Bulgarian passport
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian passport is an international travel document
issued to nationals of Bulgaria
, and may also serve as proof of Bulgarian citizenship
. Every Bulgarian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union
.
, Schengen
and Common Travel Area
countries, as well as Albania
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Croatia
, Montenegro
, Republic of Macedonia
and Serbia
, Bulgarian citizens are not required to carry a passport and only need their national identity cards
.
The Bulgarian passport gives its bearer the right to assistance and protection by Bulgarian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad (or to those of other EU member states where a Bulgarian one does not exist).
The passport remains the property of the Republic of Bulgaria.
, being burgundy in colour, with the Bulgarian Coat of arms
emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian
) / "European Union" (English), the country's official long name "Република България" (Bulgarian) and the English form "Republic of Bulgaria" are inscribed in capital letters above the coat of arms, with the word "паспорт" (Bulgarian) / "passport" (English) below. It is issued for a period of five years, and contains 32 or 48 pages.
Security features include holographic images, micro printing, UV-visible features, watermarks, etc. In addition, the passport holder's photograph is digitally printed directly onto the paper, in standard ink as well as a holographic image. All passports are machine-readable
.
data, and also feature the text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian) / "European Union" (English) above the country's official name, thus reflecting Bulgaria's EU membership. Additional design changes include the placement of pictures of famous Bulgarian landmarks and monuments on the inside pages of the passports. The new passport fees are 20 € (40 BGN) and with the same validity (5 years).
and English.
Travel document
A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international treaty organization to facilitate the movement of individuals or small groups of persons across international boundaries...
issued to nationals of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and may also serve as proof of Bulgarian citizenship
Bulgarian nationality law
right|200pxBulgarian nationality law is governed by the Constitution of Bulgaria of 1991 and the citizenship law of 1999 ....
. Every Bulgarian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Application
The Ministry of Interior Affairs is responsible for the issuing and renewing of Bulgarian passports.Use
For travel inside the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Schengen
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
and Common Travel Area
Common Travel Area
The Common Travel Area is a passport-free zone that comprises the islands of Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The area's internal borders are subject to minimal or non-existent border controls and can normally be crossed by Irish and British citizens with only...
countries, as well as Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Bulgarian citizens are not required to carry a passport and only need their national identity cards
Bulgarian identity card
The Bulgarian identity card is a compulsory identity document issued in Bulgaria. The document is issued by the police on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and is the main form of identification on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria...
.
The Bulgarian passport gives its bearer the right to assistance and protection by Bulgarian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad (or to those of other EU member states where a Bulgarian one does not exist).
The passport remains the property of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Categories
- Regular – available to all Bulgarian citizens and valid for five years.
- Service – issued to their staff on request by the respective government agency or directorate.
- Diplomatic – issued to diplomats, high-ranking state officials and their immediate families.
Physical appearance
Bulgarian passports are of the common EU designEuropean passport
The European Union itself does not issue passports, but the passports issued by its 27 member states share certain design features. These include the burgundy coloured cover, the use of the words "European Union" in the country's official language on the cover, as well as common security features...
, being burgundy in colour, with the Bulgarian Coat of arms
Coat of arms of Bulgaria
The coat of arms of Bulgaria consists of a crowned golden lion rampant over a dark red shield; above the shield is the Bulgarian historical crown...
emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
) / "European Union" (English), the country's official long name "Република България" (Bulgarian) and the English form "Republic of Bulgaria" are inscribed in capital letters above the coat of arms, with the word "паспорт" (Bulgarian) / "passport" (English) below. It is issued for a period of five years, and contains 32 or 48 pages.
Security features include holographic images, micro printing, UV-visible features, watermarks, etc. In addition, the passport holder's photograph is digitally printed directly onto the paper, in standard ink as well as a holographic image. All passports are machine-readable
Machine-readable passport
A Machine Readable Passport is a travel document where the data on the identity page is encoded in optical character recognition format. Many countries began to issue machine readable travel documents in the 1980s....
.
Biometric passports
Since 29 March 2010, all newly-issued Bulgarian passports contain a chip with biometricBiometric passport
A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of travelers...
data, and also feature the text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian) / "European Union" (English) above the country's official name, thus reflecting Bulgaria's EU membership. Additional design changes include the placement of pictures of famous Bulgarian landmarks and monuments on the inside pages of the passports. The new passport fees are 20 € (40 BGN) and with the same validity (5 years).
Passport note
The passports contain a note from the issuing state that is addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that he or she be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The note inside Bulgarian passports states:Languages
The data page/information page is printed in BulgarianBulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
and English.
Fees (as of 2009)
Passport (32 pages)| Time for issue | 30 days | 3 days | 8 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children (1st passport, under 14) | 10 BGN | 20 BGN | 50 BGN |
| Children (under 14) | 20 BGN | 40 BGN | 100 BGN |
| Adult (between 14 and 58) | 40 BGN | 80 BGN | 200 BGN |
| Adult (between 58 and 70) | 20 BGN | 40 BGN | 100 BGN |
| Adult (over 70) | 10 BGN | 20 BGN | 50 BGN |
| Disabled | 3 BGN | 6 BGN | 15 BGN |
See also
- Citizenship of the European UnionCitizenship of the European UnionCitizenship of the European Union was introduced by the Maastricht Treaty . European citizenship is supplementary to national citizenship and affords rights such as the right to vote in European elections, the right to free movement and the right to consular protection from other EU states'...
- Bulgarian nationality lawBulgarian nationality lawright|200pxBulgarian nationality law is governed by the Constitution of Bulgaria of 1991 and the citizenship law of 1999 ....
- Bulgarian identity cardBulgarian identity cardThe Bulgarian identity card is a compulsory identity document issued in Bulgaria. The document is issued by the police on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and is the main form of identification on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria...
- Uniform civil numberUniform civil numberThe uniform civil number is a 10-digit unique number assigned to each Bulgarian citizen or resident foreign national. It serves as a national identification number. An EGN is assigned to Bulgarians at birth, or when a birth certificate is issued...
- Driving licence in BulgariaDriving licence in BulgariaIn Bulgaria the driving licence is a governmental right given to those who request a licence for any of the categories they desire. It is required for every type of motorized vehicle...
- Bulgarian diplomatic missions
- List of passports
- Foreign relations of BulgariaForeign relations of BulgariaBulgaria has generally good foreign relations with its neighbours and has proved to be a constructive force in the region under socialist and democratic governments alike. Promoting regional stability, Bulgaria hosted a Southeast European Foreign Ministers meeting in July 1996, and an OSCE...
- Visa requirements for Bulgarian citizensVisa requirements for Bulgarian citizensVisa requirements for Bulgarian citizens are as follows:-Europe:-Africa:-Americas:-Asia:-Oceania:† Passport not required — a valid Bulgarian identity card is sufficient. 1 Visa issued at point of entry. 2 $10 Tourist card required...
- Visa policy of Bulgaria
- Passports of the European Union