In anticipation of the beach season, many holidaymakers fromCIS countries are interested in, and do I need a visa to Bulgaria? On this account goes a lot of different conflicting rumors. Say, the country joined the European Union, so you need to open the "Schengen". Or, on the contrary, to attract the tourist flow Bulgaria has simplified the conditions of entry, a visa can be obtained there, as in Turkey or Egypt, upon arrival. Let's try to understand the intricacies of access to this southern country.
The fact remains that Bulgaria has enteredEuropean Union. Therefore, the citizens of the EU, as well as Canada, the United States, Australia, Israel and some other states, are open to this country But to the question: “Do Russians need a visa to Bulgaria?” The answer will be: “Yes, definitely”. The same applies to citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. For permission to enter, they need to apply to the consular departments at the embassies in their countries, to the visa centers in Bulgaria, or arrange it through travel agencies. What is the difference? The embassy must be addressed to each person separately, even if you leave the family. The package of documents is also collected independently. But this “pleasure” is somewhat cheaper. Only the visa fee in the amount of 35 or 70 euros is paid (the last price is for fast paperwork).
The advantage of contacting intermediaries -authorized centers of Bulgaria - is that only one family member can appear at such a point. There he will receive advisory assistance in the design of the dossier. But the cost of the cherished insert increases in this case by 1000 Russian rubles. Applying to a travel agency greatly simplifies the process of obtaining an entry permit. You can even answer the question whether a visa is needed in Bulgaria - with the intermediary services of a travel company, almost no effort is needed to obtain it. You just buy a ticket, bring passports and other papers, and at the appointed time (with a decorated visa) you go on a trip.
But there are also pitfalls here.Travel agencies accredited by the Bulgarian embassy often apply for group visas. This means that the quantitative and nominal composition of people entering under the voucher must coincide with the list of people leaving. Thus, you can not change the date of departure and will be “tied” to the rigid framework of the tour of the whole group. To avoid excesses with those who lagged behind on the way, agencies take passports from their clients, so that independent excursions around the country also become problematic. Therefore, it is necessary to think three times, and does this kind of visa are needed to Bulgaria? After all, it costs a lot of money: about 130 euros for 15 days.
It should also be borne in mind that the European Union andThe Schengen zone is not the same. Neither Romania nor Bulgaria have entered the last one yet. Do I need a Schengen visa to enter these countries? No, Bulgaria puts so far only national brands. And they do not give any right to enter the Schengen zone. However, there are some tricks here. If you have a valid "Schengen" with a multi-exit, you do not need to specially issue a Bulgarian national visa. There is one more plus. Your stay in this southern European country is not counted in the 90 days you can spend in the Schengen zone.
Many resort countries whose stateThe budget is largely dependent on the tourist flow, introducing measures to simplify the visa regime. Bulgaria is no exception. Do I need a visa? 2013 has not yet brought any pleasant surprises to Russians and other CIS citizens. But it's up to the future. At least, even now, getting permission to enter Bulgaria is much easier than to any Western European country.
