Since the date of its accession to the EU, Bulgaria has strictly been applying Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, having updated the lists of third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

A foreigner may enter the Republic of Bulgaria if he/she is a holder of a regular foreign travel document or another equivalent document as well a visa if required.

Available visa types are as follows: Airport transit (visa type “A”); Short-term stay (visa type “C”); Long-term stay (visa type “D”).

Visas are issued by the Republic of Bulgaria diplomatic and consular missions.

Visa application forms are submitted not earlier than three months and at least three days before the date of the intended travel, personally or through an authorized agent, with the exception of humanitarian cases. When submitting a visa application for a long stay no exception may be made of the requirement of a personal interview.

Visa applications for minors or judicially disabled persons shall be submitted by their legal representatives or by persons expressly authorized to do so. Visa applications for underage persons or persons with limited judicial disability shall be submitted by their legal representatives, trustees or by persons expressly authorized to do so.

All fields in the application form shall be filled in legibly. The members of the family of European Union citizens shall fill in only those fields of the visa application form which indicate their family relationship.

The following persons shall be exempt from the requirement to present proof of ensured sustention, accommodation and transport:

-    Members of the families or of the households of citizens of member-states of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation;

-    The persons applying for a long-stay visa for the purpose of reuniting families in connection with refugee or asylum status in the Republic of Bulgaria – on the basis of a written permission from the State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers;

-    Holders of diplomatic and service passports.

The following persons shall be exempt from the requirement to present an insurance policy:

-    Members of the families or of the households of citizens of member-states of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation;

-    Holders of diplomatic and service passports.

-    Seamen who satisfy the criteria of Convention No. 108 of the International Labour Organisation when they apply for a short-stay visa for the purposes of transit.

-    Persons for which, due to their public or official status, it could be assumed that they are insured or that they may cover emergency expenses on their own.

Visitors can find further information on the application procedures and required documents for the issuance of visas, as well as the address of consular offices, on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - www.mfa.bg.

Border control is implemented upon entering or exiting Bulgaria. The following border control checkpoints (BCCP) operate at the borders of the country.

Along the Bulgaria-Serbia border are checkpoints BCCP Bregovo, BCCP Vrashka Chuka, BCCP Kalotina, BCCP Strezimirovtsi, BCCP Oltomantsi;

Along the Bulgaria-Macedonia border are the checkpoints BCCP Gyueshevo, BCCP Stanke Lisichkovo, BCCP Zlatarevo;

Along the Bulgaria-Turkey border are the checkpoints BCCP Malko Tarnovo, BCCP Lesovo, BCCP Kapitan Andreevo;

Along the Bulgaria-Greek border are the checkpoints BCCP Kulata, BCCP Ilinden, BCCP Kapitan Petko Voyvoda, BCCP Ivaylovgrad, BCCP Zlatograd;

Along the Bulgaria-Romania border are the checkpoints BCCP Vidin – ferryboat, BCCP Oryahovo – ferryboat, BCCP Ruse – Danube bridge, BCCP Silistra, BCCP Kardam, BCCP Durankulak; at the river ports are BCCP Vidin, BCCP Lom, BCCP Somovit - Nikopol, BCCP Svishtov, BCCP Ruse, BCCP Tutrakan, BCCP Silistra;

At the sea ports there are BCCP Balchik, BCCP Varna, BCCP Burgas, BCCP Tsarevo; and at the airports are BCCP Sofia Airport, BCCP Plovdiv Airport, BCCP Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport, BCCP Varna Airport, and BCCP Burgas Airport.

Verification of documents and inspection of motor vehicles, freight, and personal effects is performed at these checkpoints, and complete documentation is conducted for persons who enter or exit the country, including verification of names, passport data, final destination of the trip, and the purpose of the visit. Depending on the location of the checkpoint, people and luggage may be examined with an X-ray scanner or metal detector, and video recording equipment may be employed.