Bulgaria visa for Indian citizens

For the tourist visa, Bulgaria’s official sources give a standard fee of €90. Processing time, as Bulgaria states it: 15 calendar days as a rule; up to 45 days if more checks or documents are needed. Longest stay on the tourist visa: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Bulgaria has 1 mission in India, with its embassy in New Delhi.

In 2025, Bulgaria’s embassy and consulates in India (New Delhi) received 3,435 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 2,082. 37.9% of applications were refused. In 2024 it had been 10.5%: the rate rose by 27.4 points, a sharp increase. Applications fell by 30% compared with 2024 (4,889).

For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 15.8% of the applications lodged in India that year, from 7.1% at the consulates of Denmark to 46.5% at those of Slovenia. Bulgaria’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Bulgaria was the 22nd most applied-for Schengen state in India.

You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. Bulgaria only began issuing Schengen visas on 31 March 2024, so its 2024 figures cover part of the year. The figures cover applications lodged in India, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.

For a trip from India to Bulgaria, the published travel advice reads as follows: the US State Department rates Bulgaria at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 8 October 2025), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Bulgaria (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Bulgaria (updated 13 October 2026). Each ministry writes for its own citizens.

How long Indian citizens can stay in Bulgaria

How long Indian citizens may stay in Bulgaria is set by the visa issued, and the visa type must match the purpose of the trip.

How Indian citizens apply

In India, applications go to the Bulgarian embassy in New Delhi, or to a visa centre acting for Bulgaria; fees, documents and processing times are published by Bulgaria.

Bulgaria and the Schengen area

A Schengen visa issued by Bulgaria lets Indian citizens travel in all Schengen states; apply to Bulgaria when it is the main destination of the trip.

Bulgaria’s neighbours for Indian citizens

North Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Serbia require Indian citizens to obtain a visa in advance.

Bulgarian citizens travelling to India

Bulgarian citizens need a visa for India, which they can apply for online as an e-Visa for stays of up to 30 days.