or frequent flier. This will be approved only if you provide proof of travels in the form of itinerary. The passport has to be resubmitted when the visa is ready for stamping.
No, you can't. To be able to travel to other schengen countries you need to apply for a Schengen visa.
Yes, in addition to Bulgaria you can also travel to Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Romania with a Schengen visa.
The visa process duration might vary between 7 to 15 working days.
Yes, both are mandatory. Insurance is neccesary for the traveller’s safety and to compensate for sudden injuries or natural disasters while in Bulgaria. Hotel booking is an important factor for your visa to enter the processing stage.
Refer the embassy’s number on the receipt you get when submitting documents. Call that number and enquire.
No, it won't be refunded.
Yes, individuals below 18 years (minors) have to be accompanied by a parent or adult unless both parents have issued a NOC letter stating their approval for the child to travel alone. The NOC and both parents passport copies have to be submitted with the other supporting documents.