For WHD visa applicants only: Before booking an appointment, please make sure that you are allowed to enter Bulgaria from your country of origin and with the passport, you hold! In case that your English knowledge does not allow you to communicate with us at the counter, please make sure that you are accompanied by a translator. If an interview is not possible, we have to refuse your visa application. Working Holiday Information

Whether you are planning a short term visit, attend a business meeting, or take up studies or employment in Germany - here you can find information on the visa application process and required documents.

Which visa do I need for Germany? More Information here.

All visa applicants are required to make an appointment. During peak travel season there may be a waiting period for an appointment.

Information in accordance with Art. 13 and 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation)

General Information

Visa applications should be submitted on time, but not earlier than 3 months before the intended date of departure, as further documentation may be required in individual cases. One application form is needed for all kind of visa. All applications must be submitted in person. This is a mandatory requirement, it is not possible to be represented by another person. However, it is possible for another person to submit further documentation or pick up your passport - advance notice is required.

The application form must be fully completed in German or English. False or incomplete data may result in a denial of the application.

Application forms are free of charge and can be downloaded from this website. All application forms must be signed by the applicant; we require a recent, biometric photo for each application. Such photos (3,5 cm x 4,5 cm, good contrast, light background, height of the face must be 32 mm - 36 mm from chin to hairline) can be purchased e.g. at the photo studio behind the Embassy, ul. Elemag, / ul. Konstantin Kisimov.

Your passport must have at least 2 blank pages, have been issued within the previous 10 years and the validity has to extend the duration of the visa you are applying for by at least 3 months. A valid Bulgarian residence permit (lichna karta or long-term visa) must also be presented.

What changes on the 31.03.2024?

From 31 March 2024, checks on persons at internal air and sea borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania shall be lifted.

Holders of valid Bulgarian residence permits and national visas for long-term residence can then, in accordance with Article 21 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement, travel freely in the territory of the other Schengen countries for up to 90 days per period of 180 days on the basis of these documents and a valid and recognized travel document, provided they meet the entry requirements in accordance with Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code. It is irrelevant whether you stay in the other states of the Schengen area for 90 days or whether you enter and leave several times.

National short-stay visas issued by Bulgaria and Romania before 31 March 2024 shall remain valid during their period of validity. They allow free travel in Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus only. For a stay in Germany these visa holders still need a Schengen visa.

From 01. April 2024 on, Bulgaria will also issue Schengen visas.

We ask you to cancel any appointment you have already booked to apply for a Schengen visa valid from April 1, 2024, which will no longer be necessary due to these regulations.

Application Procedure

You can find further information about the different types of visas depending on the purpose of stay as well as about the conditions for applying and the necessary documents on this website.

A) Application for a Long-Term Visa / Residence Visa (National Visa)

If you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, you have to apply for a long-term or residence visa. This type of visa has to be applied for if, for example, you are interested to work or study in Germany or if you would like to permanently join your spouse in Germany.

When applying please submit one application form with one biometric photo accompanied by the necessary documents according to your purpose of stay. The documents have to be presented as an original along with one copy. Any documents which are not in German language have to be translated. An apostille might be required in some cases.

Upon submission of all required documents, the application will be forwarded to the Aliens' Authority (Ausländerbehörde) competent for your intended place of residence in Germany. Applications take about six to eight weeks to be processed, sometimes longer. It is therefore advisable to submit your application in good time. After the application has been approved by the Aliens' Authority the Embassy will issue a residence permit in the form of a visa. The Aliens' Authority requires all residence permit holders to register upon their first arrival. A final residence permit can be issued in Germany after arrival.

Each application is given a reference number. Quoting this number you can inquire about the processing status by phone. Please be advised that additional documentation may be required in individual cases.

More Information about National Visa

B) Application for a Short Stay Visa (Schengen-Visa)

If you intend to stay in Germany for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days, you should apply for a Schengen visa.

In these cases please fill in one form in German or English and sign it duly. The form has to be accompanied by a biometric photo. When applying please present the necessary documents according to your purpose of stay. The documents have to be presented as an original along with one copy.

The duration of procedure takes, depending on the type of visa and the applicant's nationality, between two and ten working days, in some cases longer.

More Information about Schengen Visa

Please Note: Although the information on this website has been prepared with utmost care, we can not accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.