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Bulgaria flag — visa destinationBulgaria Short-Stay (Type C) Verified 2026-04-29

Tourist Visa (Short-Stay, Type C)

Apply for a Bulgaria Tourist Visa from India — Short-Stay (Type C). ₹9,900 visa fee + ₹2,530 VFS service. 15 calendar days processing. Complete document checklist + photo spec.

Govt. of Punjab licensed· 5★ from 100+ Google reviews·WhatsApp support · reply in 5 min
Call +91 97803 01303
Processing time
About 3 weeks
after you submit

No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Bulgaria visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.

Processing

Up to 15 calendar days

Stay Duration

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period

Starting Fee

₹9,900

Apply At

10 VFS centres

Four ways to file a Bulgaria visa

Two of these are perfectly sensible depending on your file. Here is the honest difference between them.

Who actually reads your file?
You file itSometimes. You do — against a checklist you found
An online platformNo. A form validates fields, not evidence
A local agentSometimes. Usually whoever is free that day
SureshotVisaYes. One named consultant, start to decision
Who is answerable if it goes wrong?
You file itNo. Nobody. It is your application
An online platformSometimes. Support, within their own terms
A local agentSometimes. Depends entirely who you walked in to
SureshotVisaYes. A licensed company — licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024
Will anyone tell you NOT to apply yet?
You file itNo. No one is looking at it but you
An online platformNo. The flow exists to take the application
A local agentNo. Rarely — the fee depends on you applying
SureshotVisaYes. We say so when the file is not ready
Do you know the full cost before you start?
You file itYes. Embassy and centre fees are published
An online platformSometimes. Service fee often appears at checkout
A local agentNo. Quoted after they ask your budget
SureshotVisaYes. Every fee published on this site, GST included
If you have been refused before?
You file itNo. The letter rarely says which document failed
An online platformNo. Outside what a form can handle
A local agentSometimes. Many hand the papers back
SureshotVisaYes. That is the work we take on
Farming income, self-employed, no ITR?
You file itSometimes. Provable — but not with a generic checklist
An online platformNo. The form has no field for it
A local agentSometimes. Varies enormously
SureshotVisaYes. J-forms, mandi receipts, business proofs

“An online platform” and “a local agent” describe how those models work, not any particular company. If your file is straightforward, the first column is a genuinely good answer.

What a refusal actually costs you

Before you file the Bulgaria Tourist Visa yourself — the part that is not on the application form.

The money is gone before the decision is

  • The visa fee is €90 for an adult and €45 for a child aged 6–12, charged in rupees at the rate the mission sets. (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415)
  • The Visa Code says it plainly: the fee “shall not be refundable except in the cases referred to in Articles 18(2) and 19(3)” — wrong consulate, or turned away at the counter. A refusal is neither. (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art 16(7))
  • The visa-centre service charge is separate, and also gone.
  • Your travel insurance had to cover a minimum of €30,000. (Art 15(3))
  • Then whatever you already paid for flights and hotels and cannot get back — and the leave you already booked.

The government fee and the visa-centre charge are paid straight to them. We never mark them up.

The time costs more than the money

  • You may lodge up to six months before travel, and as a rule no later than 15 calendar days before. (Art 9(1))
  • The appointment “shall, as a rule, take place within a period of two weeks from the date when the appointment was requested”. (Art 9(2))
  • A decision comes within 15 calendar days, extendable to a maximum of 45. (Art 23(1)–(2))
  • There is no waiting period after a refusal. You can apply again the next day, and pay again. What you lose is the dates, not the right.

You get a tick, not an explanation

A refusal must be given on the standard form in Annex VI. (Art 32(2)) The officer ticks a box. These four decide most Indian tourist files — word for word:

  • Box 2justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not provided
  • Box 3you have not provided proof of sufficient means of subsistence…
  • Box 10the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable
  • Box 13there are reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa

Box 13 names no document. That is the problem — reapplying without knowing which document failed is how the second refusal happens.

And it stays on the record

  • “Information on a refused visa shall be entered into the VIS.” (Art 32(5)) A Bulgaria refusal is visible to every other Schengen consulate. It is a database record — not a stamp in your passport.
  • Canada asks about it directly. IMM 5257, Background Information, question 2(b): “Have you ever been refused a visa or permit, denied entry or ordered to leave Canada or any other country or territory?” That question does not expire, and an undeclared refusal is treated as misrepresentation.

If your file is simple and your papers are conventional, file it yourself — you do not need us. If it is not, that is the work. No one can promise a visa. The officer decides.

Find out which part of your file is weak
Done-for-you · End-to-end filing

Your whole Bulgaria Tourist Visa, handled for one honest price.

A strong Bulgaria file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.

All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges

₹12,999all-in · GST incl.

File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents

5★ · 100+ reviews · reply in 5 min

Everything below — included, nothing extra

  • Document checklist
  • Application form guidance
  • Document review
  • Cover letter
  • Purpose of travel structure
  • Financial proof review
  • Sponsor document guidance
  • Submission & appointment support
  • Post-submission guidance
Licensed consultant files it Govt/VFS fees paid direct — never marked up

Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee. Read the full guide

Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.

Your fee, justified

₹12,999 fee — what exactly is included?

Our professional fee isn't just form-filling. It covers complete Bulgaria visitor visa preparation, document & refusal-risk review, financial-proof structuring, submission support and post-filing guidance. Tap any item to see what's inside.

Two Bulgaria applicants with identical bank balances can need completely different files. Before anything is prepared, a licensed consultant works through your profile and decides what your case has to prove:

  • We identify which refusal ground your profile is most exposed to
  • We decide whether your income or your ties carry the file — they are rarely both strong
  • We work out how much of the trip your own funds must visibly cover
  • We test whether the trip length and cost are realistic for your profile, and say so if not
  • We check how a previous refusal changes what this file has to answer
  • We tell you plainly if you should not apply yet

A visitor visa isn't approved because documents are attached — the purpose, funds, travel plan and return ties have to support each other. Deciding how they will, for your case, is the work.

A salaried applicant, a farmer with no ITR and a retired parent being sponsored need three different evidence sets. We build yours:

  • We name the exact documents your profile needs — and the ones it does not
  • We tell you what to leave OUT: unexplained extras make a file look padded
  • We find the substitute evidence when a standard document does not exist for you
  • We flag anything in Punjabi or Hindi that needs translating before it is read
  • We sequence the file the way the officer reads it, not the way you collected it

This avoids missing what matters — and avoids piling on documents nobody asked for and nothing explains.

Most files are checked for whether a document is present. Officers check whether the documents agree. We read yours the second way:

  • Every name, date and spelling matched across every paper
  • Leave dates, ticket dates and itinerary dates reconciled with each other
  • Bank credits traced to the income that is supposed to have produced them
  • Employer and sponsor letters checked for whether they would survive a verification call
  • Each document checked for issuer and for validity on your actual travel dates
  • A final read by someone deliberately looking for the reason to refuse it

Almost every applicant does the first pass themselves. Almost nobody does the last one.

Funds are one of the most common refusal triggers. A high balance alone isn't enough if the money doesn't look genuine, stable, and tied to your income. We check:

  • Whether the balance is reasonable for the trip
  • Average balance vs trip cost
  • Sudden large deposits that need explaining
  • Salary / business income vs bank statement
  • ITR vs income profile
  • Whether you can afford the trip without leaning entirely on a sponsor
  • Whether sponsor support is properly explained
  • Whether funds look genuine and traceable

We help structure the financial side professionally so it reads as genuine, not borrowed for the application.

We help present a clear, realistic purpose — tourism, a holiday, a family/relative visit, an event, a business meeting, or parents visiting children — and make sure it lines up with your dates, funds, itinerary and documents.

A weak or vague purpose makes a file look doubtful. We keep it clear, simple and professional.

We prepare or structure the main explanation letter — a professional summary that makes your case easy for the officer to understand. It covers:

  • We write it in the officer's reading order, not in the order things happened
  • We aim it at the refusal ground your profile is most exposed to
  • We keep it to one page — long letters read as pleading rather than explaining
  • We point every claim at the document that proves it, so nothing stands alone
  • If you were refused before, we make it address that ground head-on instead of hoping

This is not a guarantee letter — it's a clear, professional explanation of your case.

The officer must be satisfied you'll leave Bulgaria after your authorized stay. We identify and present your reasons to return:

  • We work out which of your ties is genuinely strongest — often not the one you expect
  • We turn each one into evidence rather than a sentence in a letter
  • We check the ties still hold on your travel dates, not just today
  • We identify exactly where the file looks thin, and what would fix it
  • We tell you honestly if ties are your weak point, before you spend the embassy fee

If someone in Bulgaria is inviting you, we guide the sponsor-side documents:

  • Invitation letter
  • Sponsor status proof (passport / PR / citizenship)
  • Sponsor employment & income proof
  • Sponsor bank statement, if needed
  • Relationship & communication proof
  • Who bears expenses & stay arrangement

A sponsor supports the case but never guarantees approval — your own purpose, funds and ties must still be strong. We also flag if a file is leaning too heavily on the sponsor.

We guide or assist with the application form and details (online portal or the VFS/embassy form, depending on Bulgaria), and check consistency between the form and your documents:

  • Personal, passport & travel-history details
  • Employment & education history
  • Family information
  • Purpose of visit & funding details
  • Sponsor information, if applicable
  • Previous-refusal declarations
  • Background questions
  • Correct document categories

Wrong, incomplete or inconsistent information can hurt this application — and future ones too.

How a file is lodged depends on the country — some are fully online, while others (most Schengen states) need you to complete the form first, then book a VFS appointment and submit a physical file in person. We guide the exact Bulgaria process:

  • Completing the application form first, where required, to unlock the appointment
  • Booking the VFS / embassy appointment
  • Arranging documents in the right order — for upload or the VFS counter
  • Guiding the visa-fee payment
  • Final review before submission or your VFS visit
  • What to carry to the appointment (originals, photos, forms)
  • Submitting / lodging and saving the confirmation
  • What happens after submission

After submission, if biometrics are required, we guide you through:

  • Biometrics Instruction Letter
  • VFS appointment booking
  • Documents to carry
  • What to expect at the VFS centre
  • How biometrics update in your application
  • What to do once biometrics are done

Biometrics fee is separate, paid to the authority / VFS as applicable.

Our support doesn't stop at submission. We stay connected and guide you on:

  • How to check application updates
  • What official messages mean
  • What to do if more documents are requested
  • What to do after a Passport Request
  • VFS passport submission & courier return
  • Decision-update explanation
  • Next steps after approval
  • Basic guidance if refused

What's not included (paid direct, at actual cost)

  • Government / embassy visa fee
  • Biometrics fee
  • VFS service charges
  • VFS courier & SMS charges
  • VFS premium-lounge charges
  • Travel insurance
  • Flight tickets
  • Hotel bookings
  • Translation charges
  • Notary / attestation
  • Medical exam, if ever required
  • Any other third-party charges

No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision is always the visa officer's. Our role is to prepare, review, structure and present your file professionally from the documents and profile you provide.

Call +91 97803 01303

Good to know before you apply

Rules that apply to every Bulgaria visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.

  • 1Indian-resident applicants apply via VFS Global India. Direct Embassy submission only by prior appointment for special EU-family or compassionate cases.
  • 2Status queries and missing-document submissions go to bgconsuldelhi@yahoo.com — emails to other Embassy addresses are disregarded.
  • 3Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025. Holders of Schengen Type C (two/multiple entry), Type D (long-stay), or Schengen-state residence permits can enter Bulgaria WITHOUT a separate Bulgarian visa for stays up to 90 days in 6 months.
  • 4Diplomatic and Official Indian Passport holders can transit / enter Bulgaria visa-free for short-term visits up to 90 days in 6 months (since 02 July 2009).
  • 5The applicant bears responsibility for ALL content of the application — an authorised representative cannot accept liability.
  • 6The Embassy can request additional documents at any time during examination and may call applicants for an interview.
  • 7Possessing a valid Bulgaria / Schengen visa does NOT guarantee entry — final entry decision rests with the border immigration officer.

Who Can Apply

  • Tourism, leisure, sightseeing, holiday travel to Bulgaria
  • Self-planned independent travel with confirmed flights + hotel reservations
  • Booked organised tours via a registered travel agency
  • Multi-stop Schengen itineraries with Bulgaria as the main destination

Not eligible under this visa:

  • Stays longer than 90 days — apply for Long-Term D instead
  • Paid or unpaid work — a foreigner cannot work in Bulgaria on a short-term visa
  • Studying for more than 90 days — apply for Long-Term D
  • Medical treatment — apply under Medical Treatment Visit category

What it costs

Government & VFS fees

Paid directly to Bulgaria / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.

ItemAmount
Adult visa (Short-Stay, Type C)₹9,900
Children 6–12 yearsFREE
Members of Bulgarian / EU citizens' familiesFREE
VFS Logistics service charge₹2,530
Optional Courier₹735
Optional Courier with assurance₹1,260
Optional SMS service₹420
Optional Premium Lounge₹3,360
Optional Photograph at VFS₹315
Optional Prime Time Submission₹2,100

Visa fees and VFS service charges are non-refundable, regardless of visa outcome. From 12 August 2024, applicants can pay visa fees and VFS logistics via Card / Cash / UPI. Approximate total for an adult short-stay visa: ₹12,430 (₹9,900 + ₹2,530). Long-Term D total: ₹14,080. Diplomatic and Official Indian Passport holders can transit / visit Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days within 6 months.

Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary

What Bulgaria actually requires — and what it does not.

Bulgaria applies the Schengen rules, so travel insurance is not a nice-to-have — it is a legal condition of the visa.

2 of 4 are compulsory for Bulgaria

Expected

Flight reservation

The Bulgaria consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing.

Where people slip: Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together.

How to hold a flight without paying
Required

Hotel booking

Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code.

Where people slip: Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend.

Refundable hotel booking, explained
Required

Travel insurance

Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference.

Where people slip: Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four.

What the cover must actually say
Expected

Travel itinerary

A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. Bulgaria must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate.

Where people slip: Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in Bulgaria. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed.

The letter your itinerary attaches to

We arrange all four for your Bulgaria file.

We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.

What to gather

Documents required

Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.

Mandatory — every applicant must provide

9 items
  • Bulgaria Visa Application FormRequired

    Fully completed in English or Bulgarian, signed in two places (field 37 + last field). For minors under 18 — signed by parent/guardian.

  • Valid passportRequired

    Valid 3+ months beyond intended return; minimum 2 empty pages back-to-back; issued within the previous 10 years; NO alterations or handwritten amendments on the data page

  • Copy of current passportRequired

    Data pages, plus pages with evidence of previous valid + expired visas / travel

  • Original of previous passports (or proof of loss)

    If applicable — to demonstrate travel history

  • One recent passport-size photograph (3.5 × 4.5 cm)Required

    Light background; face covers 70-80%; ICAO-compliant; see Photo Specifications section below. NOT older than 6 months.

  • Cover letterRequired

    Explaining the purpose of the trip and duration of stay

  • Proof of residence

    If applicable — applicants temporarily residing in another state should submit a photocopy of the stay permit (e.g. valid Indian Residency Permit or return visa to India)

  • Travel medical insurance — minimum €30,000 coverRequired

    Valid for Bulgaria for the entire period of intended stay; covers repatriation for medical reasons + emergency medical care + hospital treatment in case of emergency or death. Must be issued by an EU/VFS-approved insurance company. For multiple entries, additional declaration form required.

  • Means of transportationRequired

    Return travel ticket OR confirmed booking (for air / surface / sea transport)

Proof of financial means — every applicant

3 items
  • Three months bank statement (saving + current a/c)Required

    Most recent 3 months — both savings and current accounts where applicable

  • Three years Income Tax Returns (ITR / ITR-V)Required

    Personal AND company (if applicable) — last 3 assessment years

  • Subsistence funds proofRequired

    Either: minimum €50 per day of stay (or equivalent in another convertible currency, but at least €500 total); OR a letter from the inviting organisation/institution covering all expenses of the applicant's stay in Bulgaria

Proof of social and professional status (one applicable)

3 items
  • If EMPLOYED — Service letter from employerRequired

    On company's official letterhead — establishing position, years in service, grant of leave, salary certificate of last 3 months

  • If SELF-EMPLOYED / BUSINESS OWNER — Visa request letterRequired

    On official letterhead with company registration / ownership papers

  • If STUDENT — Letter from school / universityRequired

    Confirming enrolment, grant of leave, plus copy of valid student ID

If the applicant is a MINOR (under 18)

4 items
  • Birth certificate (if parents are legal guardians)Required
  • Decision of competent authority appointing legal guardian

    If applicable

  • Notarised consent — if minor travels with ONE parent onlyRequired

    Original notarised consent from the OTHER parent / legal guardian, including: their personal info, the purpose, period and length of stay in Bulgaria, the period for which consent is issued, plus their signature and copy of passport / ID

  • Notarised consent from BOTH parents — if minor travels aloneRequired

    Original notarised consent from BOTH parents / legal guardians (same content as above)

Tourism-specific (additional)

4 items
  • Detailed cover letter with itineraryRequired

    Explaining the purpose of the trip with itinerary and detailed location(s) per duration of stay in Bulgaria

  • Proof of accommodationRequired

    Hotel booking, private or other accommodation (guaranteed and confirmed in applicant's name); real estate title deed or lease; proof of ownership / lease of a boat, etc.

  • Confirmed return / onward travel ticketRequired

    Air, surface or sea transport — print of confirmed e-ticket or booking

  • Proof of subsistence fundsRequired

    OR a document of prepaid tourist services

Required · optional / if applicable

The journey.

8 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.

  1. 01

    Plan your trip 30+ days before travel

    Tourist applications cannot be lodged less than 15 calendar days before departure or more than 3 months ahead. Aim for 30+ days for safety.

  2. 02

    Download the Bulgaria Visa Application Form

    From VFS Global Bulgaria. Complete in English or Bulgarian, in BLOCK letters. Sign in TWO places (field 37 + last field).

  3. 03

    Gather all mandatory documents

    Use the checklist above. 3 months bank statements, 3 years ITR, travel insurance €30,000 minimum from EU-approved insurer.

  4. 04

    Get ICAO-compliant photographs

    3.5 × 4.5 cm, light background, face 70-80% of frame, taken within last 6 months. See Photo Specifications below.

  5. 05

    Book a VFS appointment online

    Visit visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/bgr. Pay ₹2,530 service charge to confirm.

  6. 06

    Submit documents in person on appointment day

    First trip MUST be in person. Carry originals + photocopies. Pay ₹9,900 visa fee. Photographs taken on-site if needed (₹315).

  7. 07

    Track via VFS or SMS

    Up to 15 calendar days. Status queries: bgconsuldelhi@yahoo.com.

  8. 08

    Collect passport via courier or in-person

    Choose courier (₹735) or in-person pickup. Visa is a sticker affixed to your passport.

What works

19 levers that flip a borderline case.

  • Travel medical insurance must be issued by an APPROVED EU / VFS-listed insurer with minimum €30,000 cover. Without it your application will be rejected outright.
  • Bank statements must show last 3 months of activity — both saving + current accounts where applicable.
  • Three years of ITR / ITR-V are mandatory — personal AND company (if you are self-employed).
  • Application form MUST be signed in TWO places: field 37 + the last field. A common mistake.

What kills cases

Top 3 refusal triggers we see.

  • 1Travel medical insurance below €30,000 minimum or not from an EU-approved insurer
  • 2Bank statements not covering full 3 months or insufficient subsistence funds
  • 3Application form not signed in BOTH places (field 37 + last field)

Download official forms

Each link opens the official Bulgaria page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.

VFS application centres

VFS Global New DelhiVFS Global MumbaiVFS Global BengaluruVFS Global ChennaiVFS Global KolkataVFS Global HyderabadVFS Global AhmedabadVFS Global PuneVFS Global ChandigarhVFS Global Jalandhar

Schengen Tourist Visa Eligibility Check

Answer 10 quick questions to see your likelihood of approval. This is not a guarantee — final decision is always with the Embassy — but it flags common weak spots so you can address them before applying.

0 / 10
1

What's the primary purpose of your trip?

2

How long do you plan to stay?

3

Have you previously visited any Schengen country?

4

Have you ever been refused a Schengen (or any country's) visa?

Past refusals must be disclosed — they show up in VIS database across Schengen countries.

5

Do you have confirmed travel bookings?

Reservations are enough — don't buy tickets until visa approval.

6

What's your current employment status?

7

What's your typical 3-month bank balance?

Schengen needs ~₹700/day covered. For a 10-day trip, minimum ₹70,000 stable balance.

8

How many years of Income Tax Returns (ITR) can you show?

9

What are your strongest ties to India (return-intent)?

Embassies want evidence you'll come back — not overstay.

10

Who are you travelling with?

Indicative only — final decision is always with the Embassy.

Frequently asked

Questions, answered straight

Up to 15 calendar days from when the Embassy receives your file. May extend to 30-60 days if further scrutiny is needed. Apply 30+ days before travel to be safe.

Approximately ₹12,430 for an adult — ₹9,900 visa fee + ₹2,530 VFS service charge. Optional courier ₹735, SMS ₹420. Children 12 and below pay no visa fee. Excludes travel insurance (~₹1,500-3,000).

Bulgaria joined full Schengen on 1 January 2025. If you already hold a valid Schengen Type C (two/multiple entry), Type D long-stay visa, or a Schengen-state residence permit, you can enter Bulgaria without a separate Bulgarian visa — for up to 90 days in 6 months. If you don't have any Schengen document, you apply for a Bulgaria-specific Type C through VFS.

Yes — MANDATORY. Minimum €30,000 cover from an EU / VFS-approved insurer. Must cover the entire trip including arrival + departure days, plus repatriation, emergency medical care, and hospital treatment.

Maximum 3 months before intended departure, minimum 15 calendar days before. Outside this window the Embassy cannot process the file.

Yes — since 12 August 2024, Card / Cash / UPI are all accepted at VFS centres for both visa fees and VFS logistics.

No — Indian-resident applicants must apply via VFS Global India. Direct Embassy submission is by prior appointment only for special EU-family or compassionate cases.

Send missing documents within 3 working days to bgconsuldelhi@yahoo.com (the only Embassy email that's monitored for this). Submission of incomplete documentation can lead to rejection.

Yes. We are a Government-of-Punjab licensed firm (License No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024) and prepare the complete file end-to-end — cover letter, document review, A4 bank statements, ITR coordination, photo verification, VFS appointment booking. First consultation is free at our Patiala office.

Yes, in practice you should have one. The Bulgaria consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing. What people call a dummy ticket is simply a reservation you have not paid for — a real PNR, held with the airline, released if you do not travel. That is standard and completely acceptable. What is never acceptable is an edited or invented itinerary, because that is a false document. Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together. We issue the real reservation the same day; send us your dates.

Yes, and it is compulsory. Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code. Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend. We book the hotel for you on free-cancellation terms, so nothing is lost if your plans move or the answer is no. Contact us and it goes in with the rest of your file.

Yes, and it is compulsory. Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference. Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four. We issue the policy ourselves through our travel partners, written to the exact cover Bulgaria demands, with the certificate ready the same day. Message us with your dates and the number of travellers.

Yes, in practice you should have one. A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. Bulgaria must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate. Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in Bulgaria. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed. We build the itinerary so your flights, your hotels and your stated purpose all tell one story. Message us and we will put it together with your Bulgaria application.

Reviewed by Sherbir Singh Grewal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.

Why trust us with a Bulgaria file

Four things you can check before you trust us with a rupee.

Every visa consultant says they are experienced and reliable. Here is the version you can verify yourself in about a minute — which is the only version worth reading.

If your Bulgaria visa is refused, our fee comes back in full.

No deductions, no “processing charges”, refund initiated within 7 days to the account you paid from. We are that confident about the files we take on — and when we are not confident, we tell you before you spend anything.

The one part nobody can return is the government's money: the embassy fee goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee to VFS. Any consultant promising those back is not telling you the truth. Read the policy

A regulator sits above us

Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024, issued by the District Magistrate, Patiala and valid to 22 July 2029. That is not a badge we designed — it is an authority you can complain to if we let you down. Most agents cannot give you a number to check.

Your file is read six times, by people, in order

Names and dates matched across every paper, each document checked for issuer and validity, the money traced to its source, the purpose checked for contradictions, ties documented rather than claimed, then one final read by someone trying to refuse it. That last pass is the one almost nobody does alone.

We tell people not to apply

The ₹499 report can come back as "no, not yet", and we are paid the same either way. A free assessment has every incentive to tell you yes. That single design choice is why our answer on your Bulgaria case is worth anything at all.

5.0★ from 100+ Google reviews — posted for Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, the licensed firm behind SureshotVisa. Read them on Google rather than taking a screenshot on a website's word.

Verify all of this

No consultant can guarantee a visa — the officer always decides. What we guarantee is our own work, and we put our fee behind it.

How we get it done

Your Bulgaria Tourist Visa, from your first message to your passport back.

13 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.

Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.

+What do you actually do on my Bulgaria Tourist Visa that I can't do myself?

You can file it yourself, and for a straightforward case you may not need anyone — we will say so if that is what we think. What we add is the part almost nobody does alone: reading your file the way the Bulgaria officer will. Your documents get checked against each other rather than against a checklist, so a date on your leave letter cannot contradict your ticket and a bank credit cannot appear from nowhere. Then someone reads the whole file again, deliberately looking for the reason to refuse it.

+What happens in the first 24 hours after I message you?

A licensed consultant reads your situation and comes back the same working day: whether the case is ready, what is missing, and whether you should apply at all. You get a checklist built for your profile — salaried, self-employed, farming income, retired or sponsored files each need a different evidence set — plus a realistic view of Bulgaria timing. Nothing is charged for that conversation.

+How do you build the Bulgaria Tourist Visa file, step by step?

Six passes over the same papers, in the order the officer reads them. One: every name, date and spelling matched across every document. Two: each document checked for who issued it and whether it is still valid on your travel dates. Three: the financial story traced to its source, not just to a closing balance. Four: purpose and itinerary checked for internal contradictions. Five: ties to India documented rather than asserted. Six: a final read by someone deliberately trying to refuse it. Most applicants do the first pass. Almost nobody does the last.

+My bank balance is strong. Isn't that enough for a Bulgaria visa?

It is one box on the officer's form, and it is the box most applicants have already covered. The refusal grounds that catch well-funded files are the other ones: purpose of travel not justified, intention to leave before the visa expires not established, accommodation or insurance not evidenced. Officers also read where the money came from rather than what the closing figure says — a large deposit that landed three weeks before you applied, with nothing explaining it, is one of the most questioned items in any file.

+How do you get me a Bulgaria appointment when the portal shows no slots?

By watching it properly, which is dull work rather than a trick — releases come in batches at no fixed hour, and cancellations reappear constantly. We hold your file complete and ready so that the moment a workable date appears it can be taken immediately, instead of you scrambling for a document while the slot goes. What nobody can do is create an appointment or jump the queue: the release schedule belongs to the visa centre. Any agent claiming a private channel to slots is describing something that does not exist.

+How exactly do you prepare my documents?

You send whatever you have on WhatsApp — photos are fine. We build the checklist for your profile, tell you precisely what is missing and in what form, then assemble the file in the order the officer reads it. Cover letter and itinerary are written to match your actual documents rather than a template. Anything in Punjabi or Hindi that matters — land records, J-Forms, affidavits — gets flagged for translation, because an officer who cannot read a document treats it as if it were not submitted. You approve the finished file before anything is filed.

+Do I need to pay for VFS premium lounge or prime-time service?

No — and this is where most applicants waste money. Premium lounge, prime time and courier add-ons buy comfort, a shorter queue and convenience. They do not buy a better decision, a faster embassy verdict or a friendlier officer, because the mission never sees which counter you used. The reason people buy them is usually anxiety about being turned away at the desk for a missing paper. We remove that anxiety instead: you arrive with a checked, ordered file and a briefing on exactly what to carry and what you will be asked, so the ordinary counter is enough. Buy them if you want the comfort — just do not buy them believing they help your case.

+What actually happens on the day at the visa centre?

You arrive with your appointment confirmation, passport, the file we prepared and the fee receipts. Staff check the documents against their list, take your photograph and fingerprints, and keep your passport. It is a submission counter, not an interview — they are not assessing your case and are not the people who decide it. We brief you beforehand on what to carry, what to expect and how to answer the handful of factual questions they do ask, so a single visit is enough. After that your file goes to the mission and we track it until the decision.

+How long does a Bulgaria Tourist Visa take, start to finish?

Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Bulgaria currently states Up to 15 calendar days from when the Embassy receives your complete application. May extend to 30 or up to 60 calendar days when further scrutiny is needed. VFS centres outside Delhi forward to the Embassy promptly. Applications cannot be lodged less than 15 calendar days before departure or more than 3 months ahead. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.

+What do I have to do myself?

Send your documents on WhatsApp, answer the questions we ask about your case, and attend the biometrics appointment. That is the whole list. Collection, checking, forms, portal work, appointment booking, submission and tracking are ours. For professional accounts we collect documents from your clinic, office or factory.

+How much of what I pay for the Bulgaria visa is actually your fee?

Most of it is not ours. The Bulgaria government fee (currently ₹9,900) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.

+Can you guarantee my Bulgaria visa?

No, and anyone who does is lying to you. The decision rests entirely with the visa officer and no consultant, licensed or otherwise, has any influence over it. What we commit to is that your file will not be the reason you are refused. And if you are refused, our service fee comes back to you in full — the government's fees are the one part nobody can return.

+How do I check you are a real, licensed firm?

We are Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licensed by the Government of Punjab under licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024, valid to 2029 and issued by the District Magistrate, Patiala — so there is a regulator with authority over us. Every payment carries a GST invoice in the registered company name and we never take money into a personal account. Ask any consultant for those three things; the answer tells you a lot.

Other Bulgaria Visa Types

Bulgaria Short-Stay (Type C)

Business Visa (Short-Stay, Type C)

Apply for a Bulgaria Business Visit Visa from India — Short-Stay (Type C). For meetings, conferences, trade shows. ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS. 15 calendar days. Requires Invitation-Declaration from Bulgarian host.

View guide
Bulgaria Short-Stay (Type C)

Family / Friend Visit Visa — Private Visit (Short-Stay, Type C)

Bulgaria Private Visit Visa for visiting family or friends in Bulgaria. Short-Stay (Type C). Requires Invitation-Declaration from the Bulgarian host. ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS.

View guide
Bulgaria Short-Stay (Type C)

Sports / Cultural / Artistic / Scientific Visa (Short-Stay, Type C)

Bulgaria visa for cultural events, sports competitions, artistic performances, scientific exchange. Short-Stay (Type C). ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS. Requires invitation from the Bulgarian organising body.

View guide
Bulgaria Short-Stay (Type C)

Medical Treatment Visa (Short-Stay, Type C)

Apply for a Bulgaria Medical Treatment Visa from India — Short-Stay (Type C). Requires Bulgarian medical facility certificate + treatment plan. ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS.

View guide
Bulgaria Transit

Transit Visa (Short-Stay)

Bulgaria Transit Visa for travellers passing through Bulgaria en route to a third country. ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS. Up to 3 transit passages × 2 days each.

View guide
Bulgaria Airport Transit

Airport Transit Visa (Short-Stay)

Bulgaria Airport Transit Visa for travellers staying in the international transit zone at a Bulgarian airport en route to a third country. ₹9,900 + ₹2,530 VFS.

View guide
Bulgaria Long-Stay (Type D)

Long-Term Visa (Type D, >90 days)

Apply for a Bulgaria Long-Term Visa (Type D) from India — for stays >90 days for work, family reunification, study, or other long-stay purposes. ₹11,000 visa fee + ₹3,080 VFS.

View guide

Source & Disclaimer

Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Bulgaria website and Embassy of Bulgaria. Last verified 2026-04-29. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.

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