Bulgaria Transit Visa Types and Application Processes 2025
A transit visa is a type of visa that allows people to enter another country during their travel, only for the purpose of changing their means of transportation before reaching the destination country. A Bulgarian transit visa is a visa that allows people who do not have a green (special), gray (service) or black (diplomatic) passport and who do not have at least a single-entry Schengen visa to transit to another country via Bulgaria. A Bulgarian transit visa allows the holder to stay in Bulgaria for 48 hours or 72 hours, depending on the means of transportation.
What are the Bulgarian Transit Visa Types?
Bulgarian transit visa types are listed below.
- Bulgarian air transit visa (Bulgaria A visa)
- Bulgarian road transit visa (Bulgaria B visa)
In what cases is a Bulgarian transit visa required?
Situations where a Bulgarian transit visa is required are listed below.
- When transiting through Bulgaria by road or train, a transit visa is required.
- A transit visa is required when flying from Bulgarian airports with a connecting flight of more than 24 hours.
- When traveling from Bulgaria to other Schengen countries, a transit visa is required.
Is it possible to transit through Bulgaria with a Romanian visa?
It is possible to transit through Bulgaria with a Romanian visa.
Do I Need a Transit Visa for Connecting Flights to Bulgaria?
A transit visa for flights connecting with Bulgaria is not required for citizens of the Republic of Türkiye in case of a waiting period of up to 24 hours.
In what cases is visa-free transit through Bulgaria possible?
Visa-free transit through Bulgaria is possible for those who have a green (special) passport, gray (service) or diplomatic (black) passport and at least a double-entry Schengen visa.
When transiting to a different Schengen country via Bulgaria, if a Schengen visa is obtained, a separate transit visa is not required. Bulgaria is among the countries that do not require a visa for a green passport, so green passport holders do not need a visa when transiting through Bulgaria and for trips up to 90 days.
What are the Required Documents for Bulgaria Transit Visa Application?
The documents required for Bulgaria transit visa application are listed below.
- Bulgaria transit visa application form : It must be completely filled out and signed by the applicant. If the applicant is under 18 years of age, both parents must sign the application form.
- Passport : A passport issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages and valid for 6 months after the end date of the trip must be presented.
- Biometric photo : 1 photograph must be submitted. It must have been taken within the last 6 months and the applicant’s facial features, including the neck and ears, must be clearly visible in the photo.
- Documents showing the purpose of travel : A copy of the visa obtained from the destination country must be presented. If the applicant can enter the destination country without a visa, he/she must present documents confirming the purpose of travel such as invitation, student certificate, hotel reservation or real estate document.
- Visa fee receipt : The original receipt of the visa fee paid to Garanti Bank on behalf of the Consulate must be presented. The fee receipt must include the name, surname and passport number of the applicant.
- Documents proving that travel expenses can be covered : In order to prove regular income, the last 3 months’ pay slips must be submitted. In addition to the flight ticket and hotel expenses, a bank letter or bank book showing the account movements in the last 3 months and processed within the last 15 days must be submitted for a bank account with a balance of at least 500 Euros.
- Family ties document : A fully certified copy of the population registration must be submitted. If the population registration copy does not show the residence address, the applicant must also submit a residence document.
- Documents regarding employment status : If the applicant is a student; student certificate, if retired; bank statement proving that he/she receives a pension, if employed; SGK employment declaration, SGK service record, copy of the trade registry gazette, signature circular, registration document in the chamber of commerce, tax plate documents, a stamped and signed reference letter written on a letterhead, if the applicant is a company owner; a copy of the trade registry gazette, signature circular, registration document in the chamber of commerce, tax plate documents and a stamped and signed reference letter written on a letterhead, indicating the duty, purpose of travel, departure and return dates.
- Documents regarding the means of transportation : Documents proving flight reservations or the intended means of transportation must be submitted.
- Travel health insurance : Travel health insurance must be valid in Bulgaria, worth 30,000 Euros and cover the entire trip.
What are the Supporting Documents for Bulgaria Transit Visa?
Supporting documents for a Bulgarian transit visa are required as proof that the applicant has a valid travel purpose, can cover all travel expenses and must return to his/her home country at the end of the trip. If the documents submitted for a Bulgarian transit visa application are found insufficient to prove the validity of the person’s travel purpose or that he/she will return to his/her home country, the Consulate may request additional documents or reject the application.
Supporting documents for Bulgaria transit visa are listed below.
- A valid visa from the destination country must be presented. If the applicant can enter the destination country without a visa, he/she must present documents confirming the purpose of travel such as an invitation, student certificate, hotel reservation or real estate document.
How to Apply for a Bulgarian Transit Visa?
Bulgarian transit visa applications are made to Consulates/Embassies through authorized intermediary institutions. The person who will apply for a Bulgarian transit visa must first have a visa from the country he/she will travel to, along with the visa received from the target country, other documents required for the transit visa must be prepared and the transit visa application must be made with the prepared documents.
For Bulgarian transit visa application, the visa application form must be downloaded from VFS Global’s website at https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/bulgaria/turkey/turkish/index.html, printed, filled and signed. If the applicant does not have a biometric photograph taken within the last 6 months, it can be taken by photographers or at the visa application center where the application was made.
The applicant for a Bulgarian transit visa must have a copy of the visa obtained from the country of destination among the documents to be presented. If the applicant can travel without a visa, documents showing the purpose of travel to the target country (invitation letter, hotel reservation, student certificate, trade document, etc.) must be presented. The full-fledged population registration copy and residence certificate required for the Bulgarian transit visa application can be obtained via e-government. A travel health insurance valid in Bulgaria and covering the entire trip worth 30,000 Euros must be obtained through travel agencies operating in Turkey. The Bulgarian transit visa fee must be deposited into the bank in the name of the Consulate, and the original receipt showing the person’s name, surname and passport number must be presented. The applicant for a Bulgarian transit visa must present the last three months’ salary slips showing his/her financial situation, the last three months’ account statements of a bank account with a balance of at least 500 Euros in addition to hotel and flight ticket expenses.
In the Bulgarian transit visa application process, after obtaining a visa from the main country of travel, the documents required for the transit visa must be prepared and submitted to the visa application center together with the main visa. After the documents required for the Bulgarian transit visa application are delivered to the application center, they are forwarded to the visa department of the Consulate and the visa approval is given by the Consulate.
How Much Is the Bulgarian Transit Visa Fee?
The Bulgarian transit visa fee is 120 Euros for 2025.
For applications made through our agency , the Bulgarian transit visa fee is 180 Euros, including the costs of consultancy, form, petition and sworn translation.
How Many Days Does It Take to Get a Bulgarian Transit Visa?
Bulgarian transit visas are issued within an average of 10 – 15 working days, but this period may be extended if the visa application process coincides with official holidays in Turkey and Bulgaria or if the visa department of the relevant Consulate is busy.
The average processing time for Bulgarian transit visa applications made between 2022 and 2024 under the consultancy of RSSCanadaImmigration.com is 9 working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions and answers to rsscanadaimmigration.com consultants regarding Bulgarian transit visa are given below.
Does Bulgaria have a Transit Visa on Arrival?
No, there is no transit visa application at the Bulgarian border. Applications for a Bulgarian transit visa must be made to the Bulgarian Foreign Representatives.
When applying for a Bulgarian transit visa, the number of entry rights that will be needed during the trip must be specified. There is no visa application on arrival in Bulgaria and the airport transit visa obtained from the Embassy/Consulate is issued as a type A transit visa, and the road transit visa is issued as a type B transit visa.
Do I Need a Transit Visa to Travel from Greece to Bulgaria?
There is no visa required to travel from Greece to Bulgaria. As of April 1, 2024, Bulgaria has been accepted into the Schengen area and entry is possible with a valid Schengen visa.
How Many Days Does It Take to Issue a Bulgarian Transit Visa?
If the Bulgarian transit visa is issued in the form of an airport transit visa (A), it entitles the holder to stay in Bulgaria for a maximum of 48 hours at each entry; if it is issued in the form of a road transit visa (B), it entitles the holder to stay in Bulgaria for a maximum of 72 hours at each entry.