How to Get a Bulgaria Visa from India in 2026 (Full Guide)

Every fee, time limit and document rule below is as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15: VFS Global India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (MFA) and the European Commission. For a shorter country summary, see our Bulgaria visa page for Indian passport holders.

Do Indians need a visa for Bulgaria, or does a Schengen visa work?

Indian ordinary passport holders need a visa before travel. There is no visa on arrival and no eVisa. The MFA visa-regime table, updated 2 July 2026, lists India as visa-required, and India is also on the EU visa-required list in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. Only Indian diplomatic and service passports are exempt.

Bulgaria has issued uniform Schengen visas since 31 March 2024, and checks at its internal land borders were lifted on 1 January 2025. That has two practical effects:

• A C visa issued by Bulgaria is valid for the whole Schengen area.
• A valid Schengen visa issued by another member state can be used to visit Bulgaria.

If you are only changing planes, you do not need a visa to stay in the international transit area of a Bulgarian airport, because India is on neither the EU common list nor Bulgaria's own airport-transit-visa list.

Which Bulgaria visa should you apply for: C or D?

The short-term C visa allows a stay of up to 90 days in any 180 days. VFS India accepts these C categories: tourist visit, business visit, private visit, medical treatment visit, sports, cultural, artistic and scientific visits, transit and airport transit.

The long-term D visa covers work with labour-market access, family reunification, family members and university studies. Since 1 November 2025, VFS accepts D applications in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, so you no longer have to go to the Embassy in New Delhi. For a work D visa, your Bulgarian employer must first obtain labour-market access from the Employment Agency, and MFA Bulgaria makes no exception from the personal interview for long-stay visas.

How much does a Bulgaria visa cost from India?

VFS India publishes the fees in rupees. The visa fee is payable by card, cash or UPI and is not refundable.

What documents does a Bulgaria tourist visa file need?

The common checklist applies to every short-stay applicant; the tourist list adds proof of your plans.

• Application form completed in English or Bulgarian and signed in two places: field 37 and the last field.
• Passport valid at least three months after you leave Bulgaria, issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two empty pages back to back. Add copies of the data pages and previous visas, and your old passports.
• One colour photo of 3.5 x 4.5 cm on a light background, face 30-36 mm from chin to hair.
• Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 for the whole stay, covering repatriation and emergency hospital treatment.
• Cover letter with your itinerary and the places you will stay.
• Transport: a return ticket or confirmed booking.
• Accommodation: a hotel booking or private accommodation confirmed in your name.
• Funds: at least EUR 50 per day of stay and never less than EUR 500, shown through three months of bank statements and ITR-V acknowledgements for the last three years.
• Work status: employees give an employer letter (position, years of service, leave) and salary certificates for the last three months; self-employed applicants give a request letter on letterhead with company registration papers; students give a leave letter and an ID copy.

Private visits need an Invitation-Declaration (Enclosure No 3) signed by your host and certified by a Notary Public and by the Migration Directorate of Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior. Business visits use Enclosure No 4 or No 6, certified the same way.

Where do you apply, and how long does it take?

The Embassy of Bulgaria in New Delhi decides applications from all of India. MFA Bulgaria lists 15 visa-centre cities: New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Goa, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Pune and Puducherry. Details are on the VFS Global Bulgaria page for India.

1. Pick the right C category and gather the checklist documents.
2. Book an appointment online at visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/bgr.
3. Submit no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the trip.
4. Give your photo and ten fingerprints at the centre and pay the fees.
5. Collect your passport, or choose courier return for INR 735.

VFS quotes around 15 working days. The MFA Bulgaria visa page states that a decision is taken within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, extendable up to 45 calendar days in individual cases. Some VFS material still quotes older 30- and 60-day limits and a three-month application window; those are pre-Schengen rules, and the MFA rules apply.

Can Indians get a multiple-entry Bulgaria visa?

Yes, under the EU cascade in Commission Implementing Decision C(2024) 2434 of 18 April 2024. If you live in India, apply in India, and have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years, you can be issued a multiple-entry visa valid for two years. If your passport expires sooner, the visa ends three months before the passport does. Consulates may shorten validity in individual cases or issue visas of up to five years in justified cases. Each stay is still capped at 90 days in any 180 days, and MFA Bulgaria says your insurance needs to cover only the first intended visit, with a signed statement for later stays.

What do the refusal figures show, and what if you are refused?

European Commission data show a refusal rate of 37.9% for Schengen visa applications lodged at Bulgarian consulates in India in 2025: 1,270 not issued out of 3,435 applications. The figure describes all decisions taken in India that year; it is not a prediction for any one applicant. It does show that thin or inconsistent files are refused often.

A refusal can be appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia, as the higher administrative authority, or to the Administrative Court Sofia-City.

Mistakes to avoid

• Signing the form only once; Bulgaria wants two signatures.
• Sending a representative on your first Bulgaria or Schengen application; first-timers must attend in person.
• Showing funds below EUR 500 for a short trip.
• Buying non-refundable flights before the decision; a confirmed booking is accepted.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. The decision on your visa rests with the Embassy.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Bulgaria visa valid for other Schengen countries?

Yes. Bulgaria has issued uniform Schengen visas since 31 March 2024, so a Bulgarian C visa is valid across the Schengen area within the limit of 90 days in any 180 days. A valid Schengen visa issued by another member state can also be used for a trip to Bulgaria.

Can someone else submit my Bulgaria visa application?

Only after your first application. First-time applicants to Bulgaria or the Schengen area must apply in person; later trips can be submitted by a representative with an authorisation letter. For medical treatment visits, an authorised person may submit if you cannot appear for medical reasons.

Do children pay the Bulgaria visa fee?

VFS India lists no visa fee for applicants aged 12 and below, and none for members of Bulgarian and EU citizens' families. VFS service charges are listed separately, so confirm them when you book the appointment.

How much travel insurance do I need for a Bulgaria visa?

At least EUR 30,000, valid for the entire planned stay and covering repatriation for medical reasons, emergency medical care and hospital treatment. Multiple-entry applicants prove insurance for the first visit and sign a statement for later stays.