Turkey
Bulgaria
Bulgaria visa for Turkish citizens
Entry requirement
Turkish citizens need a visa for Bulgaria, obtained before travel.
- Where to apply
- 4 missions
- Visa guide
- Bulgaria visa guide
Checked 31 October 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at mfa.bg
Which Bulgaria visa?
Uniform Schengen visa for tourism (short-stay visa, type C)
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Fee
- €90
- Processing time
- 15 calendar days as a rule; up to 45 days if more checks or documents are needed.
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Student visa Maximum stay: Residence permit for up to one year, renewable; 18 months for the final year of studies.
- Work visa Maximum stay: Three years, or the duration of the employment contract if shorter.
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.
Bulgarian missions in Turkey
-
- Consulate General of Bulgaria in Istanbul
Ahmet Adnan Saygun Caddesi 34, 34340 Istanbul
Today · Closed - Consulate General of Bulgaria in Edirne
Sarıca Paşa Mah., Talat Paşa Asfaltı, No: 146, Edirne
Today · Closed - Consular Office of Bulgaria in Bursa
Aydın Caddesi 1, 16160 Bursa
All missions of Bulgaria in Turkey
Bulgaria has 4 missions in Turkey, with its embassy in Ankara. Consulates: Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa.
Bulgaria: visa decisions in Turkey
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (part of the year) | 48,902 | 39,928 | 5,250 | 10.3% | 57.4% |
| 2025 | 82,033 | 73,150 | 8,240 | 10.1% | 69.9% |
In 2025, Bulgaria’s embassy and consulates in Turkey (Istanbul, Edirne, Bursa and Ankara) received 82,033 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 73,150. The refusal rate was 10.1%. That is barely different from 2024 (10.3%). Applications rose by 68% compared with 2024 (48,902).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 14.6% of the applications lodged in Turkey that year, from 3.5% at the consulates of Portugal to 35.5% at those of Lithuania. Bulgaria’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Bulgaria was the 5th most applied-for Schengen state in Turkey.
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 Turkey, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2024–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Bulgarian citizens travelling to Turkey
BulgariaTurkey Visa-free, 90 days Turkey visa for citizens of Bulgaria
Travel advice for Bulgaria
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
For a trip from Turkey 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.
Good to know
How long Turkish citizens can stay in Bulgaria
How long Turkish citizens may stay in Bulgaria is set by the visa issued, and the visa type must match the purpose of the trip.
How Turkish citizens apply
In Turkey, applications go to the Bulgarian embassy in Ankara and the consulates in Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa, 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 Turkish citizens travel in all Schengen states; apply to Bulgaria when it is the main destination of the trip.
Bulgaria’s neighbours for Turkish citizens
North Macedonia and Serbia admit Turkish citizens visa-free. Greece and Romania require Turkish citizens to obtain a visa in advance.
Bulgarian citizens travelling to Turkey
Bulgarian citizens do not need a visa for Turkey: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish citizens need a visa for Bulgaria?
Turkish citizens need a visa for Bulgaria, obtained before travel.
Where is the Bulgarian embassy in Turkey?
The Bulgarian embassy in Turkey is in Ankara; there are also consulates in Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa.
How much does the Bulgaria tourist visa cost?
Bulgaria’s official sources give a standard fee of €90 for the tourist visa. Processing time: 15 calendar days as a rule; up to 45 days if more checks or documents are needed.
Do Bulgarian citizens need a visa for Turkey?
Bulgarian citizens do not need a visa for Turkey: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
Can Turkish citizens enter Bulgaria visa-free?
No; Turkish citizens need a visa for Bulgaria obtained in advance.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 31 October 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.