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Bulgaria · Visitor visa

Bulgaria visa guide

Bulgaria Tourist Visa

A Schengen short-stay (type C) visa for a holiday in Bulgaria: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with VFS centres in Chandigarh and Jalandhar.

Tourist Visa — Done For You

₹4,999all-in · GST included

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. How the refund works

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What’s included

  • Complete filing — every form, every field
  • Custom cover letter (not a template)
  • Money-papers review + VFS booking
  • Refusal-trigger audit before we submit

Your file is ready to submit within 3 working days of us receiving your complete documents.

Government and VFS fees are paid to them at cost: the embassy visa fee is €90 per adult, set by the EU for all 29 Schengen states; Bulgaria waives the child fee for under-12s.

What you pay, line by line
Our fee
₹4,999
All-in, GST included. Paid to us.
Embassy visa fee
€90 per adult
Set by the EU for all 29 Schengen states; Bulgaria waives the child fee for under-12s. Paid to the embassy at cost.
VFS / appointment charge
Varies by centre
Paid to VFS (or the appointment partner) at cost.

Nothing is added to our fee. The number on the page is the number.

Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC‑3/20245.0 · 112 Google reviewsPatiala office, Nabha Road

Processing
Usually 15 calendar days from an admissible application
Support
Your own consultant

Your journey with Lifeset

Bulgaria visitor visa, from first message to passport back.

  1. 1Day 0Tell us your planWhatsApp or a call. A consultant asks the right questions and says plainly whether a Bulgaria visitor visa is realistic for you.
  2. 2Same dayYour tailored checklistA document list for your case, not a generic one. You collect; we answer every "which one?" on WhatsApp.
  3. 3As documents arriveReview and refusal checkEvery paper is checked. Gaps in funds, ties or travel history are flagged and fixed before anything is submitted.
  4. 4Within 3 working daysFile ready, appointment bookedForms and cover letter done; your the visa centre appointment is booked, subject to the slots the centre has open.
  5. 5Appointment dayBiometrics and submissionYou attend the visa centre with a file assembled in the order the officer reads it.
  6. 6DecisionDecision receivedWe track the file to the decision. Approved: your passport comes back with the visa. Refused: our professional fee comes back under the Refund Policy and we plan the reapplication.

Side by side

Three ways to file your Bulgaria tourist visa. Here is what each one includes.

  • Government licence you can verify

    Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024, District Magistrate Patiala

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • One fixed, all-in fee quoted upfront

    GST included; embassy and centre fees at cost

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Professional fee back if refused

    Under the published Refund Policy

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Refusal-trigger check before filing

    Funds, ties and history checked against the refusal reasons we see most

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Cover letter written for your case

    Not a template

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Appointment or interview booked for you

    VFS, BLS or consulate, at your nearest centre

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • Named consultant on WhatsApp till decision

    The person who reads your file is the one who answers

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

  • GST invoice from a registered Pvt Ltd

    Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd · GSTIN 03AAOCP3999C1Z5

    Yourself
    Agent
    Lifeset

“Varies” means it depends on the agent; ask for their licence number and refund terms in writing. The full, sourced comparison

Bulgaria Tourist Visa — overview

Start here

The Bulgaria tourist visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for holidays, allowing up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Bulgaria has issued Schengen visas since 31 March 2024. Punjab applicants can lodge the file at VFS Global in Chandigarh or Jalandhar, and the Embassy of Bulgaria in New Delhi decides, as a rule within 15 calendar days.

Bulgaria's checklist is unusually specific: funds of at least €50 a day and €500 in total, or a prepaid tour; three years of income tax returns; and an employer's letter that states your years in service.

Do Indians need a visa for Bulgaria, and which one?

Yes. Indian citizens need a Schengen short-stay visa, type C, for a holiday in Bulgaria. Bulgaria has issued uniform Schengen visas since 31 March 2024, and on 1 January 2025 it lifted checks at its internal land borders too, so a Bulgarian visa now works like any other Schengen visa. There is no e-visa: you hand in a paper file and give biometrics.

The visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that count starts from your entry into the Schengen area, Bulgaria included. The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in New Delhi decides applications made in India. VFS states plainly that a foreigner cannot work in Bulgaria on a short-term visa.

Holding an older Bulgarian visa? The Ministry explains that national short-stay visas issued before 31 March 2024 stay valid until they expire, but only for Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, not the rest of the Schengen area.

Bulgaria tourist visa at a glance

VisaIssued by Bulgaria since 31 March 2024
Schengen short-stay visa, type C
Stay
Up to 90 days in any 180
Decided by
Embassy of Bulgaria, New Delhi
Nearest centres for PunjabAlso New Delhi and Gurugram
VFS Global Chandigarh and Jalandhar
Money to showOr proof of prepaid tourist services
At least €50 a day, minimum €500
DecisionMinistry: up to 45; VFS checklist: up to 60
15 calendar days as a rule

Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and VFS Global Bulgaria India, checked 14 Oct 2026

Where do applicants from Punjab apply?

Close to home. VFS Global runs Bulgaria visa centres in Chandigarh and Jalandhar, and also in New Delhi and Gurugram, among 15 centres across India. They open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 2 pm, so plan a morning slot. Every application is decided by the Embassy in New Delhi. The Embassy's own consular office also accepts visa applications, Monday to Thursday, but the VFS centres are the usual route.

Bulgaria has its own rule on who must attend. The VFS checklist says that an applicant on a first trip to Bulgaria or the Schengen area must submit in person. For later trips, a representative may submit with an original authorisation letter naming them and their organisation, plus a copy of their photo ID.

Before you go:

  • Book only firm dates. VFS says its service fee is non-refundable once the appointment is confirmed, and visa fees are not refunded either.
  • Pay as you like. Since August 2024, Bulgaria applicants can pay the visa fee and the VFS charge by card, cash or UPI.
  • Check the calendar. VFS closes centres on some Indian holidays and posts the dates on its Bulgaria home page.

Our Bulgaria appointment availability page shows how dates are opening up.

Which documents depend on your situation?

The common checklist is printed further down this page. Bulgaria's tourist checklist then adds a few requirements most Schengen states leave vague.

It names the money. The checklist asks for funds of at least €50 for each day of the stay requested, and at least €500 in total, or a document showing prepaid tourist services. A ten-day holiday therefore needs €500 within reach, and a three-week one €1,050. A prepaid package from a tour operator can stand in for the daily figure.

It goes back three years. You give three months of bank statements, savings and current accounts as applicable, plus income tax returns for the last three years and the ITR-V acknowledgements for the same years.

  • Employed

    What Bulgaria's checklist adds
    A letter on the employer's official letterhead giving your position, your years in service and the leave granted, with salary certificates for the last three months

  • Business owner or self-employed

    What Bulgaria's checklist adds
    A visa request letter on your letterhead, with the company's registration or ownership papers

  • Student

    What Bulgaria's checklist adds
    A letter from the school or university granting leave, and a copy of your valid ID

  • Travelling with a minor

    What Bulgaria's checklist adds
    Birth certificate, or the decision appointing the guardian, and the absent parent's original notarised consent stating the purpose, period and length of stay

  • Living outside India for now

    What Bulgaria's checklist adds
    A copy of your stay permit, such as an Indian residence permit or a return visa to India

Two more Bulgaria specifics:

  • Accommodation in your name. The checklist accepts a hotel booking, or private or other accommodation, but it must be secured and confirmed in the applicant's name. A title deed or lease works if you own or rent property there.
  • Passports, old and new. Bring the original previous passports, or proof of loss, along with copies of the current passport's data pages and every page showing earlier visas and travel.

Staying with relatives or friends needs a certified invitation form from your host; see our Bulgaria family visit visa guide.

How much is the Bulgaria visa fee for Indians?

The visa fee is €90, which VFS listed as ₹9,900 for Indian citizens on 14 October 2026. Bulgaria's Ministry says children under 12 apply free, and VFS goes slightly further, saying applicants aged 12 and below pay no visa fee; for a child who has already turned 12, keep the €90 ready in case. VFS adds a logistics charge of ₹2,530 per applicant, GST included, and optional extras such as courier at ₹735. None of these is refunded on refusal. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.

How long does it take, and when should you apply?

The rule is 15 calendar days. Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a decision is taken within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, extendable to 45 calendar days where more examination is needed. The VFS checklist allows more: up to 30, or at most 60, calendar days in individual cases, and its processing tab speaks of around 15 working days. Use the longest figure for planning.

The application window is narrower than the EU norm:

  • Earliest: the Ministry allows six months, but the VFS checklist says applications cannot be submitted more than 3 months before departure. Follow VFS, since that is where you lodge.
  • Latest: no later than 15 days before the trip, the Ministry says. VFS adds that a file lodged less than 15 calendar days before departure cannot be completed in time with any certainty.
  • Status questions: VFS says queries are answered only after the processing period has passed.

So aim for six to ten weeks before departure, inside the three-month limit.

Why do Bulgaria visas get refused for Indian applicants?

Bulgaria uses the EU's standard refusal form. The VFS checklist also warns that incomplete or faulty documentation can itself be a reason for refusal. These are the gaps that show up most in holiday files.

Money below Bulgaria's own figure

With €50 a day and a €500 minimum written into the checklist, an officer can check your statements against a number. Make sure the balance covers the trip comfortably, and show it built up over three months rather than deposited at once.

Accommodation not in your name

A booking under a friend's name, or an unconfirmed reservation, does not meet the rule that accommodation be secured and confirmed in the applicant's name. Book each night yourself, or use a prepaid package.

An employer letter that says too little

Bulgaria asks for your position, your years in service and the leave granted, plus three months of salary certificates. A one-line leave approval misses most of that and weakens the case that you will return to your job.

Insurance from the wrong company

VFS says that for India, the travel medical insurance must come from one of the approved insurance companies on its list, valid for Bulgaria for the whole stay, with at least €30,000 of cover for repatriation, emergency care and hospital treatment.

What each refusal ground means is explained on our Schengen refusal reasons page.

Tips for a stronger file

  • Photo. A recent professional colour photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm), on a light background, with the face filling 70 to 80 per cent of the frame. No dark glasses, no cut-outs of amateur photos, and a head covering only when worn for religious reasons, such as a turban.
  • Form. Fill it in English or Bulgarian, in block capitals, with names in Latin letters exactly as in the passport, and sign it yourself in field 37 and in the last field.
  • Cover letter. Explain the purpose, the itinerary and the places you will stay for each day in Bulgaria.
  • Transport. A return ticket or a confirmed booking, for air, road or sea travel.
  • Multiple entries. Insurance for the first visit is enough if you sign the statement on the prescribed form about later trips. More in our Schengen travel insurance explainer.
  • Passport. Valid at least three months beyond your departure from Bulgaria, issued within the last 10 years, with two empty pages back to back and no handwritten changes on the data page.
  • Carry copies. The Ministry reminds travellers that a visa does not automatically give the right to enter the Schengen area.

What if my Bulgaria visa is refused?

You get the EU's standard refusal form, which names the reasons and the time limit for an appeal. Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says a refusal can be appealed to the Ministry in Sofia, as the higher administrative authority, or to the Administrative Court Sofia-City. Use our refusal deadline tool to track the time limit on your letter.

If the refusal came from a missing or weak document, a fresh application that fixes it is usually quicker than an appeal. Fix the money first: Bulgaria's daily figure makes funds the easiest gap for an officer to measure. For the other visa types, start at the Bulgaria country page.

Official sources

Documents you need

13 items

  • Application form

    Completed in English or Bulgarian, names in Latin letters as in the passport, and signed by you in field 37 and the last field.

  • Passport

    Valid at least three months after you leave Bulgaria, issued within the previous 10 years, with two empty pages back to back and no handwritten changes on the data page.

  • Passport copies and old passports

    Copies of the data pages and pages with earlier visas and travel, plus original previous passports or proof of their loss.

  • One photograph

    Recent professional colour photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, light background, face filling 70 to 80 per cent of the frame. No dark glasses or amateur cut-outs.

  • Travel medical insurance

    From an approved insurer for India, valid for Bulgaria for the entire stay, minimum €30,000. Multiple entries: first visit plus a signed statement.

  • Cover letter

    Explaining the purpose of the trip, with the itinerary and where you will be on each day in Bulgaria.

  • Transport

    A return ticket or confirmed booking for air, road or sea travel.

  • Accommodation in your name

    Hotel booking, or private or other accommodation secured and confirmed in your name, or a title deed or lease.

  • Funds of €50 a day

    At least €50 per day and €500 in total, or prepaid tourist services, shown with three months of bank statements.

  • Income tax returns

    ITRs for the last three years, personal and company if applicable, with the ITR-V acknowledgements.

  • Proof of professional status

    Employed: letterhead letter with position, years in service and leave, plus three months of salary certificates. Business owner: request letter and registration papers. Student: institution letter and ID.

  • Proof of residence, if applicable

    If you live temporarily outside your home country, a copy of your stay permit.

  • For minors

    Birth certificate or guardianship decision, and original notarised consent of the absent parent or both parents, with copies of their passports or ID.

What it costs

All-in
Our fee
₹4,999
All-in, GST included. Paid to us.
Embassy visa fee
€90 per adult
Set by the EU for all 29 Schengen states; Bulgaria waives the child fee for under-12s. Paid to the embassy at cost.
VFS / appointment charge
Varies by centre
Paid to VFS (or the appointment partner) at cost.

Nothing is added to our fee. The number on the page is the number.

Item

Amount

Schengen visa fee (adult)

Children under 12, and family of Bulgarian and EU citizens, pay no visa fee. Not refundable.

€90 (₹9,900, checked 14 Oct 2026)

VFS logistics charge

Per applicant, GST included. Non-refundable once the appointment is confirmed.

₹2,530 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Optional courier

Only if you want the passport returned by courier.

₹735 (checked 14 Oct 2026)

Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.

How long it takes

Timing
  • The embassy’s decision: Usually 15 calendar days from an admissible application. The Ministry allows up to 45 days and the VFS checklist up to 60 in individual cases This is the visa post’s timeline, not ours.
  • Our part: Your file is ready to submit within 3 working days of us receiving your complete documents.

Refusal rate for Indians

2025 data

In 2025, 37.0% of Indian applications to Bulgaria were not issued a visa. It is a national figure, not a prediction for your file. Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund.

Source: European Commission visa statistics, as reported by the Free Press Journal, 30 May 2026.

How the process works

6 steps

Typical processing: Usually 15 calendar days from an admissible application. The Ministry allows up to 45 days and the VFS checklist up to 60 in individual cases

  1. Step 1

    Check Bulgaria is your main destination

    Apply to Bulgaria only if you will spend the most days there, or enter Schengen there when the days are equal.

  2. Step 2

    Book a VFS appointment

    Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Gurugram or New Delhi, within three months of departure. The service fee is not refunded once the appointment is confirmed.

  3. Step 3

    Build the file

    Bank statements meeting €50 a day, three years of ITR, employer's letter, accommodation in your name and approved insurance.

  4. Step 4

    Submit and give biometrics

    Attend in person on a first trip, pay by card, cash or UPI, and give fingerprints and a photo.

  5. Step 5

    Wait for the Embassy

    Usually 15 calendar days; in some cases the period is extended, up to 60 days on the VFS checklist.

  6. Step 6

    Collect and check the visa

    Check dates, entries and days on the sticker before buying tickets, and carry copies of your documents.

Official sourcesLast verified

Frequently asked questions

14 answers

  • At least €50 for each day of the stay requested, and at least €500 in total, or a document showing prepaid tourist services. That is written into Bulgaria's tourist checklist. Show it with three months of bank statements, savings and current accounts as applicable, backed by three years of income tax returns. A ten-day trip needs €500 within reach; a three-week trip, €1,050.

  • Three. The checklist asks for income tax returns for the last three years, personal and the company's if applicable, plus the income tax acknowledgements or ITR-V for the same three years. Most Schengen states ask for two, so start collecting the older year's papers early.

  • It must be on the company's official letterhead and state your position, your years in service and the grant of leave, with salary certificates for the last three months. Business owners give a visa request letter on their own letterhead with registration or ownership papers, and students a letter from their institution with a copy of their ID.

  • Yes. One recent, professional colour photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, on a light background, with the face taking up 70 to 80 per cent of the photo. Dark glasses and cut-outs of amateur photos are ineligible, and a hat or head covering is allowed only when worn for religious reasons, such as a turban.

  • Yes. Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has issued uniform Schengen visas since 31 March 2024, valid throughout the Schengen area, and checks at its internal land borders were lifted on 1 January 2025. Time in Bulgaria counts towards the same 90 days in any 180-day period as time in other Schengen states.

  • Yes. VFS Global runs Bulgaria visa centres in both cities, as well as in New Delhi and Gurugram, all open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 2 pm. Every application from India is decided by the Embassy of Bulgaria in New Delhi, so use whichever centre is nearest.

  • Only after your first trip. The VFS checklist says an applicant on a first trip to Bulgaria or the Schengen area must submit in person. For later trips, a representative may submit with an original authorisation letter from you naming them and their organisation, plus a copy of their valid photo ID.

  • No more than three months before departure through VFS. Bulgaria's Ministry allows applications up to six months ahead, but the VFS checklist says applications cannot be submitted more than 3 months prior to departure, so follow VFS. Apply at least 15 days before travel, and ideally six to ten weeks ahead.

  • As a rule, 15 calendar days. The Ministry says a decision is taken within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, extendable to 45 days where more examination is needed. The VFS checklist mentions extensions to 30 or at most 60 calendar days in individual cases, so leave room for the longer figure.

  • Not if they are under 12. Bulgaria's Ministry lists children under 12 as free of charge, and VFS says applicants aged 12 and below pay no visa fee. Family members of Bulgarian and EU citizens are also exempt. The VFS logistics charge of ₹2,530 still applies per applicant.

  • Not if it was a national visa issued before 31 March 2024. The Ministry says those visas remain valid until they expire, but only for Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus. To visit other Schengen states, you need a Schengen visa, which Bulgaria has issued since that date.

  • For applicants in India, a policy from one of the approved insurance companies on the list VFS publishes. It must be valid for Bulgaria for the entire stay, with at least €30,000 of cover for repatriation, emergency medical care and hospital treatment. For multiple entries, cover for the first visit plus a signed statement is enough.

  • No. VFS Bulgaria states that a foreigner cannot work in Bulgaria on the basis of a short-term visa. A tourist visa covers holidays and short visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Paid work needs a work visa, not a tourist visa.

  • Read the refusal form, which sets out the reasons and the time limit for an appeal. Bulgaria's Ministry says a refusal can be appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia or to the Administrative Court Sofia-City. If the problem was a missing or weak document, such as funds below €50 a day, reapplying with a corrected file is usually quicker.

Going it alone vs filing with us

Why it matters

On your own

  • Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
  • Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
  • No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
  • Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
  • A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.

With Lifeset Overseas

  • An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
  • A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
  • Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
  • Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
  • Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.

A refusal isn't the end

Refused before?

A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a Bulgaria visa has been refused, we:

  • Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
  • Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
  • Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
  • Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.

Visa refused? Our consultancy fee is refunded under the Refund Policy. Embassy and VFS fees are never ours to refund. Read the refund policy

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Other Bulgaria visas

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