Immigration
Bulgaria | Bulgaria partially joins the Schengen Area as of 31 March 2024
Summary
Effective as of 31 March 2024, Bulgaria will partially join Europe’s Schengen Area. This means that for air and sea travel between Bulgaria and the other Schengen Area countries’ border checks will not be applied.
The detail
Schengen C Visa issued by Bulgaria
As of 1 April 2024, Bulgaria will start issuing the Schengen C Visa, allowing a 90-day stay within any 180-day period in the Schengen countries.
Moreover, Bulgarian ordinary C Visas issued before 1 April 2024, granting a 90-day stay within any 180-day period, will automatically be considered equivalent to Schengen C Visas as of 1 April 2024.
Enhanced Travel Opportunities for Bulgarian Residence Permit Holders
Individuals holding residence permits issued by Bulgaria, will be able to travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 3 months.
In practical terms this means that individuals with valid residence permits issued by Bulgaria can move freely within the Schengen area for a period of 3 months without the need of obtaining an additional visa. This change is expected to streamline travel processes for those holding Bulgarian residence permits.
Travelling by Land, Air and Sea within the Schengen Area
Commencing 31 March 2024, checks on individuals crossing the borders between Bulgaria and the Schengen countries by air and sea will be lifted.
While land border checks between Bulgaria and other Schengen countries will remain for the time being, it doesn’t impede the rights of Schengen visa holders issued by Bulgaria to visit other Schengen countries. This right applies to all types of transportation – by air, sea, and land.
In essence, Bulgarian Schengen visas will be universally valid for travel to all Schengen countries, irrespective of the chosen mode of transportation.
Third country nationals not holding an EU passport will count their time in Bulgaria as time spent in the Schengen Area.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners Bulgaria point of contact:
Mina Kapsazova
Director
Ekaterina Arnaudova
Manager
Further information on Vialto Partners can be found on our website: www.vialtopartners.com
For additional alerts, please visit www.vialtopartners.com/regional-alerts
Contact us on the following address – me-immigration@vialto.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
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Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
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